A light via first and second index scales is split by a beam splitter, and one of the split lights is received by a first light-receiving element via a movable scale and also the other of the split lights is received by a second light-receiving element via a reference scale, and therefore by computing positional information of the movable scale using an output of the first light-receiving element (a first output) and an output of the second light-receiving element (a second output), movement information of the movable scale can be measured with high precision without being affected by drift of the modulation center (the oscillation center) of the beam.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to encoders, and more specifically, to an encoder that optically detects positional information of a scale for measurement with respect to a beam-splitting optical system.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, a method, in which by irradiating a light beam from a detection head to an optical scale that has a periodic structure like a phase diffraction grating and receiving the light beam with a light-receiving element, a relative positional relation between the detection head and the optical scale and a relative motion direction of both of them are measured, is used in general.
In the method that has been most commonly used recently, periodic signals whose phases are different by 90-degrees from each other are detected from a light beam via the optical scale, and a relative positional relation between the detection head and the optical scale and a relative motion direction of both of them are measured based on a relation between amplitude and phase of the two signals. Further, in order to solve reduction in detection resolution occurred in this method that is caused by reduction in the S/N ratio of the detection signals due to noise, the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,639,686 can be used. According to the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,639,686, the detection signal is modulated by oscillation of a light beam, and when measuring the relative positional relation between the detection head and the optical scale and the relative motion direction of both of them, the signal is demodulated. The S/N ratio can be improved by such a demodulating process, and as a consequence, the detection resolution can be improved.
In the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,639,686, however, in order to oscillate the light beam, an optical element that can be oscillated is placed in an optical path, and the optical element is oscillated. In this case, when drift occurs in the oscillation center of the light beam, the detection result includes error, which could hinder the high-precision position detection.
Further, as a conventional common optical encoder, an encoder by a diffraction interference method is known: which is equipped with a diffraction grating that moves along a movable body and has gratings formed at regular intervals orthogonally to a moving direction, an irradiation optical system that irradiates a coherent beam to the diffraction grating, and a detector that makes the diffraction lights diffracted by the diffraction grating interfere and detects the intensity change of the interference light; and detects a moving distance of the diffraction grating (e.g. refer to Kokai (Japanese Patent Unexamined Application) No. 2005-003438 and the like).
In such an encoder, there could be the case where a member that holds the light source or the diffraction grating expands/contracts due to heat generated from the light source and the relative positional relation between the light source and the diffraction grating changes over time. This positional deviation causes detection error of the moving distance of the diffraction grating.


A method and device having a CCD in which charge multiplication is obtained by applying drive voltages to clocking elements and is arranged to derive the gain provided by the multiplication elements from at least first and second output signals. The CCD is operated at a first voltage or temperature setting, and then a second voltage or temperature setting and the output signals derived with the CCD imaging a substantially constant scene. The gain at a given voltage or temperature setting can then be derived as a function of the different operational voltage of temperature setting. The method and device can also derive the gain as a function of the rate of change of output signal with an operational parameter such as voltage or temperature.

In a typical CCD imager, signal charge representative of incident radiation is accumulated in an array of pixels in an image area. Following an integration period, signal charge is transferred to a store section and then to an output register by applying appropriate clocking or drive pulses to control electrodes. The signal charge is then read out from the output register and applied to a charge detection circuit to produce a voltage that is representative of the amount of signal charge. The sensitivity of such a device is limited by the noise of the charge to voltage conversion process and that introduced by the subsequent video chain electronics.
An electron multiplying CCD (EMCCD) overcomes this limitation and is disclosed in our earlier published UK patent application GB-A-2,371,403, as shown in FIG. 1. A CCD imager 1 comprises an image area 2, a store section 3 and an output or read-out register 4, each of these components being found in a conventional CCD imager. The output register 4 is extended serially to give a multiplication register 5, the output of which is connected to a charge detection circuit 6.
During operation of the device, incident radiation is converted at the image area 2 into signal charge which is representative of the intensity of the radiation impinging on the array of pixels making up the image array. Following the image acquisition period, drive pulses are applied to control electrodes 7 to transfer the charge accumulated at the pixels of the image area 2 to the store section 3. Simultaneously with this, drive signals are also applied to control electrodes 8 at the store section 3 to cause charge to be transferred from row to row as indicated by the arrow, the last row of charge held in elements in row 3 being transferred in parallel to the output register 4.
When a row of signal charge has been transferred into the output register 4, appropriate drive pulses are applied to the electrodes 9 to sequentially transfer the charge from the elements of the output register to those of the multiplication register 5. In this embodiment, the multiplication register is of similar architecture to the output register in so far as doping is concerned with the addition of an electrode for multiplication.
To achieve multiplication of charge in each of the elements of the multiplication register 5, sufficiently high amplitude drive pulses are applied to control electrodes 10 to both transfer signal charge from one element to the next adjacent element in the direction shown by the arrow and also to increase the level of signal charge due to impact ionisation by an amount determined by the amplitude of the drive pulses. Thus, as each packet of charge is transferred from one element to the next through the multiplication register, the signal charge increases. The charge detected at circuit 6 is thus a multiplied version of the signal charge collected in the output register 4. At each stage of the multiplication register, the signal charge is increased. Each signal charge packet stored in the output register 4 undergoes an identical multiplication process as each travels through all the elements of the multiplication register 5.
The output of the charge detection circuit 6 is also applied to an automatic gain control circuit 11 that adjusts the voltages applied to the multiplication register 5 to control the gain. In other embodiments, this feedback arrangement is omitted. Gain may then be controlled manually if desired.
Whilst the gain control circuit can vary the gain provided by varying the voltages applied to the multiplication register, we have appreciated the need to determine the actual level of gain provided by such a CCD charge multiplication arrangement. One way to measure the gain is to inject a known amount of signal into the multiplication register and monitor the output. The difficulty with this approach is knowing what the input signal is. Typically this signal will be below the noise floor of the video chain if multiplication gain is not applied. Therefore measuring the signal with and without gain is not a practical proposition.
The approach usually taken to measure the gain is to illuminate the device and to measure the output with no multiplication gain. The light level is then reduced by a known fraction (by reducing the aperture of the optics or using neutral density filters for example). The reduction of light level will be of the same order as the gain to be measured. Multiplication gain is then applied and the output signal is measured. The multiplication gain can be calculated knowing the output signal and the reduction in light level. This method can give accurate results but is cumbersome and not particularly suitable for automatic measurements within a camera system.
It has been proposed that the distribution of output signal can be used to calculate the multiplication gain. This method involves the analysis of the statistical variation of the output signal from very small input signals. The input signals derive from sources such as dark signal but signals derived from the scene being viewed are not used. The main disadvantage of this method is that light from the scene must be prevented from reaching the sensor during the measurement of gain. This would require an efficient shutter arrangement or the application of some other optical shielding. In many cases this is not practically possible or desirable.
We have appreciated that an improved method of determining the gain of an electron multiplying CCD would be desirable. We have further appreciated that a method that does not require illumination with known relative light levels, or shuttering of the CCD, would be simpler to implement and operate during normal use of a CCD.

