The invention relates to a fastening system with an anchoring device (1) and a method for fastening an object (2) in the form of a stake or post projecting up from the ground, with an anchoring portion (4) which can be introduced into the earth of the ground and can be removed again from it, or can be releasably fastened on the surface of the ground, and with a holding portion (5) for receiving the object, the holding portion having a cup-shaped or tubular filling portion (6), provided with a filling opening (12), for receiving a filler (7). The filler (7) comprises a coarse-grained, hard material in the form of sand, loose chippings or rock.

The invention relates to a fastening system and a method for fastening an object in the form of a stake or post projecting from a surface, with an anchoring portion which can be introduced into an underlying structure bounded by the surface and can be removed again from it, or can be releasably fastened on the surface, and with a holding portion for receiving the object.
The erection of masts, posts, poles or stakes, for example for signs or fences, usually takes place directly by ramming them into the earth or by means of a foundation introduced into the earth for this purpose. With this procedure, the required vertical alignment entails considerable expenditure and requires the use of additional aids, which is laborious and, in particular, time-consuming. If it is concreted in, alignment of the object is no longer possible at all once the concrete has set.
In many cases, a mast or the like is not to be erected permanently but only for a time, for instance depending on the season, for example warning signs for hazards in winter or posts for setting up nets for ball games and the like. With the usual fastening methods mentioned above, a releasable connection is either not possible at all or requires additional measures.
In addition to ramming in, burying or concreting in an object, it is known to erect an object by means of a fastening system anchored in the earth. The anchoring device, which can receive the object to be erected at its upper, free end, includes at its lower end for example a screw or auger, which is screwed into the earth like a screw. The object to be erected is then inserted or screwed into the anchoring device or is screwed onto it. In the case of such arrangement as well, similar difficulties with regard to the use of additional aids exist regarding the alignment of the anchoring device in relation to the vertical and, in particular, when releasing the connection, and time-consuming additional measures are required.
The invention is based on the problem of providing a device and a method for fastening an object in the form of a stake or post projecting from a surface, in particular from the ground, with an anchoring portion which can be introduced into the underlying structure and can be removed again from it, or can be releasably fastened on the surface, and with a holding portion for receiving the object, with which device or method the object to be fastened can be aligned simply and in a short time and which permit sufficiently durable fixing of the object, even over prolonged periods, as well as comparatively quick and easily performed removal of the object.
The problem is solved according to the invention by a fastening system for an object in the form of a stake or post which includes a filler portion.
It is provided according to the invention that the holding portion has a cup-shaped or tubular filling portion, provided with a filling opening, for receiving a filler. The fastening system according to the invention therefore allows quick, easy-to-perform and exact alignment and positioning of the object in the form of a stake or post in relation to the holding portion, creating a durable fixing which needs no readjustment and can be easily released again. The components in the form of stakes or posts to be fastened may be variously designed, i.e. both cylindrical and conical components can be securely fixed, the conicity of the component also being formed in a frustoconical widening of the lower region of the component and/or in a conical tapering of the lower region of the component, thereby forming a relatively narrow annular gap. The system according to the invention and the method according to the invention can consequently be used for the secure fixing of a large number of components in the form of stakes or posts.
According to the invention, the filler is of such a nature that movement of the object in the holding portion is virtually ruled out. For this purpose, the filler expediently comprises a hard material in the form of sand, loose chippings or rock and/or a flexible plastic, such as granular material in particular. The invention is based on the surprising effect that filler which is, in itself, loose and to a certain extent xe2x80x9cfree-flowingxe2x80x9d indeed permits a fastening of the object that is mechanically adequately stable, without the effect of the mechanical connection subsiding over time. In this case, on the one hand easy-to-perform corrections in the alignment of the object are possible, and on the other hand simple release of the connection is made possible by removing or taking out the filler. Tests with coarse-grained, hard loose chippings, as are used in road construction for example, have shown that secure fixing is possible just by the force of gravity of the filler introduced and the mechanical pressure of the filler acting on the object. After introducing the filler, the object is securely held, even under the effect of external vibrations, and does not exhibit any, or in any event any appreciable, positional changes. The coarse-grained material of the filler assumes a physically stable, essentially unchanging position after filling and securely holds the object. Not only coarse-grained rubble is possible for the material of the filler, although such a material appears to be particularly well suited (since canting of such a material achieves particularly great rigidity and positional stability of the filler, which is retained even under relatively great loading), but also rounded or even spherical rock material, such as pebble stones or the like, for instance.
A further aspect of the present invention is therefore that of providing filling material for the fastening of objects in the form of stakes or posts which has a rough, irregularly formed surface. With such irregular, but nevertheless approximately equal-sized filling-material elements, the advantageous effect of the device according to the invention is brought out particularly distinctly.
An additional aspect of the present invention is to fill the annular gap between the component in the form of a stake or post and the anchoring device only with individual particles or elements of the filling material in order to mount the component in the form of a stake or post in a secure and stable manner. This utilizes the effect that even just a few, but at least two, particles or elements of the filling material are sufficient in the relatively narrow annular gap between the component in the form of a stake or post and the anchoring device to bring about an adequate wedging effect to mount the component in the form of a stake or post securely and stably, in particular with respect to vertical forces. It must be ensured here that the annular gap is not greater than the diameter of the particles or elements of the filling material. It has therefore proven to be advantageous if the base region of the anchoring device has a cone in which the component in the form of a stake or post is centered and the annular gap enclosing the component in the form of a stake or post opens in the upward direction.
Also particularly suitable is a flexible plastics material, for instance a coarse- or fine-grained granular material, which can be produced in particular from recycled materials, for instance from scrap rubber (scrap tires) or other suitable reusable plastic waste products. One special advantage of using a flexible filling material exclusively or in addition to other material, apart from an improved fastening effect that is more stable on a long-term basis, is in particular the vibration-damping and stress-retaining properties of such flexible filling material.
The filler is preferably filled into the filling opening by means of a funnel-like filling tube that reaches at least partly around the circumference of the filling opening.
A major advantage of the invention is that there is simple and accurate positioning of the object to be fastened. Not only can the axial position of the object be easily set, but any desired position of the object within the holding portion can also be accomplished. In this way, it is readily possible with extremely simple handling still to accomplish a desired position or directional correction of the object to be fastened even when the holding portion is fitted at a slant or in a position deviating from the actual desired position.
It is favorable if the filling material is adequately coarse in comparison with the outer dimensions of the object, i.e. the outside diameter in the case of a cylindrical object, from approximately one to at least a few millimeters or even a few tens of millimeters. But even comparatively fine-grained sand with a grain size below one millimeter exhibits in principle the required mechanical strengths and is therefore similarly suitable for the purposes according to the invention; however, it is to be ensured by additional means that the filled small-grained sand material cannot escape. Expedient particularly for this eventuality is a closing material which completely closes the filling opening and with which a mechanical pressure is at the same time also exerted on the sand material for compacting it.
With adequately coarse-grained material, on the other hand, it is not necessarily required for the filling opening to be completely covered to achieve the connecting effect according to the invention, since such a filler normally achieves adequately high rigidity by itself and also remains positionally stable with respect to vibrations or weathering effects or other external loads. Nevertheless, a closing means that covers the filling opening of the filling portion at least in certain regions and is releasably fastened at the edge region of the filling portion may be expediently provided for increasing the strength of the connection.
According to a preferred development of the fastening system according to the invention, the cup-shaped or tubular filling portion for receiving the filler is formed by an insert which can be inserted into the holding portion of the anchoring device and removed again. Accordingly, the insert is preferably formed by a prefabricated part of plastic or sheet metal. The insert may additionally also be formed by a bag made of a film of flexible plastic or else made of woven material and expediently provided with a bottom reinforcement withstanding the weight of the object. Such an insert makes it possible in an extremely simple way for the filler to be taken out again from the filling portion after removal of the object. Dismantling of the fastening device, but also renewed fixing of an object in the form of a stake or post, is consequently easily and quickly possible.
The method according to the invention for fastening an object in the form of a stake or post projecting from a surface in the underlying structure or on the surface by means of a fastening system which has an anchoring portion which can be inserted into the underlying structure and removed again from it, or can be releasably fastened on the surface, and a holding portion for receiving the object, is distinguished by the following steps:
introducing the anchoring portion of the fastening system into the underlying structure or arranging the anchoring portion on the surface;
introducing, aligning and positioning the object in the holding portion of the anchoring device;
filling a filler into a filling portion, provided with a filling opening, of the cup-shaped or tubular holding portion, thereby securing the aligned position of the object; and, if appropriate
durable fixing of the object by covering the filling opening by a closing means which covers the filling opening of the filling portion at least in certain regions and is releasably fastened at the edge region of the filling portion.
According to a preferred development of the method, it may be provided that the filler is permanently subjected to mechanical pressure or compressed by a clamping means. This method step is preferred in particular in the case of an angular filling material, and in turn in particular in the case of an angular hard material in the form of sand, loose chippings or rock, in order to counteract a reduction in the fastening effect caused over the course of time by vibrations or other mechanical effects of the object.
A further preferred method according to the invention consists in that coverage of the filling opening by closing means is not necessary for durable fixing of the object in the form of a stake or post, since the filler remains securely in the optionally usable insert or directly in the receiving region of the anchoring portion on account of its gravity, its blocking function and the static friction between the respective elements of the filler.
When a round or approximately round filling material is used, it is preferred in a development of the invention if the filling opening of the filling portion is covered by the closing means, in order that the filling material cannot escape from the filling portion, and at least a certain initial pressure is applied to the filler by the clamping means.
In a particularly preferred development of the invention, it is provided that the fastening system or its anchoring portion is screwed or knocked into the earth.
Furthermore, for use of the fastening system, objects in the form of stakes or posts which are designed essentially in a frustoconical form on their lower side may be used. Such a frustoconical surface at the lower end of the object in the form of a stake or post makes it possible for the objects in the form of posts to be fixed in a load-bearing and reliable way. This utilizes in particular the clamping mechanism of the filler, it not being important for an insert to be fitted in the actual receiving element of the anchoring portion. To achieve the necessary holding effect of the object in the form of a stake or post, it is sufficient for only an opening that is essentially triangular in section to be formed as an annular gap between the lower end of the object in the form of a stake or post and the holding portion. As soon as such a sectionally triangular annular gap has been formed and filler has been introduced into this intermediate space, the particularly advantageous wedging effect is brought about, permitting reliable and secure fixing of the object in the form of a stake or post according to the invention. A major advantage of the fastening system in connection with the component in the form of a stake or post to be fastened is that, with conically designed receiving elements of the anchoring portion, adaptation of the diameter of the object in the form of a stake or post, with for example a cylindrical inserting portion, is not required. The cone angle, i.e. the included angle of the triangular annular gap, has a magnitude of greater than 0xc2x0 and less than 45xc2x0, preferably 3xc2x0 to 15xc2x0.
A further aspect of the fastening system according to the invention is a dome-like compensating means which is arranged at the bottom of the insert in order to create a secure and stable supporting surface in the case of slanting components in the form of stakes or posts, which preferably include a tube. For this purpose, the dome-like compensating means is preferably a spherical cap which is either everted upward into the insert or formed downward as a depression. The dome-like compensating means is at the same time dimensioned in such a way that the annular supporting region of the component in the form of a stake or post rests with its entire circumference on it. The dome-like compensating means can be introduced as a removable component according to requirements into the bottom region of the insert, if the component in the form of a stake or post cannot be aligned coaxially with the anchoring device. In this case, the dome-like compensating means forms the supporting surface for the hollow component in the form of a stake or post, in order that filler does not get under the supporting edge of the component and in order that the latter does not consequently slip away on the planar base of the insert on account of being supported by its edge on one side.
An additional aspect of the present fastening system is that of providing centering means which center the components in the form of stakes or posts in their position in relation to the vertical. The centering means may in this case comprise the conical inner region of the anchoring device or attachable centering means, for example in the form of disks, which can preferably be arranged on the upper side of the insert radially with respect to the component in the form of a stake or post. It is optionally also possible for both centering means to be used, i.e. centering in the conical bottom region and centering by means of disks.
The fastening system according to the invention can consequently be constructed in a modular manner according to requirements from a plurality of component parts. The individual component parts of these fastening systems comprise:
an anchoring device, for example a bottom plug, knocking-in sleeve or mounting stand;
an insert for inserting into the anchoring device, optionally cylindrical or conical, optionally with a centering function in the lower or upper region of the insert;
individual filler particles for fixing the components;
a multiplicity of filler particles for filling up the insert or the anchoring device;
centering means for centering the components in the form of stakes or posts at the upper region of the anchoring device;
centering means for centering the components in the form of stakes or posts at the lower region of the anchoring device;
closing means without a centering function, with which the filler is subjected to mechanical stress;
a dome-like compensating means for slanting anchoring devices or components to be erected at a slant.
On the basis of these modular components, different exemplary embodiments of the fastening system according to the invention can be formed, the following list giving some but not all exemplary embodiments of the possible combinations of the modular fastening system.
Example 1: fastening system comprising an anchoring device with a conical inside wall, into which the component in the form of a stake or post is inserted and with which the space between the component in the form of a stake or post and the anchoring device is filled by means of a multiplicity of filler particles.
Example 2: fastening system comprising an anchoring device into which there is fitted an insert with a conical inside wall, into which the component in the form of a stake or post is inserted, and the space between the component in the form of a stake or post and the insert is filled by means of a multiplicity of filler particles.
Example 3: fastening system comprising an anchoring device into which there is fitted an insert with a cylindrical inside wall, into which the component in the form of a stake or post is inserted, and the space between the component in the form of a stake or post and the anchoring device is filled by means of a multiplicity of filler particles.
Example 4: fastening system comprising an anchoring device with a cylindrical inside wall, into which there is fitted an insert with a conical inside wall, into which the component in the form of a stake or post is inserted, and the space between the component in the form of a stake or post and the anchoring device is filled by means of a multiplicity of filler particles.
Example 5: fastening system comprising an anchoring device with a conical inside wall, into which the component in the form of a stake or post is inserted and centered by centering means at the end of the component, and the space between the component in the form of a stake or post and the anchoring device is filled by means of individual filler particles in such a way that these filler particles exert a clamping effect, in particular in response to vertical forces.
Example 6: fastening system comprising anchoring device with a conical inside wall, into which the component in the form of a stake or post is inserted and centered by centering means at the upper region of the anchoring device.
Example 7: fastening system comprising an anchoring device with a conical inside wall, into which the component in the form of a stake or post is inserted and centered by centering means at the upper region of the anchoring device, and with which the space between the component in the form of a stake or post and the anchoring device is filled by means of individual filler particles in such a way that these filler particles exert a clamping effect, in particular in response to vertical forces.
Example 8: fastening system comprising an anchoring device with a conical inside wall, into which the component in the form of a stake or post is inserted and centered by centering means at the upper region of the anchoring device and at the end of the component, and in which the space between the component in the form of a stake or post and the anchoring device is filled by means of individual filler particles in such a way that these filler particles exert a clamping effect, in particular in response to vertical forces.
Example 9: fastening system comprising an anchoring device and an insert, into which the component in the form of a stake or post is inserted and centered by centering means at the bottom of the insert and the space between the component in the form of a stake or post and the insert is filled by means of individual filler particles in such a way that these filler particles exert a clamping effect in response to vertical forces.
Example 10: fastening system comprising an anchoring device and an insert, into which the component in the form of a stake or post is inserted and centered by centering means at the bottom and at the upper region of the insert.