Determining the multiplication of EMCCD sensor


Embodiments are provided for a cloud-based reliable media ingestion and transcoding. The embodiments comprise an improved backup mechanism where each worker node, such as a virtual machine, physical machine, workstation, or server, in a cloud or Internet environment handles one streamed media/video channel transcoding and another streamed media/video channel ingestion backup. To reduce ingestion storage demands, the ingestion backup storage is based on a pre-determined relatively short-term sliding window. When an ingestion and transcoding worker node fails, a new worker node is brought up to take over from the failed worker node the live transcoding task of a first channel and the ingestion backup task of a second channel. Additionally, the new worker node retrieves backup data for the first channel from a third worker node and a central media storage to ensure seamlessly uninterrupted live ingestion and transcoding of the first channel, and continues the ingestion backup task of the second channel.

In a large media service head-end or large satellite TV monitoring center, there can be tens, hundreds or even thousands of live video feeds to be monitored and processed. Video ingestion and transcoding are two common processes that are implemented, where reliability is normally an important concern. Video ingestion involves the process of transferring content to a digital editing or storage system. The process includes digitizing the signal, compressing the digital data stream to reduce the amount of data stored and, storing the data as a file on a hard disk. Often, additional data is added to the file, such as program identifiers and time stamps. Transcoding is the direct digital-to-digital data conversion of one encoding to another, such as for movie data files or audio files. This is usually done in cases where a target device (or workflow) does not support the format or has limited storage capacity that mandates a reduced file size, or to convert incompatible or obsolete data to a better-supported or modern format.
Considering the high storage requirements and input/output (I/O) demands for high definition (HD) video ingestion, and the high computation demand on transcoding, 1 plus 1 (1+1) backup mechanisms for each live channel is used to ensure reliability. For example, a 1+1 backup mechanism for both live ingestion and transcoding can be used. Alternatively, a 1+1 backup mechanism for ingestion with central storage based transcoding can be used. Such mechanisms carry a substantially high cost, e.g., for large centers. There is a need for an improved and reliable backup mechanism for media or video ingestion and transcoding.

System and method for cloud-based live media ingestion and transcoding


A method for treating a spent oxidizing acid which contains at least one of H2O2 and one or more peroxy acids of sulfur comprising contacting the spent oxidizing acid with a quantity of SO2 in excess of an equilibrium quantity required to convert the H2O2 and peroxy acids of sulfur to sulfuric acid.

Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is used in a number of commercial chemical operations. For example, it is used in alkylation of hydrocarbons, in the preparation of methyl methacrylate, and in the cleaning of microelectronics, such as silicon wafers. In these processes the sulfuric acid becomes diluted and/or contaminated ("spent") so that it is no longer suitable for use and must then be either neutralized for disposal or regenerated. Neutralization typically includes reaction with a base, such as lime, limestone, or caustic, followed by disposal of the resulting sulfate salt. Regeneration typically includes impurity removal and concentration of the sulfuric acid or decomposition of the acid to sulfur dioxide (SO2) which is subsequently used to make virgin acid.
In some applications, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) may have been used to scrub SO2 from gas streams. The hydrogen peroxide content of the resulting sulfuric acid scrubbing solution (typically in the range of from 30-85 wt % H2SO4) can range up to 5 percent or higher, forming H2SO5 (sometimes referred to as Caro's acid). In other applications, concentrated sulfuric acid is mixed with hydrogen peroxide to provide a very powerful etching or cleaning agent. For example, Piranha solutions are made by mixing concentrated sulfuric acid with hydrogen peroxide, and these solutions are used for cleaning trace amounts of organic residues, such as hardened photo resist, from silicon wafers.
The presence of even small quantities of Caro's acid in a spent acid makes chemical operators hesitant to use these spent acids for fear the H2SO5 may trigger unwanted and possibly uncontrollable side reactions. Thus, few alternatives to neutralization or standard acid regeneration presently exist for treating spent Piranha solutions and other spent acids that contain hydrogen peroxide, H2SO5 and/or other peroxy acids of sulfur. Neutralization is expensive and merely leaves a less toxic waste material. Standard acid regeneration involves decomposition of the spent acid, which requires significant energy input, and it also produces minimal, but not negligible, liquid waste and undesirable air emissions.

Regeneration of acid containing peroxy acids of sulfur

Veolia North America Regeneration Services, LLC


Embodiments of the present invention pertain to optical wireless architecture, and in particular to novel optical architecture to provide wireless (mm)-wave signals and symmetrical wireline service with long-reach. Certain embodiments of the invention pertain to a novel method and apparatus to provide 12.5-Gb/s wireless signals at 60-GHz millimeter (mm)-wave and 100-Gb/s symmetrical wireline service with 80 km long-reach, for example. Moreover, novel enabling techniques are employed to overcome fiber dispersion, reduce costs, and provide super-broadband and long-reach service.

Despite decades of progress in broadband access technology, the demand for emerging applications by end users continues to stress the data rates and flexible ability of existing wireless and wired broadband access solutions. See, for example, P. Odling, T. Magesacher, S. Host, P. O. Borjesson, M. Berg, and E. Areizaga, "The fourth broadband concept," IEEE Commun. Mag., vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 63-69, January 2009 and J. E. Mitchell, "Radio over fiber networks: Advances and challenges," presented at the ECOC Conf., Vienna, Austria, 2009, Paper P2.4.5.A.
On the wireline side, Ethernet networks operating at 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s per link for metro and long-haul area have gained tremendous momentum in technical and market viability research in recent years, and extensive development on interface specifications and standardization efforts are under way. In addition to the metro and long-haul application, another important market area is data center and high performance computing with very-short-reach (VSR) capability. A 10-Gb/s wireless data rate is expected for bridging 10-Gb/s Ethernet links for future personal computer (PC)-to-PC and server-to-server communications without cables; and provide backup and redundancy services for temporary restoration in a disaster recovery scenario.
Radio-over-fiber is considered to be a good solution to provide broadband optical wireless services, as described in Ng'oma et al., "Simple Multi-Gbps 60 GHz Radio-over-Fiber Links Employing Optical and Electrical Data Up-conversion and Feed-Forward Equalization," Proc. OFC, OWF2 (2009); C. T. Lin et al., "Ultra-high Data-rate 60 GHz Radio-over-Fiber Systems Employing Optical Frequency Multiplication and OFDM Formats," IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 28, No. 16, pp. 2296-2306, Aug. 15, 2010; K. I. Kitayama and R. A. Grifin, "Optical downconversion from millimeter-wave to IF-Band over 50 km long optical fiber link using an electroabsorption modulator," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 287-289, February 1999; Z. Xu, X. Zhang, and J. Yu, "Frequency upconversion of multiple RF signals using optical carrier suppression for radio over fiber downlinks," Opt. Exp., vol. 15, no. 25, pp. 16737-16747, 2007; J. Yu, G. K. Chang, Z. Jia, et al., "Optical Millimeter Technologies and Field Demonstrations for Very High Throughput Wireless-Over-Fiber Access Systems", Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 28, Issue 16, pp. 2376-2397 (2010); I. G. Insua, D. Plettemeier, and C. G. Schäffer, "Radio-over-fiber-based wireless access with 10 Gbits/s data rates" Journal of Optical Networking, Vol. 8, Issue 1, pp. 77-83 (2009); M. Weib et al., "60-GHz photonic millimeter-wave link for short- to medium-range wireless transmission up to 12.5 Gb/s," IEEE J. Lightw. Technol., vol. 26, no. 15, pp. 2424-2429, Aug. 1, 2008; and A. Chowdhury, J. Yu, H. C. Chien, M.-F. Huang, T. Wang, G.-K. Chang, "Spectrally efficient simultaneous delivery of 112 Gbps baseband wireline and 60 GHz MM-wave carrying 10 Gbps optical wireless signal in radio-over-fiber WDM-PON access systems", ECOC 2009, 4.5.1.
Recently, an access system with 60-GHz mm-wave Radio-over-fiber (RoF) carrying 10-Gb/s On/Off keying (OOK) data for short-range wireless transmission and 100-Gb/s wire-line downstream and 10-Gb/s wireline upstream has been demonstrated, as described in A. Chowdhury, J. Yu, H. C. Chien, M.-F. Huang, T. Wang, G.-K. Chang, "Spectrally efficient simultaneous delivery of 112 Gbps baseband wireline and 60 GHz MM-wave carrying 10 Gbps optical wireless signal in radio-over-fiber WDM-PON access systems", ECOC 2009, 4.5.1.

Method and apparatus for optical wireless architecture


A diagnostic tool for an x-ray imaging system includes a first test device configured to simulate a first load condition of an x-ray tube, and a first connector electrically coupled to the first test device and configured to couple the first test device to a high-voltage generator in the x-ray imaging system.

The invention relates generally to systems having a high-voltage energy source and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus of providing a high-voltage diagnostic tool for x-ray imaging systems.
Typically, in an x-ray imaging system such as a computed tomography (CT) imaging system, an x-ray source emits a fan-shaped beam toward a subject or object, such as a patient or a piece of luggage. Hereinafter, the terms "subject" and "object" shall include anything capable of being imaged. The beam, after being attenuated by the subject, impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the attenuated beam radiation received at the detector array is typically dependent upon the attenuation of the x-ray beam by the subject. Each detector element of the detector array produces a separate electrical signal indicative of the attenuated beam received by each detector element. The electrical signals are transmitted to a data processing system for analysis which ultimately produces an image.
The x-ray source, or x-ray tube, is connected to a high-voltage (HV) generator or tank via high-voltage cables or lines, wherein the HV generator provides the x-ray tube with voltage sufficient to emit an x-ray beam toward the subject. On occasion, x-ray tubes fail when in use in the imaging system due to high-voltage instability, thereby necessitating service to the imaging system by a trained technician. This high-voltage instability results in a high-voltage discharge or arcing between the electrodes of the x-ray tube or between an electrode and ground, where these high-voltage discharges are commonly referred to in the art as "spits." The "spits" can cause not only failure of the x-ray tube itself, but also failure of attached electrical components.
Typically, the technician will perform a no-load test using a "dummy plug" in place of an x-ray tube. The dummy plug is designed to maintain the insulation integrity of the system, which is generally done by leaving the pins of the dummy plug open or shorted to provide adequate insulation for the system, yet not provide the load characteristics of an x-ray tube. The use of a dummy plug in this manner allows the technician to distinguish whether the system failure is attributable to a faulty x-ray tube or high-voltage instability in the HV generator and/or high-voltage cables. Based on the results of this test, the technician typically decides whether it is desired to either simply replace the x-ray tube or to perform a more in-depth analysis of the HV generator using, for instance, another x-ray tube.
However, while the no-load test using a dummy plug may distinguish whether the failure is attributable to the x-ray tube or the HV generator, the test typically does not allow the technician to diagnose or detect specific problems that may be related to the x-ray tube, HV generator, or high-voltage cables. For instance, kV regulation errors related to the HV generator would not be detectable when using the dummy plug, as the dummy plug does not mimic the load characteristics of an x-ray tube. As such, a technician typically cannot diagnose specific issues related to the HV generator while in the field. Thus, by using a dummy plug, solutions proposed by the technician in correcting the HV generator or x-ray tube issues may not address the actual failure mode of the system.
In order to diagnose a system problem, a technician may use a second known-good x-ray tube which may be connected to the generator to test the system. However, if the problem being diagnosed is in the high-voltage generator, then the technician may unknowingly put the second x-ray tube at risk. Thus, if the second x-ray tube is damaged in the process, it may cost additional time, money, and inconvenience to both the technician and the owner of the system before the problem can be properly diagnosed.
Therefore, it would be desirable to design an apparatus and method of providing a high-voltage diagnostic tool for x-ray imaging systems that is capable of providing load conditions for an HV generator during troubleshooting, and is further capable of allowing a technician to diagnose specific problems related to HV generator and/or tank/generator integration issues.

Apparatus and method of use of a high-voltage diagnostic tool for x-ray systems


In a data access method for accessing data in an on-vehicle information device having an on-vehicle memory unit that allows data stored therein to be read out and overwritten by an external apparatus and an on-vehicle control unit that executes a data read and a data overwrite by controlling the on-vehicle memory unit, supplying power to the on-vehicle information device from the external apparatus when a power switch at the on-vehicle information device is in an OFF state, and reading out the data in the on-vehicle memory unit and overwriting the data through control implemented by the external apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology whereby data recorded in an on-vehicle information device such as a navigation system are accessed by connecting a data access apparatus to the on-vehicle information device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In some of the navigation systems in the related art that allow map data, program data and the like to be updated by overwriting them whenever necessary, the data are recorded in a hard disk. In the related art, the data are overwritten in such a navigation system by connecting a hard disk having recorded therein data to be used for the update into a special slot. Over the approximately 40 minutes that it takes to execute the overwrite, power must be supplied to the navigation system from the vehicle battery. In order to assure enough battery capacity to supply the power to the navigation system for these 40 minutes, the vehicle engine must be left running. Thus, the vehicle engine cannot be turned off for other operational reasons during the data overwrite operation, leading to a problem in that the data overwrite can sometimes be an inconvenient and awkward operation.