System and method for fastening an object


An electronic device finder system includes a vehicle having a door handle, a piezo switch operatively positioned within the door handle, and a signal transmitter operatively connected to the piezo switch. The piezo switch has an on state that is triggered by door handle movement, and the signal transmitter is to generate a signal in response to detection of the on state of the piezo switch. An electronic device, selected from the group consisting of a key-fob and a mobile device, includes a signal receiver to receive the signal from the signal transmitter and an alarm system operatively connected to the signal receiver. The alarm system is to generate an alarm in response to the signal receiver receiving the signal.

Vehicles often have wireless remotes that are used for controlling various vehicle functions, such as locking and unlocking doors, remotely starting the vehicle engine, and/or turning on vehicle lights. Traditional vehicle dedicated remote controls are referred to as key-fobs. More recently, applications for mobile communications devices have been developed so that the mobile communications device can function as the vehicle dedicated remote control. While the key-fob and the mobile communications device are generally more convenient than a traditional key, these items can be easily lost or misplaced.


An optical interface between an optical fiber and a photodiode is provided. The optical fiber has an end. The optical interface includes a lens located such that a chief ray of an optical signal outputted at said end traverses a center of the lens. The lens may be a ball lens or a lens having an orientation such that the chief ray is incident substantially normal to a center of the lens.

In a receiver optical sub-assembly (ROSA), a photodiode chip packaged in a transistor outline (TO) can (or package) is typically used to detect optical signals received over an optical fiber. In a conventional TO can for receiving optical signal at a transmission rate of 10 Gbps (Giga bits per second) or higher, the photodiode chip is located at the center of the TO header. Such centering of the photodiode chip allows the active area of the photodiode chip to be co-axial to the optical fiber. However, limiting the location of the photodiode chip to the center of the TO can results in an inflexible configuration. In such at-the-center photodiode chip configuration, it may be difficult to place other components at locations that will reduce distance between them or to the leads for wire bonding, for example.
In addition, when the photodiode chip is co-axial with the optical fiber, relatively high return loss typically results due to reflection of the optical signal that interferes with the optical output of the optical fiber. The edge of the optical fiber is often slanted at an angle to reduce the reflection incident upon the optical fiber. However, such slanting of the edge typically results in low optical coupling efficiency, for example, due to resulting optical aberration when the chief ray of the optical signal is bent as it passes through the periphery of the lens.

TO-packaged optic-fiber receiving interface and method


Disclosed is a control method of an air suspension system includes: sensing an error of a tire or an air spring; and controlling the height of a peripheral air spring based on the tire or the air spring in which the error occurs.

In general, a suspension is a device that prevents vibration or shock which a vehicle shaft receives from a road surface from being directly transferred to a vehicle body to prevent the vehicle body or freight from being damaged and improve ride comfort when a vehicle is driven by connecting the vehicle shaft and a vehicle body.
In particular, an air suspension system includes an air spring, an air tank, an air supply unit (an air compressor and a solenoid valve), and a controller and sensors controlling the same.
The air suspension system is configured in such a manner that when a load decreases and a vehicle height thus increases, the solenoid valve (leveling valve) operates, and as a result, air in the air spring is discharged and when the load increases and the vehicle height thus decreases, the air is replenished in the tank to constantly maintain the vehicle height. Therefore, when the load increases, the spring becomes hard and when the load decreases, the spring becomes soft.
As described above, the air suspension system provides an automatic leveling function in order to maintain a predetermined vehicle height in modes by providing various modes.
Meanwhile, when an error occurs in the tire or the air spring of the vehicle, a jack is inserted between the road surface and a narrow space of the vehicle body to raise the vehicle body at a predetermined height for replacement or repairing.
The replacing and repairing operations become operations which are difficult and hard for a driver.
In order to solve such a problem, development of a system that can facilitate the replacing or repairing operation is required by controlling the height of the vehicle body by using the air suspension.

Air suspension system and control method thereof


A display device includes a first set of data buses coupled between a timing controller and a first line driver. In addition, the display device also includes a second set of at least one data bus coupled between the first line driver and a second line driver. The second set has a less number of at least one data bus than the first set. Thus, data signals are transmitted to the line drivers of the display panel from the timing controller with minimized wiring for reduced power consumption and electromagnetic interference.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of components of a display device 10 such as a TFT-LCD (thin film transistor liquid crystal display) device. The display device 10 includes a display panel 12, a source driver block 14, a gate driver 16, a timing controller 18, and a power source 20.
The display panel 12 includes a plurality of source (i.e., data) lines S1, S2, . . . , and so on to SN. The display panel 12 also includes a plurality of gate (i.e., scan) lines G1, G2, . . . , and so on to GM. The display panel 12 further includes an array of N×M pixel electrodes. Each pixel electrode and a corresponding TFT (thin film transistor) are disposed at an intersection of a respective source line and a respective gate line. Each TFT of the display panel 12 has a gate coupled to a corresponding gate line, a source coupled to a corresponding source line, and a drain coupled to a corresponding pixel electrode.
The source driver block 14 includes multiple source drivers for driving the source lines S1, S2, . . . , and SN with display data (DATA) from the timing controller 18. The timing controller 18 also generates a clock signal (CLK), a data initiation signal (DIO), a load signal (LOAD), and a polarity signal (POL), as control signals to the source driver block 14. The CLK signal is used for signal synchronization between the timing controller and the source driver block 14. The DIO signal is used to indicate when the DATA signal has valid RGB color data. The LOAD signal indicates when the source lines S1, S2, . . . , and SN are to be driven with the RGB color data. The POL signal indicates whether the source driver block should perform inversion on the RGB color data.
The power source 20 generates the bias voltages used by the source driver block 14, the gate driver 16, and the display panel in response to control signals from the timing controller 18. The gate driver 16 sequentially drives the gate lines G1, G2, . . . , and GM in response to control signals from the timing controller 18. In this manner, the pixel electrodes of the display panel 12 are driven with the RGB color data at proper timing for displaying images.
The display panel 12 is desired to be larger with advancement of display technology. Thus, the source driver block 14 is comprised of a plurality of source drivers for driving the large number of source lines of a large display panel 12. The signals from the timing controller 18 are routed to such multiple source drivers with much wiring. Such signal transmission through such increased wiring results in increased power consumption and EMI (electromagnetic interference).
FIG. 2 shows example signal routing from the timing controller 18 to the plurality of source drivers including a first source driver 52, a second source driver 54, and a third source driver 56. Such source drivers 52, 54, and 56 are each disposed on a respective film 62, 64, and 66 comprised of a filler material. Such filler material is individually known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The films 62, 64, and 66 are disposed between the display panel 12 and a PCB substrate 72 having the timing controller 18 mounted thereon. Each of the source drivers 52, 54, and 56 drives a respective set of source lines of the display panel 12.
In the example of FIG. 2, the timing controller 18 generates three bits of red color data R[2:0], three bits of green color data G[2:0], and three bits of blue color data B[2:0], via a total of nine wires from the timing controller 18. The timing controller 18 also generates the control signals for the clock signal CLK and the data initiation signal DIO1. The timing controller 18 further generates a reference signal IREF used by the source drivers 52, 54, and 56 when the data signals R[2:0], G[2:0], and B[2:0] are single-ended.
Further in FIG. 2, a GAMMA voltage which is a reference voltage used by a respective DAC (digital to analog converter) within each of the source drivers 52, 54, and 56 is coupled to such source drivers 52, 54, and 56. In addition, at least one POWER voltage is coupled to each of the source drivers 52, 54, and 56.
In the prior art of FIG. 2, each of the signals R[2:0], G[2:0], B[2:0], CLK, DIO1, and IREF are routed to each of the source drivers 52, 54, and 56. In particular, each bit of the RBG data R[2:0], G[2:0], and B[2:0] are routed sequentially in cascade through the source drivers 52, 54, and 56. Thus, nine wires route the nine color bits R[2:0], G[2:0], and B[2:0] from the timing controller 18 to the first source driver 52. Another nine wires route the nine color bits R[2:0], G[2:0], and B[2:0] from the first source driver 52 to the second source driver 54. Furthermore, another nine wires route the nine color bits R[2:0], G[2:0], and B[2:0] from the second source driver 54 to the third source driver 56.
In the prior art, RGB data is transmitted to the source drivers 52, 54, and 56 via the respective nine wires between the timing controller 18 and the first source driver 52 and the respective nine wires between each adjacent pair of the source drivers 52, 54, and 56. Thus in the prior art of FIG. 2, the wiring for the RGB color data is increased for a larger display panel 12 having a larger number of source drivers. Such increased wiring in turn disadvantageously increases power consumption and EMI (electromagnetic interference) during transmission of such RGB color data.
Thus, RGB color data is desired to be transmitted through the multiple source drivers with minimized wiring for large display panels.

Routing signals to drivers of display device with minimized wiring


A flame-retardant composition comprises a polyphenylene ether resin having a number average molecular weight in terms of polystyrene of 500 to 5,000 and a phosphazene compound, the content of the polyphenylene ether being 20 to 95% by weight and that of the phosphazene compound being 80 to 5% by weight. The flame-retardant composition is excellent in processability when added to resins, and can provide a resin composition that contains no halogens and has an excellent balance of processability, heat resistance and flame retardancy.