Data access method and data access apparatus for accessing data at on-vehicle information device


The symmetrical Cu double lead line is asymmetrically terminated by two digital signal high-pass filters, one thereof at the exchange side being formed with a high-pass filter of the 4th order and the other thereof at the subscriber side being formed with a high-pass filter of the 1st order having a limit frequency of about 0.1.multidot.f.sub.Baud and a high-pass filter of the 2nd order. A high-pass of the 2nd or, respectively, 4th order has a limit frequency of about 100 kHz or with a limit frequency of about 30 kHz given employment of a separate 16 kHz band-stop filter.

Different transmission media such as Cu two-wire line (Cu double lead line), coaxial cable, optical fibers (or radio as well) can be provided in the user line area of a telecommunication network for the connection of the individual subscriber stations, whereby Cu double lead line play a dominant part in existing telecommunication networks. The trend toward higher transmission rates (beginning in the later 1980's with the introduction of the integrated services digital network (ISDN) with a transmission capacity of up to 160 kbit/s on a 6 km long Cu double lead line) potentially leads to optical fiber links being brought up to a subscriber-proximate switching point in the user line area, what is referred to as the cable brancher (fiber to curb). In the branching cable area, that is, for the rest of the link between cable brancher and subscriber station, however, the Cu double lead line installed thereat has usually remained. In 90% of all cases, the distance still to be bridged with Cu two-wire lines amounts to less than 500 m in Germany. The corresponding distance is about 2-3 times greater in the United States.
What are referred to as HDSL (high bitrate digital subscriber line) systems and ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) systems have been tested for Cu double lead lines since 1994. Respectively 2 Mbit/s can be transmitted over approximately 3 km with HDSL systems comprising two double leads. Two through six Mbit/s can be transmitted in downstream direction from the exchange to the subscriber station with ADSL systems comprising only one Cu double lead line, whereas only a low-rate return channel is available in upstream direction from the subscriber station to the exchange, whereby an analog signal channel (0.3 through 3.4 kHz) for conventional telephony (POTS--plain old telephone service) is provided from the outset in both directions.
Hybrid optical fiber/Cu double lead network architectures and transmission systems for the transmission of bit rates on the order of magnitude of about 12 through 50 Mbit/s are currently being considered for Cu double lead lines in American and European standardization commissions under the names High Speed Copper Drop, Broadband Digital Subscriber Line (BDSL) or Very High Bit Rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL), whereby both symmetrical (identical bit rates in both transmission directions) as well as asymmetrical systems (high bit rate downstream to the subscriber; lower bit rate upstream in the return channel) are being considered (ITG Trade Convention, "Zukunft der Kommunikationsnetze", Cologne Dec. 14, 1995, pages 87-96; ntz (1996) 2, 20-27). Here, too, the boundary condition of conventional telephony (POTS) is of significance.
A conventional telephony channel (POTS channel) is currently provided in parallel to the digital signal channels on subscriber lines only in the ADSL systems. The determinant requirement of enabling conventional telephony in parallel that determines the selection of the transmission system or, respectively, of the line code led to the fact in ADSL systems that only carrier systems (single carrier or multi-carrier systems) wherein the spectra of the carrier-modulated digital signal lie far above the conventional telephony channel were taken into consideration, so that a high-pass filtering has no influence thereon. The POTS channel is connected in and out at the subscriber and at the exchange side with frequency separating filters (splitters) having digital signal high-pass filters. The high-pass in the frequency separating filters at both ends of the channel can be a Butterworth high-pass of the 4th order with a limit frequency of 100 kHz in order to already achieve a blocking attenuation value of 60 dB at the charge tone (16 kHz) of the conventional telephone service.
Digital signal baseband systems, by contrast, are less suitable in the framework of ADSL systems because the signal-to-noise ratio at the receiver input is too greatly deteriorated due to the high-pass filtering at the subscriber side and exchange side, and the smoothing becomes too involved. Given, for example, a 2 Mbit/s signal with 4-PAM line code and Nyquist filtering, the frequency spectrum would thus be concentrated on the lower 500 kHz. A high-pass filtering with a high-pass of the 4th order having a limit frequency of 100 kHz at both ends of the channel would make this baseband transmission extremely involved in view of the smoothing and would lead to too great a deterioration of the signal-to-noise ratio at the receiver input since the especially beneficial lower frequency range of the channel (with low line attenuation and crosstalk interference) is precisely what cannot be utilized.
The same also applies to VDSL baseband systems. Here, too, the high-pass filtering with a high-pass of the 4th order having a limit frequency of 100 kHz at both ends of the channel would require an extremely high outlay for distortion correction increasing with the length of the channel pulse response and the height of the pulse trailer adjoining the principle pulse since the low high-pass limit frequency of 100 kHz for VDSL systems (with, for example, a baud rate of 12.5 Mbaud) leads to an extremely long channel pulse response and the high filter order required leads to large pulse trailers.

Combination conventional telephony and high-bit-rate digital channel transmission system comprising high pass filters which comprise both first order and second order high pass filters


The conventional vacuum suction type urine collector may not be able to perform normal and automatic vacuum suction when contamination occurs between the electrodes acting as a sensor, and some users feel uneasy about the use of the urine collector as the case may be.

A vacuum suction type urine collector as described above is conventionally proposed as shown, for example, in Patent Document 1. In the urine collector of Patent Document 1, a urine outlet is formed on the rear side of a urine receiver having a urine suction opening formed, on the front side, to be applied to a urinating region; a urine transport tube communicating with a urine tank is connected with the urine outlet; a vacuum suction device is connected with the top of the urine tank; paired electrodes are installed with a distance kept between them at the urine outlet; and the urine discharged from the urine suction opening into the urine receiver lowers the resistance between the aforementioned paired electrodes, when the vacuum suction device is actuated to vacuum-suck the urine.
Patent Document 1; Microfilm of Japan Patent Application No. 55-033371

Controller for vacuum suction type urine collector

Abstract: In the controller for a vacuum suction type urine collector of this invention, the resistance between paired electrodes installed on the side of a urine receiver on a vacuum sucked-urine path extending from the urine receiver via a urine transport tube to a urine tank is measured by a controller to automatically detect urine, for actuating a vacuum suction device, wherein a detection resistor is connected in series to the abovementioned electrodes; and a manual operation switch is connected in parallel to the series circuit consisting of the electrodes and the detection resistor, to constitute a state detection circuit.


A fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising a pump work chamber defined in a bore of a housing by a pump piston. The pump work chamber is supplied with fuel and relieved via a fuel line containing a magnet control valve. Moreover, the pump work chamber communicates with an injection valve via a supply line. Controlling of the injection is done via the opening or closing of the magnet control valve during the pumping stroke of the pump piston; to that end, the magnet valve is triggered by a control unit. To enable performing an accurate injection, a needle stroke transducer is disposed on the nozzle needle of the injection valve; if a limit value is exceeded, its stroke motion is detected as a precise signal for the onset and end and hence the size of the injection quantity and is transmitted to the control unit, where this actual value is compared with a set-point value from a performance graph, and a correction of the magnet valve triggering is consequently done performed, if needed.

The invention is based on a fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engines as defined hereinafter. In one such fuel injection apparatus, known from German Offenlegungsschrift 36 01 710, a valve triggered by an electromagnet is used to control the onset of injection and the injection quantity; this valve is inserted into a fuel line from the pump work chamber into a low-pressure chamber. By way of the closing and opening of this valve during the pumping stroke of the pump piston, the instant and duration of high-pressure pumping in the pump work chamber and hence of the injection at the injection valve connected to it via an injection line are determined. In order to avert major noise production and pollutant emissions in internal combustion engines that operate with high injection pressure, and above all when injection is done directly into the combustion chamber of the engine to be supplied, where the noise and pollutants are due to the ignition delay at the onset of combustion, the injection quantity is split into a preinjection quantity and a main injection quantity. In this way, at the onset of combustion or in other words when the fuel-air mixture ignites, a slight quantity of fuel is initially injected and prepared by the compressed air in the combustion chamber, and it then burns with a lesser pressure gradient. To that end, in the known fuel injection apparatus the magnet valve closes and then opens immediately again to terminate the preinjection. The magnet valve needle opens only briefly and not completely, and then closes again for the main injection. In order to detect exactly the onset and end of injection, the known fuel injection apparatus has sensors on its injection valve that detect the needle stroke of the injection valve and transmit it to a control unit.
In the known fuel injection apparatus the problem arises that the size of the preinjection quantity, the interval between the preinjection quantity and the main injection quantity, and the main injection quantity cannot be controlled with sufficient precision, since even when the trigger times of the magnet valve are the same, different nozzle opening times and injection quantities result from component drift, temperature changes and fuel tolerances.

Fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engines


A system and method for diagnosing a potential electrical operating discrepancy in a polyphase electric motor by generating two independent torque estimates using a plurality of current sensors and, optionally, a shaft position sensor. Differences between the independent torque estimates are used to indicate potential discrepancies in electrical operating characteristics of the motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrically powered vehicle, such as an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or a fuel cell vehicle (FCV). More specifically the invention relates to a strategy to diagnose a potential deviation from desired operating characteristics of an electric motor.
2. Background Art
The invention may be used in a hybrid electric vehicle of the type schematically shown in FIG. 1 of co-pending application Ser. No. 09/683,026, filed Nov. 9, 2001, which issued on Feb. 10, 2004 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,411; in FIG. 1 of co-pending application Ser. No. 09/712,436, filed Nov. 14, 2000 which issued on Dec. 16, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,657; in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/063,345, filed Apr. 12, 2002, now abandoned; and in co-pending application Ser. No. 09/966,612, filed Oct. 1, 2001, which issued on May 11, 2004 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,502. Each of these co-pending applications is assigned to the Assignee of the present invention. The disclosures of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.
The need to reduce fossil fuel consumption and emissions in automobiles and other vehicles predominately powered by internal combustion engines (ICEs) is well known. Vehicles powered by electric motors attempt to address that need. Another alternative solution is to combine a smaller ICE with electric motors into one vehicle. Such vehicles combine the advantages of an ICE vehicle and an electric vehicle and are typically called hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). See generally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,970 to Severinsky.
The HEV may have a variety of configurations. Prior art HEV patents disclose systems in which an operator is required to select between electric motor operation and internal combustion engine operation. In other configurations, the electric motor drives one set of wheels and the ICE drives a different set. These include, for example, a series-hybrid electric vehicle (SHEV) configuration. A series-hybrid electric vehicle has an engine (typically an ICE) connected to an electric motor/generator. The motor/generator, in turn, provides electric power to a battery and a traction motor. In the SHEV, where the traction motor functions as the sole source of wheel torque, there is no direct mechanical connection between the engine and the drive wheels.
A parallel/series hybrid electric vehicle (PSHEV) powertrain has characteristics of both PHEV, described below, and SHEV configurations. It sometimes is referred to as a "split" configuration. In one of several types of PSHEV configurations, the ICE is mechanically coupled to two electric motors in a planetary gear transaxle. A first electric motor, the motor/generator, is connected to a sun gear. The ICE is connected to a planetary carrier. A second electric motor, a traction motor, is connected to a ring (output) gear via additional gearing in a transaxle. Engine torque can power the generator to charge the battery. The generator can also contribute to the necessary wheel (output shaft) torque. The traction motor is used to both contribute wheel torque and to recover braking energy to charge the battery. In this configuration, the generator can selectively provide a reaction torque that may be used to control engine speed. In fact, the engine, motor/generator and traction motor can provide a continuous variable transmission (CVT) effect.
HEV powertrains of this type present an opportunity to better control engine idle speed, compared to conventional vehicles, by using the generator to control the engine.
A parallel hybrid electrical vehicle (PHEV) powertrain configuration has an engine (typically an ICE) and an electric motor that work together in varying degrees to provide the necessary wheel torque to power the vehicle. Additionally, in a PHEV configuration, the motor can be used as a generator to charge the battery from the power produced by the ICE.
Parallel hybrid electric vehicles of known design include an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, typically a high voltage induction motor, which establish parallel power flow paths to vehicle traction wheels. The powertrain has two power sources. The first power source is a combination of an engine and a generator subsystem with a planetary gear set for distributing power through separate power flow paths. The second is an electric drive system comprising a motor, a generator and a battery. The battery acts as an energy storage medium for the generator and the motor. The generator, in a parallel hybrid powertrain, is driven by the engine.
A mechanical power flow path is established between the engine and the transmission torque output shaft. The other power flow path is an electrical power flow path, which distributes power from the engine to the generator, the latter driving the torque output shaft of the transmission through gearing.
When the powertrain is operating with the first power source, engine power is divided between the two paths by controlling the generator speed, which implies that the engine speed can be decoupled from the vehicle speed. That is, the powertrain can act in a manner similar to a continuously variable transmission, where vehicle speed changes do not depend upon engine speed changes. This mode of operation is referred to as a positive split.
The powertrain can act also in a mode of operation that may be referred to as a negative split. In this instance, the planetary gearing will permit the generator to drive the planetary gear set to drive the engine. The combination of the motor, the generator and the planetary gear set thus function as an electromechanical, continuously variable transmission.
When a generator brake is activated, the powertrain will act in the so-called parallel mode in which engine power output is transmitted with a fixed gear ratio solely through a mechanical power flow path in the drivetrain.
When the first power source is active, it can provide only forward propulsion since there is no reverse gear. The engine requires either a generator speed control or a generator brake to transmit engine output power to the drivetrain for forward motion. When the second power source is active, the electric motor draws power from the battery and provides propulsion independently of the engine for driving the vehicle forward and in reverse. The generator, at that time, can draw power from the battery and drive against a reaction brake on the engine output shaft to propel the vehicle forward. This mode of operation is called "generator drive."
As pointed out above, combining an ICE with an electric motor provides a potential for reducing vehicle fuel consumption and emissions with no appreciable loss of vehicle performance or driveability. The HEV allows the use of smaller engines, regenerative braking, electric boost, and even operation of the vehicle with the engine shut down.
One such area of development for optimizing potential benefits of a hybrid electric vehicle involves calculating torque estimates delivered by an electric motor or motors. An effective and successful HEV design (or any vehicle powertrain propelled by electric motors and optionally capturing regenerative braking energy) requires reliable operation that can be improved through careful diagnosis of electric motor operation. Thus there is a need for a strategy to effectively detect potential discrepancies in electrical operating conditions in an electric motor propelled vehicle's electrical components and sub-systems.
Previous efforts have used rotor position sensors or estimates as part of the control strategy for an electric motor. For example, Jones et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,211,633) disclose an apparatus for detecting an operating condition of a machine by synchronizing sampling instants with the machine condition so that reliability data are obtained. The operating condition may be the position of the rotor, in which case estimates of the rotor position and rotor velocity at each of the sampling instants are developed.
Lyons et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,217) disclose an apparatus and method for estimating rotor position and commutating a switched reluctance motor (SRM), using both a flux/current SRM angle estimator and a toothed wheel generating a magnetic pickup. Phase errors can be compensated by adjusting the angle input to the commutator as a function of estimated speed. Alternately, the flux/current SRM angle estimator can be run in background mode to tune the toothed wheel interrupt angle signal at different speeds.
Drager et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,004) disclose a control for operating an inverter coupled to a reluctance machine that includes a relative angle estimation circuit for estimating rotor angle for a phase in the reluctance machine.
Lyons et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,195) disclose a method and apparatus for indirectly determining rotor position in a reluctance motor that is based on a flux/current model of the machine, which model includes multi-phase saturation, leakage, and mutual coupling effects.
Lastly, Acarnley (U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,364) discloses a motor monitoring and control circuit that calculates a value parameter for a position of the motor at given instants. The same parameter (which may be position or speed of a rotor) is then measured at subsequent instants. These values are used to compute a future value of the parameter.
The use of two independent torque estimates to diagnose a potential fault in the electric motor of an electric motor propelled vehicle is unknown in the prior art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Diagnostic system and method for an electric motor using torque estimates