The present invention relates to a flame-retardant composition, and more particularly to a flame-retardant composition having excellent processability, which provides a resin composition having good heat resistance and appearance of molded articles when mixed with a resin or the like.
In order to make flammable resins flame retardant, halogen compounds, antimony trioxide and the like have been incorporated therein. However, it has been pointed out that these flame-retardation methods are not desirable in terms of environmental protection, toxicity and the like, and there is a demand to improve the flame-retardation methods. Phosphorus-based flame-retardants have been studied as a substitute for halogen-containing and metal oxide flame retardants. A proposed mechanism of the flame-retardation suggests that a polyphosphoric acid phase formed on the surface of the resin and a carbonized phase resulting from the dehydration of the resin during combustion. It is believed that the polyphosphoric acid phase and/or the carbonized phase acts as films to cut off heat and oxygen to the resin. Consequently, for resins that are difficult to form a carbonized film by dehydration, the flame-retardation must rely on the film of the polyphosphoric acid phase. Thus, without a substantial carbonized film, more polyphosphoric acid must be added to the resin. When compounds with a high phosphorus atom concentration are used, a high flame-retardation effect can be expected by adding them in a small amount. Red phosphorus, phosphoric acid esters, condensed phosphoric acid esters and the like have conventionally been used as phosphorus-based flame-retardants. Red phosphorus has had problems such as mold corrosion because corrosive phosphoric acid is produced by hydrolysis. A large amount of phosphorous addition has been required for phosphoric acid esters and condensed phosphoric acid esters as they have a relatively low concentration of phosphorus. This has deteriorated mechanical properties, thermal properties and the like, and caused problems such as cost increases due because of the amount of phosphorous.
On the other hand, phosphazene compounds such as aryloxy phosphazenes, alkoxy phosphazenes, thiophosphazenes, halogenated phosphazenes and phosphazene polymers derived from these compounds have been studied for use as flame-retardants, lubricant, incombustible electrolytic solutions and carcinostatic agents. Particularly in recent years, phosphazene compounds have attracted attention because they have a high phosphorus content, as well as high heat resistance, hydrolysis resistance and flame retardancy. Several methods have proposed imparting flame-retardation to resins using phosphazene compounds.
For example, JP-B-3-73590 proposes a flame-retardant resin composition including a polyphenylene ether with the customary molecular weight, polystyrene and a phosphazene compound; JP-A-8-302124 proposes a flame-retardant resin composition formed of a styrenic resin-containing thermoplastic resin composition, a phosphazene compound and a polyphenol compound; and JP-A-8-225714 discloses a thermosetting resin composition which includes a phosphazene compound. Although flame retardant properties were good, the resin compositions were not acceptable in terms of processability and appearance of molded articles produced therefrom.
Moreover, WO 03/002666 proposes a method in which a crosslinked phosphazene compound and a polyphenylene ether resin with customary molecular weight are used as a flame-retardant in a polyalkylene arylate resin. This imparted good flame retardancy to the polyalkylene arylate resin, but the resulting resin was not acceptable in terms of processability and appearance of molded articles produce therefrom.
JP-A-2001-49090 discloses a resin composition formed of a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin with a weight average molecular weight of 10,000 or more, an epoxy resin and a phosphazene compound. The resin composition uses a high-molecular weight thermoplastic or thermosetting resin, and was not acceptable in terms of processability and appearance of molded articles thereof.


The disclosure includes a system and method for determining a current location of a user at a current time. The method may include determining journey data associated with one or more of the user, the current location, and the current time, where journey data describes one or more historical journeys of the user. The method may include determining, based on the journey data, an estimated time of arrival (ETA) describing an arrival estimate of when the user and a vehicle will arrive at an endpoint of a journey; and transmitting the ETA to a network.

The specification relates to determining an estimated time of arrival of a vehicle at an endpoint of a journey.
Operations may be scheduled in a home based on when people are present. For example, utility costs can be reduced by setting a timer for an air conditioner to run after 6 p.m. when people are home from work. Setting a timer may not be ideal, however, when people have inconsistent schedules. As an example, a particular person might get home at 6 p.m. on Monday, have Tuesday off, get home at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, etc.
Some home management systems allow a user to instruct the systems to perform operations by accessing a program on a mobile device. However, the user may forget to use the program at the right time or may forget to use the program at all.

Determining an estimated time of arrival of a vehicle at an endpoint of a journey


A compound semiconductor device includes a compound semiconductor laminate structure including an electron transit layer and an electron supply layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode that are formed over the electron supply layer, a first insulating layer of diamond formed between the gate electrode and the drain electrode over the compound semiconductor laminate structure, and a second insulating layer formed between the gate electrode and the source electrode over the compound semiconductor laminate structure, wherein a positive compressive stress is applied from the first insulating layer to the electron supply layer, and a compressive stress from the second insulating layer to the electron supply layer is smaller than the compressive stress from the first insulating layer to the electron supply layer.

Nitride semiconductors GaN, AlN, InN, and the like and materials of mixed crystals thereof have wide band gaps, and are used for high-output electronic devices and short-wavelength light-emitting devices. Among these, for high-output electronic devices, technology related to field-effect transistors (FETs), particularly high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), is developed.
Examples of field-effect transistors including nitride semiconductor include GaN-based HEMTs including an electron transit layer of GaN and an electron supply layer of AlGaN, and a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) of high concentration is generated in the electron transit layer as an effect of piezoelectric polarization and spontaneous polarization in GaN. Therefore, application for high-output amplifiers is expected for GaN-based HEMTs.
As the output increases, an HEMT becomes more likely to generate heat. Therefore, a structure in which a diamond layer is provided on the surface of the HEMT is proposed to dissipate the heat generated by the HEMT to the outside.
Related art is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 11-163334, 2008-103705, and 2007-157829.


Spinal implants for positioning between adjacent vertebrae. Some embodiments may comprise a pair of opposed sidewall surfaces, a pair of opposed frictional surfaces, a first end wall joining the pair of opposed sidewall surfaces, and a second end wall recessed at least in part and joining the pair of opposed sidewall surfaces. A fish-tailed structure may be positioned within the second end wall when viewed from one of the opposed frictional surface. The fish-tailed structure may be formed so as to extend at least substantially uninterrupted between at least one of the opposed sidewall surfaces and the opposed frictional surfaces. A retention structure, such as a hole, may be positioned within the fish-tailed structure. The hole may be configured to engage a surgical implantation device.

A variety of spinal conditions, such as compression of the spinal cord nerve roots, degenerative disc disease, herniated nucleus pulposus, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis may cause moderate to severe lower back and leg pain. Intervertebral or interbody fusion is a surgical procedure that is used to alleviate such lower back and leg pain. In posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), two adjacent vertebral bodies of the lumbar spine are fused together by removing the affected disc and inserting posteriorly one or more implant devices or cages that allow one or more bone grafts to grow between the two adjacent vertebral bodies to bridge the gap left by the removed disc. Various degrees of distraction may also be provided, as required on a case-by-case basis.
One variation of the traditional PLIF technique is the transforaminal posterior lumbar interbody fusion (T-PLIF) technique. In this surgical procedure, an implant device or cage is inserted into the affected disc space via a unilateral (or sometimes bilateral) posterior approach, offset from the midline of the spine, by first removing portions of the facets of the vertebrae. Advantageously, the T-PLIF technique avoids damage to nerve structures, such as the dura, cauda equina, and nerve roots, but the resulting transforaminal window available to remove the affected disc, prepare the vertebral endplates, and insert the implant device or cage is limited laterally by soft tissue and medially by the cauda equina.
A variety of different implant devices and cages typically used for the traditional PLIF procedure have also been used for the T-PLIF procedure with varying degrees of success. These include threaded titanium, ceramic, and polymer cages, allograft (i.e. bone) wedges, rings, etc. However, as these devices and cages are not designed specifically for the T-PLIF procedure, they are not shaped to be easily insertable into the affected disc space through the narrow transforaminal window, and may require additional retraction of the cauda equina and nerve roots. Such retraction may cause temporary or permanent nerve damage. In addition, some of these devices and cages, such as the threaded titanium, ceramic, and polymer cages, suffer from the disadvantage of requiring drilling and tapping of the vertebral endplates prior to insertion. Further, the incidence of subsidence in long term use is not known for such devices and cages. Finally, the restoration of lordosis, i.e. the natural curvature of the lumbar spine, is very difficult to achieve when a cylindrical or square titanium, ceramic, or polymer cage is used.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an intervertebral implant device for a posterior interbody fusion surgical procedure that is configured such that it may be surgically implanted in the spine of a patient through a minimal access window, thereby sparing and preserving the associated facets to the greatest degree possible.


Methods and systems for rendering text to simulate human penmanship are described. A text rendering engine converts a text string into an image that can be displayed on a string using one or more seed numbers to influence the rendering and appearance of the text. The text rendering engine may render each character of the text string using a size, weight, slope, or Bezier curve control point selected based on the seed numbers.