The invention relates to a device for performing equilibrium exercises which includes a fitting assembly for fitting the device to a part of the body, for instance the head, of a user and a position indicating assembly connected to the fitting assembly for indicating the position of the device. The position indicating assembly is herein observable by the user and can be formed by a conventional or electronic spirit level instrument.

1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for performing equilibrium exercises, comprising means for fitting, thereof to a part of the body of a user and means connected to the fitting means and observable by the user for indicating the position of the device. Such a device is known e.g. from DE-A-2 227 938.
2) Background Art
In physiotherapy much use is made of equilibrium exercises in order to check the action of the equilibrium coordination system of a patient and, if possible, to correct it. This equilibrium coordination system can be disrupted in various ways. The equilibrium organs themselves may for instance function poorly, although it may also be the case that the equilibrium organs function properly per se, but that there is an inadequate motor coordination between these organs and the body parts with which the patient tries to maintain his balance. In the usual exercises the patient is placed on an unstable surface and possible deficiencies in attempts by the patient to preserve his equilibrium are determined by the physiotherapist. A drawback of this known exercise method is that as a result of the long route between the equilibrium organs and the body parts responsible for maintaining equilibrium, possible disturbances in the equilibrium coordination system are difficult to localize.
The above mentioned prior art document DE-A-2 227 938 already describes a device for performing biodynamic reaction training according to the so called Alexander technique, comprising means which are attached to the body of the user, and which allow the user to visually monitor the posture of his head with regard to his neck. In a first embodiment these posture monitoring means comprise a pair of mirrors arranged on the shoulders of the user on either side of his head, and a third mirror which is suspended from his head in front of his eyes, and which allows the user to see the side mirrors in order to check his posture. In alternative embodiment use is made of for instance a fibre optic system to transmit a view from the side of the head to the eyes of the user, or a mini TV-camera arranged on the shoulder, which is connected to a monitor arranged in front of the user. This known device however is only suitable for checking the posture of the head with regard to the torso of the user, and cannot be used for any other kind of equilibrium exercises.

Device for performing equilibrium exercises


An example apparatus includes: at least one memory; instructions in the apparatus; and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to: determine whether a census impression record corresponds to a panelist impression record by: comparing a first internet protocol (IP) address of the panelist impression record with a second IP address of the census impression record; and comparing a first timestamp of the panelist impression record with a second timestamp of the census impression record; and send a comparison result to a computer of an audience measurement entity, the comparison result indicative of a match confirming the census impression record corresponds to the panelist impression record of the audience measurement entity.