A large and growing population of users enjoys entertainment through the consumption of digital media items, such as music, movies, images, electronic books, and so on. Users employ various electronic devices to consume such media items. Among these electronic devices are electronic book readers, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable media players, tablet computers, netbooks, and the like.
These electronic devices often display text to the user. It may be desirable for an electronic device to display text in new and exciting ways and, in particular, to display text that simulates the nuance and variance of human penmanship.

Simulating variances in human writing with digital typography


Methods and devices for estimating a component transmission loss are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a method includes receiving a desired substrate criterion of a desired substrate, and receiving a desired coating criterion of a desired coating. A component includes the desired substrate and the desired coating. A coating criterion value is received, where the coating criterion value quantifies the desired coating criterion. A desired coating permittivity is estimated for the desired coating, using the coating criterion value, and an estimated component transmission loss of radar signal through the component is produced.

Radar is used in motor vehicles to detect objects for a variety of purposes, such as autonomous driving and automatic braking. The radar is typically mounted behind a component of the motor vehicle, typically a bumper or vehicle panel, so the component covers the radar device. In this regard, the radar signal must penetrate the bumper when traveling to an object to be detected, and then penetrate the bumper again when reflected off of the object and returning to the vehicle. The bumper, including any coatings applied to the surface of the bumper, can transmit, reflect, or absorb radar. Any reflection or absorption of the radar signal limits the effective detection range of the radar. For the radar to be useful for automatic braking, the effective range of the radar must be at least as far as the braking distance of the vehicle at the driving speed.
If the component, e.g., the bumper or vehicle panel, behind which the radar is mounted is metal, the effective range of the radar is zero, so the components utilized are typically plastic or other non-metallic materials. The component includes the substrate, but also typically includes a coating overlying the substrate. Motor vehicle coatings typically include a basecoat, and often also include a primer coat and/or a clearcoat, with an interface between each layer. The radar typically used in motor vehicles for detecting objects is 77 giga hertz (GHz) brand radar, which describes a category of radar that includes frequencies from about 76 to 81 GHz.
The frequency band of about 76-81 GHz corresponds to a wavelength range of about 3.70 to about 3.94 mm. The radar waves are roughly on the same length scale as the bumper or panel that covers the radar device, so the radar signal travelling through the coated bumper or panel cover is subject to a phenomenon known as interference. Interference affects signal transmission due to the interactions of reflected signals that occur at the front and rear sides of the bumper cover. The reflected waves from the two surfaces can interact constructively, increasing the reflection, or destructively, subsequently decreasing the reflection. Signal transmission can be improved by tuning the bumper and coating thickness to achieve destructive interference.
The transmission of a radar signal through a typical bumper substrate and the coating layers thereon can be significantly changed by minor variations, where a reduction of reflection and absorption results in an increase in transmission (i.e., lower transmission losses). The type of material in the substrate, the type of coating layers, the components in the coating layers, and the thickness of the coating layers all influence the transmission. It is possible to optimize the substrate and coating layers to reduce the effects of reflection losses due to constructive interference. Calculation of the reflection and transmission of a multilayer system can be performed if the complex permittivity properties and thickness values are known for all constituent layers.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop methods and devices to accurately estimate the transmission of a substrate and coatings to a radar signal. Furthermore, it is desirable to develop methods and devices to recommend modifications to selected substrate and coating combinations that result in decreased transmission losses, and to estimate the transmission losses for those modifications. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Methods and devices for estimating a component transmission loss of radar signal


Sensor data is captured with a sensor. The sensor data includes a lens-position of a prescription lens relative to a reference point of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. A mirror of a reference arm of the OCT system is positioned at an optical pathlength between an eye region of the prescription lens based at least in part on the sensor data. An OCT signal is generated while the mirror is positioned at the optical pathlength. At least one depth profile is generated that includes the prescription lens and the eye region.

Obtaining prescription eyeglasses typically includes taking an eyeglass prescription to an optician or other optical professional and selecting eye-glass frames to hold the corrective lenses. However, the unique fit of prescription lenses and eye-glass frames relative to a face and positioning to the eye is highly variable. In this and other contexts, imaging prescription lenses with respect to the eye and/or face is useful.

Lens fitting metrology with optical coherence tomography


A solid-state imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus may include a plurality of pixels each including a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element, a processing circuit configured to perform a first process for generating a first signal corresponding to a charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion element, and a second process for generating a second signal corresponding to a sum of the charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion element and a charge generated by the second photoelectric conversion element, and a current source configured to supply a first driving current to the processing circuit when the processing circuit performs the first process, and supply a second driving current higher than the first driving current to the processing circuit when the processing circuit performs the second.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging apparatus and a camera.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-191400 proposes a solid-state imaging apparatus for performing focus detection of a pupil division method. Each pixel of this solid-state imaging apparatus has two photoelectric conversion elements. A focus detection signal is generated based on a charge generated by one photoelectric conversion element. An image data signal is generated based on charges generated by the both photoelectric conversion elements.

Solid-state imaging apparatus and camera


A multiprocessor architectural definition provides that a program executing on a first processor interrupts a second processor by executing a software interrupt instruction. The software interrupt instruction includes an argument field for passing information from a program requesting the software interrupt. The argument, along with the opcode, is saved in a register designated for holding the argument. The information communicated via the argument is used in one embodiment to indicate a cause of the interrupt. In an embodiment, the information communicated via the argument designates an interrupt service routine to be activated in the interrupted processor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multiprocessor computer system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for evoking and handling software interrupts in a multiprocessor system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typical multiprocessor computer systems are composed of a plurality of commercially-available microprocessors. These microprocessors generally have limited functionality supporting synchronization and communication between the multiple processors. Communications between the multiple processors is usually achieved using standard system buses structures such as PCI bus, ISA bus, EISA bus, Ibus, and the like. These bus structures impose a large overhead which slows the communication between the multiple processors in the system.
Using these standard bus structures, software executing on a first processor in the multiprocessor system activates software executing on a second processor through standard hardware interrupt structures associated with the buses and bus interfaces of the multiple processors. Software operating systems controlling multiprocessors have evolved so that a single operating system operates in cooperation on the multiple processors. Thus a highly efficient communication structure would utilize software interrupts rather than hardware interrupts to evoke interrupts in a cooperating processor. However, heretofore software interrupts have been implemented on a single processor so that the interrupt requesting and interrupt handler programs execute on the same processor

System and method for handling software interrupts with argument passing


Intermolecular disulfide stabilized foldon polypeptides are provided.

The C-terminal domain of T4 fibritin (foldon) is obligatory for the formation of the fibritin trimer structure and has been used as an artificial trimerization domain. Its native structure consists of a trimeric β-hairpin propeller. Foldon trimerization is one of the fastest bimolecular protein associations reported in the literature.
At low pH, the foldon trimer disintegrates into a monomeric (A-state) form that has similar properties as that of an early intermediate of the trimer folding pathway. The formation of this A-state monomer from the trimer, its structure, thermodynamic stability, equilibrium association and folding dynamics have been characterized to atomic detail by modern high-resolution NMR techniques. The foldon A-state monomer forms a β-hairpin with intact and stable H-bonds that is similar to the monomer in the foldon trimer, but lacks a defined structure in its N and C-terminal parts. Suggested mechanisms for the action of the foldon imply that, as an autonomous folding domain, it is the first to trimerize, providing a "template" that brings the sequences into close proximity and correct register. By acting as a kinetic seed, the foldon can drive the correct pairing of fused domains and tether the terminal ends of the nascent structure together
The ability to trimerize proteins is of great interest for biomaterials and nanotechnology applications. The foldon domain is a versatile trimerization motif and can be combined with a variety of proteins. Further optimization of the domain for specific purposes is defined herein.

Disulfide stabilized foldon polypeptides

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


The animation display controller to interpret a scenario description managed by a scenario description manager. According to the interpretation, it reads an animation display unit from an animation display unit manager and displays time series data of animation display units through a plurality of windows opened on a display. As a result, related animation images are displayed on the display in the multiple window format. The animation display controller also performs a backward process of animation display units included in transit-in-time-series at a user's request according to managing data input unit, a user can edit an animation display unit managed by the animation display unit manager and a scenario description managed by the scenario description manager. Specifically, the scenario description editor graphically edits scenario descriptions.