Determining a size and demographics of an audience of a media presentation helps media providers and distributors schedule programming and determine a price for advertising presented during the programming. In addition, accurate estimates of audience demographics enable advertisers to target advertisements to certain types and sizes of audiences. To collect these demographics, an audience measurement entity enlists a group of media consumers (often called panelists) to cooperate in an audience measurement study (often called a panel) for a predefined length of time.
The figures are not to scale. In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts. As used herein, connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and joined) may include intermediate members between the elements referenced by the connection reference and/or relative movement between those elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and/or in fixed relation to each other.
Unless specifically stated otherwise, descriptors such as "first," "second," "third," etc. are used herein without imputing or otherwise indicating any meaning of priority, physical order, arrangement in a list, and/or ordering in any way, but are merely used as labels and/or arbitrary names to distinguish elements for ease of understanding the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor "first" may be used to refer to an element in the detailed description, while the same element may be referred to in a claim with a different descriptor such as "second" or "third." In such instances, it should be understood that such descriptors are used merely for identifying those elements distinctly that might, for example, otherwise share a same name.
As used herein "substantially real time" refers to occurrence in a near instantaneous manner recognizing there may be real world delays for computing time, transmission, etc. Thus, unless otherwise specified, "substantially real time" refers to real time+/−1 second. As used herein, "processor circuitry" is defined to include (i) one or more special purpose electrical circuits structured to perform specific operation(s) and including one or more semiconductor-based logic devices (e.g., electrical hardware implemented by one or more transistors), and/or (ii) one or more general purpose semiconductor-based electrical circuits programmed with instructions to perform specific operations and including one or more semiconductor-based logic devices (e.g., electrical hardware implemented by one or more transistors). Examples of processor circuitry include programmed microprocessors, Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) that may instantiate instructions, Central Processor Units (CPUs), Graphics Processor Units (GPUs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), XPUs, or microcontrollers and integrated circuits such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). For example, an XPU may be implemented by a heterogeneous computing system including multiple types of processor circuitry (e.g., one or more FPGAs, one or more CPUs, one or more GPUs, one or more DSPs, etc., and/or a combination thereof) and application programming interface(s) (API(s)) that may assign computing task(s) to whichever one(s) of the multiple types of the processing circuitry is/are best suited to execute the computing task(s).

Methods and apparatus to perform network-based monitoring of media accesses


The liner hanger assembly seals with casing 8 and supports a liner 98 within a well. The tubular liner hanger 48 and a tubular expander 40 may be position downhole on a running tool at a desired depth along the casing string 8. An actuator assembly 6 may forcably move the tubular expander 40 into the tubular hanger, expanding the liner hanger to seal and secure the hanger against the casing string 8. After the running tool has been removed, a seal nipple may be sealed to the sealing sleeve of the tubular expander. A selectively releasable clutch 73 is provided for allowing rotation of the liner to rotate the liner with the running tool, and thereafter to disengage and release the running tool from the set liner hanger.

Various types of liner hangers have been proposed for hanging a liner from a casing string in a well. Most liner hangers are set with slips activated by the liner hanger running tool. Liner hangers with multiple parts pose a significant liability when one or more of the parts becomes loose in the well, thereby disrupting the setting operation and making retrieval difficult. Other liner hangers and running tools cannot perform conventional cementing operations through the running tool before setting the liner hanger in the well.
Other liner hangers have problems supporting heavy liners with the weight of one million pounds or more. Some liner hangers successfully support the liner weight, but do no reliably seal with the casing string. After the liner hanger is set in the well, high fluid pressure in the annulus between the liner and the casing may blow by the liner hanger, thereby defeating its primary purpose. Other liner hangers are not able to obtain burst and/or collapse characteristics equal to that of the casing. A preferred liner hanger maintains a collapse and burst strength at least substantially equal to that of both the casing and the liner.
Liners having gripping elements and packing elements have been expanded to support a liner within the casing. However, the lengths of the liner hanger which was expanded were substantial, typically approximately ten (10) feet or more, in order to provide sufficient frictional force between the liner hanger and the casing to accommodate the liner load. Prior art designs relied upon expansion of the tubular anchor from an elastic state in which the steel lost its elasticity or memory, resulting in relaxation of the energy necessary to maintain the liner hanger at the fully expanded diameter, thus leading to a failure of sealing and suspension supporting capability.
Another significant problem with some liner hangers is that the running tool cannot be reliably disengaged from the set liner hanger. Another problem with liner hanger technology concerns the desirability to rotate the liner with the work string in the well, then disengage from the work string when the liner hanger has been set to retrieve the running tool from the well.
Publication 2001/0020532A1 discloses a tool for hanging a liner by pipe expansion. U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,321 discloses a reinforcing swage which remains downhole when the tool is retrieved to the surface. U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,395 discloses a radially expanded liner hanger which uses an axially movable annular piston to expand a tubular member.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, an improved liner hanger system and method of setting the liner hanger are hereinafter disclosed.

Expandable liner hanger system and method


A light bar and reflector assembly for indicating the status of a computing device is disclosed. A reflector assembly having a light source is connected to the chassis of a computer. The reflector assembly includes reflective surfaces that reflect light from the light source through an opening in the reflector assembly. A light bar is attached to the bezel such that, when the bezel is placed over the computer chassis, the light bar aligns with the opening in the reflector assembly. The light bar includes reflective surfaces so as to channel the light from the light source to refractive surfaces which refract the light into the air such that a distinctive light pattern is visible across the length of the light bar. The design of the light bar produces an intense broad band of visible light on the light bar. The light intensity dissipates towards each end of the light bar. A colored light source located within the reflector assembly may be engaged so as to produce a colored band of visible light on the light bar.

Prior art methods for indicating status of a computer typically involve the use of lamps which radiate light through a lens cover of some type. Typically, different colors of material are used as lens covers so as to produce light output having a specific color so as to indicate a specific condition. For example, a light which has a clear or a slightly opaque cover may be used to produce a white light so as to indicate that the computer is on. Another example is the use of a second light which is typically located near the first light and which is covered with a red lens cover so as to produce a red light. The red light could be used to indicate an error condition.
These prior art indicators are difficult to see as a result of the emanation of the light directly from a "point" light source. In order for a user to see the light, he must be looking at the extremely small area from which the light radiates. Though the lens cover may partially dissipate the light so as to increase the area that is visibly lighted, the area is still very small.
In an attempt to make condition indicators more visible, cylindrical lens covers have been used. These cylindrical lens covers project out of the computer housing. By using a cylindrical lens cover that projects out from the housing and by moving the bulb outside of the computer housing, the light source is not shielded behind the housing. Thus, a brighter and more visible indication results. However, the light still emanates from a "point" source such that the area of visible light is small. Though the light is dissipated by the lens cover so as to illuminate the lens cover, the area of the lens cover is small, resulting in the viewable lighted area being small and difficult to see.
In an attempt to make indicators easier to see, brighter light sources have been used. Condition indicators which use bright lights are easier to see than condition indicators with light sources which are not as bright. However, since the lens covers are small, the brighter light source simply makes the small surface of the lens cover more easily viewable. Thus, the use of a brighter light source does not solve the problems associated with prior art "point" source indicators and the light indicator itself is still difficult for the viewer to see.
More recently, light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been widely used to indicate conditions of computing devices. LEDs are desirable in many applications because they have a very low power consumption rate. However, LEDs do not emit much light. Lens covers which are typically used to enclose the LED typically further decrease the visibility of the indicator since they block some of the light emanating from the LED. Therefore, the light from condition indicators that use LEDs are even more difficult to see than other prior art condition indicators.
Prior art condition indicators art often particularly difficult if not impossible to see when the computer is located in a well lighted area. This is due primarily to the lack of contrast between the indicator and its surroundings. Since computers are often used in well lighted areas, users are often not able to see the status of the computer. Thus, a user may be unaware of a particular condition of the computer. When the condition is an error condition, the users failure to notice the error condition may result in loss of data and incorrect program processing resulting from use of the computer while the error condition is present.
Recent computer designs require that the housing be easily removed from the computer frame or chassis. Thus, prior art condition indicator designs which place the light source on or in the housing are impractical due to the difficulty of disconnecting the wires which supply power to the light source. Though connectors may be used to facilitate connection and disconnection of wiring associated with the indicator assembly, removal and replacement of the computer housing is still slow and time consuming due to the need to disconnect and connect the required connectors. In addition, if a light source is attached to any printed circuit board within a high speed computer, the light source must not violate any electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield for agency code compliance.
Recent computer designs also require that condition indicators minimize power consumption. Because the bright lamps typically used as light sources typically have a high power consumption rate, the need to minimize power consumption has generally led to the use of less powerful light sources. This has led to less visible condition indicators in most prior art designs. In addition to minimizing power consumption, condition indicators must be easy to insert and remove for repair and replacement and must be inexpensive and easy to manufacture. Furthermore, the design of the condition indicator must be such that, when the computer housing is removed so as to expose the condition indicator, the condition indicator is resistant to damage.
What is needed is a condition indicator which is highly visible and which allows the housing to be easily removed from the computer chassis without the need to disconnect wires or connectors. The indicator must indicate multiple conditions and must be inexpensive to manufacture and easy to operate and maintain. Furthermore, a condition indicator which minimizes power consumption and which is easy to insert and remove for repair and replacement is required.