The present invention relates to an animation display processor for displaying animation through a plurality of windows on a display.
Recently, many technologies for displaying animation on a display of a workstation, etc. have been developed.
Among the prior art technologies of such animation display processes, the most popular method is to generate an image as a bit map, etc. on a screen in a time series based on a predetermined time unit and to sequentially display generated images on a display. In this case, the animation is displayed independently through each window on the display.
Another technology for the animation display process is described as follows: First, the state of a screen at a predetermined time is somehow expressed in terms of data. Then, the state of a screen at a later time is likewise expressed in terms of data. These two blocks of data are used to calculate the data expressing a screen state at any time point between the above two time points. Thus, the obtained screen state at each time is sequentially displayed on a display, thereby displaying animation on the display. In this case, the animation can also be displayed independently through each window on the display.
In the above described prior art technologies, since related animation cannot be simultaneously shown on a display, there is a problem in that the utilization of animation at a workstation, etc. is necessarily limited. For example, when an operational explanation of a software of a computer system is displayed, it is assumed to be easily explained if the explanatory sentences and the corresponding animation can be synchronously displayed. However, a synchronous operation cannot be performed by the above described prior art technologies for independently displaying animation through each window.
Besides, in the animation display process of the prior art technologies, animation is displayed in series on a display as if a roll of film were being driven. Therefore, both the content of the animation display and the utilization of animation at a workstation, etc. are large extent. For example, suppose that an operational explanation of a software of a computer system is desired to be displayed on a screen with the animation. In this case, the above described synchronous operation can never be performed because the content of the animation cannot be dynamically modified when a detailed explanation must be added to a user-specified explanatory representation.
In the animation display process of the prior art technologies, animation is collectively managed and displayed as in a film operation. Therefore, the animation data must be properly edited after the required data are extracted from a large volume of data so that a part of the content of the animation may be modified, thus causing trouble to an operator.


A system to provide a risk relationship transaction automation tool via a back-end application computer server of an enterprise. The system may include a risk relationship data store that contains electronic records representing transactions associated with requested resource allocations between the enterprise and a plurality of entities. The server may receive an indication of a selected requested resource allocation transaction and retrieve, from the risk relationship data store, the electronic record associated with the selected requested resource allocation transaction. The server may then execute a medical code decision model. According to some embodiments, the system may also support a graphical interactive user interface display via a distributed communication network, the interactive user interface display providing resource allocation transaction data.

It may be advantageous to analyze the risks and resource allocations associated with multiple systems and/or entities. For example, it might be advantageous to understand particular amounts of risk and allocations and the impact that such risks and allocations may have had on past (and, potentially, future) performance. Moreover, an enterprise might want to facilitate understanding and reaction to requests for allocations of resources (e.g., transactions associated with the risk relationship)—and a review of such requests may be an important part of this process. The breadth and depth of information associated with resource request transactions, often over an extended period of time, can overwhelm such a review process. That is, manually examining and understanding these types of risks and allocations associated with risk relationships can be a complicated, time consuming, and error-prone task, especially when there are a substantial number of inter-related systems, entities, characteristics impacting resource allocations, and/or other factors involved in the analysis.
It would be desirable to provide systems and methods for a risk relationship transaction automation tool that allow faster, more accurate results as compared to traditional approaches.

System and method providing risk relationship transaction automation in accordance with medical condition code


A semiconductor substrate having a first substrate surface which includes a device area in which semiconductor devices are formed and a substrate peripheral portion which does not overlap with the device area. A concavo-convex portion is formed in the substrate peripheral portion. Preferably, a concavo-convex portion is formed in a side portion which adjoins the peripheral portion. The concavo-convex portion formed in the substrate peripheral portion or the side portion may be formed by a method such as dry etching, wet etching, mechanical grinding, electrolytic plating, nonelectrolytic plating, or patterning using one of a resin material and a metal material. A thin processing method includes forming the device area; forming the concavo-convex portion in the substrate peripheral portion; adhering the first substrate surface to a support; and grinding a second substrate surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is opposite with the first substrate surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor substrate and a thin processing method for semiconductor substrates.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-171024, filed Jun. 9, 2004, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, in portable electronic devices such as cellular phones, notebook computers, and PDAs (personal digital assistants or personal data assistants), or other devices such as sensors, micromachines, and printer heads, various electronic parts such as semiconductor chips are miniaturized so as to reduce the size and the weight of the devices. In addition, spaces for mounting such electronic parts are extremely limited. Therefore, in methods for packaging semiconductor chips, ultra small packaging or high-density mounting has been investigated by using a CSP (chip scale package) technique or a W-CSP (wafer level chip scale package) technique.
When semiconductor chips are manufactured using the CSP or the W-CSP technique, the thickness of the semiconductor chip is reduced to approximately 70 μm so as to produce a small-size, light, and thin package. Specifically, after forming an electronic circuit on a wafer, the wafer is fixed to a support via an adhesive or the like, and the back face of the wafer, that is, the face on which no electronic circuit is formed, is subjected to grinding (i.e., back grinding), so as to reduce the thickness of the wafer.
However, such a process of reducing the thickness of the wafer tends to cause a crack which starts from a peripheral edge of the wafer. In an example of techniques for avoiding formation of such a crack, which have been developed, the end face of the wafer is ground so as to prevent the peripheral portion of the wafer from having an edge shape, and in another example, the end face of the wafer is ground so as to form a number of convex portions for preventing the peripheral portion of the wafer from having an edge shape (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Applications, First Publications Nos. 2003-059878 and H07-045568).
In the techniques described in the above publications, cracks generated in thin processing of the wafer can be reduced. However, the inventor of the present invention found that the efficiency for preventing cracks is insufficient.

Semiconductor substrate and thin processing method for semiconductor substrate


The invention relates to a method for transferring an item to be transported from an end portion of a flow storage system to a removal device, comprising the steps of: using an end stop arranged in a shut-off position for retaining at least one first item to be transported on the end portion of the flow storage system and/or using a separator arranged in the shut-off position to retain at least one second item to be transported on a retaining section of the flow storage system; arranging the removal device adjacent to the end portion of the flow storage system in a removal position; using at least one sensor of the removal device for checking whether the end stop and/or the separator is arranged in a shut-off position and transferring the first item to be transported from the end portion to the removal device.

The invention relates to a method for transferring an item to be transported from a flow storage system to a removal device, to a storage system with at least one flow storage system and at least one removal device and to a use of a sensor arranged on a removal device.
Flow storage systems are known for storing items to be transported. Products, packages, pallets and/or items located on pallets may be stored for example as items to be transported. Gravitational flow storage systems may be used in particular here for storing items to be transported on a slightly inclined storage track. Motorless rollers on which the items to be transported are moved may be arranged for example along the storage track. The inclination of the storage track ensures that, driven by gravitational force, the items to be transported are transported to a lower end portion of the flow storage system. From this (for example lower) end portion, the items to be transported can be transferred one after the other to a removal device, for example to a storage and retrieval machine.
DE 25 00 786 A1 discloses shelf storage systems with a number of pallet storage levels. The levels are inclined. Products can be removed from the individual levels by means of a driverless robot vehicle. Similar devices are also known from US 2010/0290874 A1 and DE 20 2018 101 774 U1.
Specifically when transferring heavy items to be transported, it is known to arrange an end stop on the end portion of the flow storage system. The end stop hinders the items to be transported from falling down in an uncontrolled manner from the end portion of the flow storage system. The use of a separator, which delimits the end portion with respect to the middle of the storage track, is also known. The separator may for example be arranged between a first item to be transported, which is arranged in the end portion, and following items to be transported. The separator prevents a back pressure from following items to be transported on the first item to be transported, which is arranged in the end portion. The separator can prevent following items to be transported from being moved in an uncontrolled manner into the end portion. In this way, reliable removal of the first item to be transported from the end portion of the flow storage system can be made possible without disturbance by items to be transported backing up behind it.

Method for transferring an item to be transported from an end position of a flow storage system to a removal device


A bicycle with jumping or leaping capabilities is disclosed wherein the bicycle selectively stores energy in compressible and tensionable members which form part of first and second bicycle frames. At a predetermined moment in time, the energy stored in the compressible and tensionable members is released causing the first and second frames to move in opposite directions thus effectuating a leap or jump.

Bicyclists often encounter obstacles in their riding path or a change (rise) of the riding surface level Bicyclists who encounter such obstacles or rise in riding surface level while riding conventional bicycles must either dismount and walk the bicycle over or around the obstacle or rise in surface level, or veer around the obstacle or rise in surface level which often exposes the rider to increased danger from vehicular traffic
Additionally, bicyclists who wish to jump with their bicycles for recreational purposes have previously had to use a ramp, mound or even an upwards jerking motion on the bicycle itself. None of these methods, however, are desirable or very successful.
Accordingly, what is absent in the prior art and required is a bicycle with jumping or leaping capabilities, which allows the rider to jump or leap over an obstacle or rise in surface level, or to jump or leap for enjoyment and competition at any time without the need for specialized accessories such as a ramp.


A system and method is disclosed for generating numerical index terms for numbers encountered in documents indexed by a search engine. The numerical index terms include information about the indexed number (e.g., fieldname, characteristic, sign) and each digit, or a subset of the digits, of the number (e.g., position, value). Also, disclosed is a system and method of processing number-range search queries having one or more number ranges and generating expressions (e.g., Boolean expression tree) of numerical index terms based on a boundary number associated with the number range. An expression is used to control the search of a document index so as to identify documents that contain numbers that satisfy the expression.

Search engine sites are extremely popular on the World Wide Web (WWW), as they allow users to quickly sift through billions of documents on the Internet. Many search engines search the WWW and/or newsgroups for one or more terms, keep an index of the terms they find and where they find them, and allow users to look for terms found in the index. A term is any word or group of words, such as a phrase or a combination of one or more words or phrases, that is treated as a unit when searching for documents containing the term.
There are two important phases of search engine operation: indexing and querying. Indexing is the preprocessing of documents in such a way as to make high-quality querying efficient in terms of time and cost. Indexing generally includes recording the position of each term in the documents in a manner that enables efficient retrieval during querying. Querying is the specification by a search engine user of a set of requirements to be met by a candidate document, and the presentation to the user of some set of documents that, according to some quality criteria, best match the user's specification.
A type of querying that is particularly helpful to search engine users is number-range searching. While conventional search engines allow a user to find a particular number, these search engines generally do not allow a user to search for a range of numbers, where an occurrence of any number in the range is of interest to the user. Some exemplary number-range searches include but are not limited to: product information (e.g., televisions at least 30 inches; 80 to 120 watt bulbs, etc.); historical information (e.g., wars between 1800 and 1900); age-related information (e.g., games for children 8 to 12 years old); pricing information (e.g., digital cameras between $200 and $500); health information (e.g., body weight over 190 lbs.); particular real numbers (e.g., any number between 3.14 and 3.15 to find the value of pi); outlier numbers (e.g., price-to-earnings ratio of over 100); lists (e.g., top 3-10 lists); resumes (e.g., grade point average of over 3.8); and nearby businesses (e.g., anything in the 2000-2300 block of Main Street, U.S.A.).
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method of searching number ranges that allows a user to search for a range of numbers, where an occurrence of any number in the range is of interest to the user. Such a system and method should minimize the use of index space and accommodate a large range of numbers with high search resolution (where high resolution means having the ability to distinguish numbers that are close in value to one another).


A storage device includes a first measurement unit, a second measurement unit, and a collection unit. The first measurement unit measures electric power consumed in each of a plurality of memory devices. The second measurement unit measures electric power consumed in a control unit controlling access from an information processing apparatus to the plurality of memory devices. The collection unit collects first information regarding the electric power measured by the first measurement unit and second information regarding the electric power measured by the second measurement unit.

Currently, so as to record large amounts of data used in an information processing system, a storage device capable of housing a plurality of memory devices is used. As the memory device, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or the like is used. The storage device includes a control module. The control module controls data access from an information processing apparatus (a computer or the like) to the plurality of memory devices. For example, the storage device may also construct redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID) using a plurality of memory devices. By using the RAID, it may be possible to achieve an increase in the speed of data access or an increase in the degree of reliability of data storage.
In some cases, electric power consumed in a storage device is monitored. For example, there is a proposal in which the power consumption value is calculated for each enclosure including a fan, a plurality of disk drives, a main controller, and the like. In this proposal, by performing control so that the calculated power consumption value becomes less than or equal to a predetermined allowable value of electric power and a difference between the power consumption value and the allowable value becomes desirably small, performance is improved while the power consumption value does not exceed the allowable value. There is also a proposal in which the power saving mode of a controller is changed in accordance with the load of each component of the controller inputting and outputting data to a disk device.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-3719 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-102409 disclose related techniques.
In a storage device, electric power consumed by a control module and a plurality of memory devices have not been acquired individually. Therefore, there is a problem that it is not easy to finely monitor power consumption.

Storage device, connection device, and storage control method for measuring electric power consumed in a control unit and plurality of memory devices


Disclosed herein is a pouch-shaped battery case configured to receive an electrode assembly having a separator interposed between positive and negative electrodes, together with an electrolytic solution, the pouch-shaped battery case including an outer coating layer defining an outer surface of the battery case and configured to protect the electrode assembly from an outside of the battery case, the outer coating layer made of a polymer resin, a metal barrier layer located between the outer coating layer and an inner surface of the battery case, the metal barrier layer having high moisture-blocking efficiency and high thermal conductivity, and an inner sealant layer located between the metal barrier layer and an inner surface of the battery case, the inner sealant layer made of a polymer resin that has high thermal fusibility, the metal barrier layer includes a first metal that has high formability and a second metal that has high rigidity.

As the demand for mobile devices has increased, various kinds of batteries capable of satisfying various needs have been developed. In terms of the shape of batteries, the demand for prismatic secondary batteries or pouch-shaped secondary batteries that are thin enough to be applied to products such as cellular phones is very high. In terms of the material for batteries, on the other hand, the demand for lithium secondary batteries, such as lithium ion batteries or lithium ion polymer batteries, which exhibit high energy density, discharge voltage, and output stability, is also very high.
In addition, a lot of interest has been directed to a pouch-shaped battery configured to have a structure in which a stacked or stacked/folded type electrode assembly is mounted in a pouch-shaped battery case formed of a laminated aluminum sheet because of low manufacturing costs, light weight, easy modification of the shape thereof, etc. Furthermore, the use of such a pouch-shaped battery has gradually increased.
In general, a pouch-shaped battery is a battery configured to have a structure in which an electrode assembly is received in a pouch-shaped battery case, formed of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, together with an electrolyte in a sealed state. The electrode assembly received in the battery case may be a jelly-roll type (wound type) electrode assembly or a stacked type electrode assembly.
It is required for the pouch-shaped battery case to exhibit high formability such that the area and depth of an electrode assembly reception unit are increased in order to increase the capacity of the battery. For this reason, a barrier layer of the pouch-shaped battery case is made of aluminum foil, which exhibits high ductility and malleability.
In the case in which the aluminum foil is used, however, when a sealed portion of the battery case is bent, the bent sealed portion is easily broken, whereby reliability in sealing of the battery case is lowered.
Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2013-0005886 discloses a battery case for secondary batteries including an inner coating layer, a first barrier layer, which is made of aluminum, a first polymer layer, a second barrier layer, which has a thickness equal to or less than 50% of the thickness of the first barrier layer and which is made of an aluminum alloy, and a second polymer layer. Even in the case in which the first barrier layer is damaged, it is possible for the second barrier layer to prevent external moisture from being introduced into the battery case. However, there are limitations in the extent to which the mechanical strength of the battery case can be improved.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-117990 discloses a battery case manufactured by shaping a stainless steel sheet configured to have a structure in which a nickel layer is coated on one surface of the stainless steel sheet and an aluminum layer is coated on the other surface of the stainless steel sheet. However, the disclosed battery case is a battery case for prismatic batteries. Consequently, this publication does not disclose technology that is capable of improving the strength of a pouch-shaped battery case.
Therefore, there is an urgent necessity for technology that is capable of improving the formability of a pouch-shaped battery case while improving the rigidity of the pouch-shaped battery case in order to manufacture a high-capacity secondary battery using the pouch-shaped battery case.

Battery case comprising various kinds of metal barrier layers and battery cell including the same


Technologies are described herein for remotely configuring multi-mode dual in-line memory modules (“multi-mode DIMMs”) using a firmware or a baseboard management controller (“BMC”). Technologies are also described for simultaneously initiating multiple commands for configuring multi-mode DIMMs using a BMC and for updating inventory data regarding multi-mode DIMMs stored by a BMC.

Multi-mode dual in-line memory modules ("DIMMs") are memory devices that support a volatile memory mode in which memory is volatile, a persistent memory mode in which memory is non-volatile, and a combination of both modes. Due to their complexity, multi-mode DIMMs can be complicated to configure. Consequently, multi-mode DIMMs can be configured improperly, which can result in computing systems that operate inefficiently or are that are not secure.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.

Remote configuration of multi-mode DIMMs through a baseboard management controller


Disclosed is a technique of determining a driver's tension level (tension state degree) in vehicle driving in detail with a simple configuration. According to the technique, a nonlinear analyzing unit 110 of a driver's tension level determining apparatus 100 determining the tension level in driving of a driver acquires the driving operation amounts relating to driving operations of a driver (the operation amounts relating to operations of an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a handle, and the like), and then calculates the Lyapunov exponents about the driving operation amounts by performing nonlinear analysis processing. A frequency spectrum analyzing unit 120 calculates the power spectral density of time series data of the Lyapunov exponents, and then calculates an integrated value of a predetermined low frequency band in the calculated power spectral density. A driver's tension level determining unit 130 determines that the driver's tension level is any one of an excessive tension state, a moderate tension state, and an insufficient tension state using the integrated value of the predetermined low frequency band.

For example, Patent Document 1 mentioned below discloses a technique of determining the driver's tension level in vehicle driving with a simple configuration based on the driving operation amounts relating to driving operations (operation amounts relating to operations of an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a handle, and the like) of a driver.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-189402

Driver's tension level determining apparatus and driver's tension level determining method


For detection of the inclination of the normal of a measurement-subject article, an auto-collimator applies a laser beam from a light source onto the measurement-subject article. Then, the return light reflected back from the measurement-subject article is concentrated by a convex lens. Further the return light is converted to parallel light by a concave lens and then projected onto a first screen. The auto-collimator is provided with a beam splitter provided between the convex lens and the concave lens for splitting off a portion of the return light traveling back from the measurement-subject article, and a coarse-adjustment verification screen for showing the split-off light split off from the return light by the beam splitter.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an auto-collimator.
The present application claims priority from Japanese Application No.2003-114518, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Auto-collimators are used for various checks, tests, measurements, adjustments and regulations, e.g., a mounting check for optics such as a mirror, lens, prism and the like, a swinging or inclination check for a CD and a DVD, a mounting adjustment for the pickup of a CD apparatus or a DVD apparatus, an inclination adjustment of the optical axis in a laser diode (LD), an inclination check for a head of a hard disk drive (HDD), a measurement of parallelism between a charged-coupled device (CCD) and a cover glass, and measurements of inclination and parallelism for various planes such as in a surface plate, table, parts and the like.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional laser auto-collimator such as that described in Japan Examined Patent Publication No. 55-25605.
In FIG. 1, the auto-collimator 1 has a cover glass 3 fitted into an opening formed in the face at one end (the left-hand end in FIG. 1) of an approximately box-shaped casing 2, and a verification screen 4 attached to another opening formed in a side face close to the other end (the right-hand end in FIG. 1) of the casing 2.
The casing 2 houses a beam splitter 5, a convex lens 6 and a concave lens 7 fastened in this order from the cover glass 3 in mutually coaxial positions along an axis a parallel to the axis of the casing 2.
The concave lens 7 is situated in a position corresponding to the focal point of the convex lens 6.
A first reflection mirror 8 is fixed in a position intersecting with the axis a in the end portion of the casing 2 in the proximity of the verification screen 4 in such a way that the normal of the first reflection mirror 8 is inclined toward the opposite side from the verification screen 4 with respect to the axis a. Further, a second reflection mirror 9 is fixed opposite to the verification screen 4 in such a way as to be inclined toward the first reflection mirror 8 with respect to the normal of the verification screen 4.
The inclination angles of the normals of the first reflection mirror 8 and the second reflection mirror 9 are determined respectively at angles allowing the light passing from the cover glass 3 through the beam splitter 5, convex lens 6 and concave lens 7 to be reflected by the first reflection mirror 8 and the second reflection mirror 9 in order to enter the verification screen 4, which will be described later.
A light source S having a laser diode is mounted opposite the beam splitter 5 inside the casing 2 and oriented to apply and position a laser beam L onto the beam splitter 5.
In the auto-collimator 1, a laser beam L emitted from the light source S is reflected at right angles by the beam splitter 5, and then passes through the cover glass 3 to be irradiated onto a measurement-subject article M.
The measurement-subject article M reflects the laser beam L to produce a return light La which passes through the cover glass 3 to the inside of the casing 2. The return light La passes through the beam splitter 5, is then concentrated by the convex lens 6 and is then converted to parallel light by the concave lens 7.
When the normal of the measurement-subject article M is tilted (deflected) with respect to the axis a, a deflection occurs in the return light La. When this return light La is converted to parallel light by the concave lens 7, the deflection is increased.
Then the return light La passing through the concave lens 7 is reflected by the first reflection mirror 8 and then the second reflection mirror 9, and is then projected onto the verification screen 4.
The verification screen 4 displays the center point and a scale showing the degree of deflection from the center point. The center point is set at a light spot P produced by the return light La when no deflection occurs in the normal of the measurement-subject article M.
Accordingly, when deflection occurs in the normal of the measurement-subject article M due to mounting conditions or the like, the light spot P of the return light La appears in a position deviating from the center point of the verification screen 4, whereby the operator is able to detect the deflection of the normal of the measurement-subject article M.
The conventional auto-collimator 1 having the structure as described above uses two mirrors, the first reflection mirror 8 and the second reflection mirror 9. Therefore, the light path of the return light La from the concave lens 7 to the verification screen 4 is extended as compared with the case where the return light La directly enters the verification screen from the concave lens 7. Thereby, the deflection of the return light La is further increased. As a result, it is possible to detect the mounting conditions of the measurement-object article M with high accuracy.
However, when the deflection of a return light La is increased in this manner for an enhancement in accuracy of detection of the auto-collimator 1, even a slight deflection of the normal of a measurement-object article M causes the light spot P of the return light La to fall outside the verification screen 4, resulting in the problem of uncertainty about the direction in which to adjust the mounting position of the measurement-subject article M.


A method for the preparation of a package comprising a packing means holding a medical device element of a substrate polymer, said substrate polymer having on at least a part of the surface thereof a hydrophilic coating, wherein the hydrophilic coating has been applied to the surface of said substrate polymer in the form of a solution of a hydrophilic polymer selected from the groups consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyethylene oxide in a vehicle comprising an optionally substituted 1,3-dioxolane compound, followed by evaporation of at least part of the vehicle and arranging said medical device element having the coating of the non-cross-linked hydrophilic polymer within a packing means, and sealing said packing means.

The application of hydrophilic coatings on medical devices has become a very important method to improve biocompatibility between living tissue and the medical device. Another important property of hydrophilic coatings is to reduce the friction and to render biomedical devices slippery when wet. Medical devices like catheters, guide wires, endoscopes etc. are often sliding in direct contact with the surface of living tissue when in use. Catheters and guide wires may e.g. be introduced into the blood vessels or a catheter for catheterization of the bladder is introduced through the urethra and withdrawn later after emptying the bladder when performing catheterization or after some time when performing more or less permanent catheterization. In both applications, the medical device is sliding in direct contact with a physiological surface, the walls of the blood vessels, or the mucosa of the urethra, respectively.
There is a need for improved, in particular simplified, methods for the preparation of medical devices.

Preparation of hydrophillic coatings utilizing a 1,3-dioxolane compound


A system and method for hardwood pulp liquid hydrolysate conditioning is provided. The system includes a first evaporator, a hydrolysis unit, at least one lignin separation device, a neutralization device, a precipitate removal device, a solvent extraction unit, a lignin removal and recovery unit, an acid and furfural separation and conditioning unit, and an electrodialysis device, which process a quantity of hardwood mix to produce a desalinated solution containing sugar.

The extraction of various substances, such as raw liquid extract, from a solid hardwood or hardwood pulp is a common and necessary process when making paper or other cellulose-based materials. Hardwood naturally contains substances useful for processing into bio-fuel and other organic products. However, while hardwood is regularly processed for making paper or other cellulose-based materials, it has never been efficiently processed into bio-fuel products with commercial success. Acetone, butanol, and ethanol, as an example, can be processed from hardwood extracts. However, to date, the processes developed have been too costly to pursue commercially. One of the process difficulties contributing to the lack of commercial success is the difficulty in separating lignin from hardwood extract in a commercially viable manner.
Thus, an unaddressed need exists in the industry to provide a system and method for conditioning raw wood extract to create products of interest such as sugars suitable for fermentation and organic acids.

System and method for conditioning a hardwood pulp liquid hydrolysate

University of Maine System of Board of Trustees