A portable, contained, fueled, ready-to-use campfire assembly having a fire resistant container with an upwardly facing mouth. The container is filled with a mixture of mineral spirits, paraffin wax and hardwood chips. No additional fuel, mixing, pouring, or lighting is required and a long lasting fire is provided that resists moderate winds, is readily extinguished and does not give out dangerous sparks.

Each year in the United States and other countries numerous forest fires are inadvertently set off by those who carelessly and improperly make, maintain, and extinguish campfires. Thus, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a campfire which is contained, does not emit dangerous sparks, provides desirable heat, and is readily extinguished.
In the prior art there are numerous portable devices and fuel compositions which are designed to provide a convenient fire without the problem of gathering wood or other fuel and continuously feeding it to the fire. One such fuel is the common firelog which typically is sawdust held together with a wax binder which is extruded and then wrapped in a paper starter. However, the typical firelog is heavy, inconvenient to transport, sometimes difficult to light, and requires a supporting grate or fire stand. It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a relatively lightweight fire assembly which is easy to start and does not require any additional grates or stands or supporting structure.
Another common apparatus in the prior art for providing a portable, relatively quick means of providing a fire is a gas stove or burner. However, these require the transportation of a heavy "bottle" or tank of gas and burner or stove parts, and at least some time and effort in assembling and setting up the burners, tanks, and stove. In addition, besides being bulky, heavy, and time consuming these gas devices are relatively expensive and require regular maintenance to keep them operating satisfactorily. Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide a campfire and cooker which is lightweight, requires no set-up, and is relatively inexpensive.
Another type of portable heat or fire device is the "canned heat" which is an alcohol gel in a can. These often are used as the heat source for chafing dishes or the like where heat with low ash and few obnoxious combustion products is desired within an enclosed area. However, while clean and portable, the alcohol gels do not produce the same heat output, intensity, and ability to remain lighted that is desirable for campfires or cookers. Thus, it is yet another object of the present invention to provide an assembly which produces a flame which has a relatively high heat output and satisfactorily maintains a flame under varied conditions. These and others objects are provided by the invention described below.
The process of making the aforementioned products and devices often requires numerous steps in the production process and expensive extrusion equipment. Therefore, still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a simple and economical method of producing the assembly of the present invention.


Tag scoring for elements associated with a common tag enables a user to conduct a tag search and view a listing of elements associated with the tag. The listing can be ordered by each element's tag score. To create such a tag score, users may associate an element with one or more tags that characterize the element. A tag score may then be assigned to this element for each assigned tag and may be based on a multitude of factors. These factors may include a number of times that the element has been tagged with the assigned tag and users' votes on the accuracy of the assigned tag to the element. Tag-scoring factors may include, among others, an age of a tag associated with the element, a click rate for the element, a customer review of the element, a sales rank for the element, or an availability of the element.

Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, companies utilizing e-commerce websites often do not have a physical store or location where a salesperson can help both novice and knowledgeable customers find sought-after products. Instead, a customer navigating an e-commerce website typically attempts to identify a product that meets the customer's needs. Even a customer with considerable experience navigating e-commerce websites sometimes experiences difficulty in locating a desired product from among hundreds or thousands of offered products. For novice customers, meanwhile, the task of shopping online via the web can be unproductive and even frustrating.
In response to these difficulties, these companies continually strive to make their e-commerce websites more dynamic, compelling, and easier for users to navigate and locate products. To help meet these goals, one recent innovation allows customers to search for a product by tags associated with that product. Tags essentially enable customers, the e-commerce company, or some other entity the ability to easily categorize products. For instance, a customer who has purchased a certain fitness-related book may tag this book as relating to "fitness". When other customers then conduct a future tag search based on "fitness", this book will appear in a returned listing of products.
Unfortunately, products returned to customers in response to tag searches might be presented or listed in a haphazard fashion. That is, if a customer searches for products associated with a tag entitled "fitness", a most desirable product may appear near the end of the returned list, while a less desirable product may appear nearer the beginning of the list. Therefore, while the tag search effectively narrows the number of products for the customer to peruse, a tag search might not allow for efficient inspection of the returned list of products.
Accordingly, among other potential improvements, there remains a need for improving navigation of e-commerce websites and the ability for users to locate desired products.


A transformer includes a first planar coil having two input ends, with a distance being between the two input ends; and a second planar coil, having two output ends. The two input ends correspond to two points on relative positions of the second planar coil, and a coil path distance of the two points on the second planar coil is equal to the distance.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a configuration of a conventional in-chip transformer. The conventional transformer 10 comprises a primary coil 120 and a secondary coil 140. The primary coil 120 has two end points P1 and P2, and the secondary coil 140 also has two end points S1 and S2. In this example, the transformer 10 is a planar transformer, i.e., the primary coil 120 and the secondary coil 140 are planar coils and are on different planes, e.g., the primary coil 120 is right above or under the secondary coil 140. The transformer 10 can be employed as a balun. In the following description, the end point S1 of the secondary coil 140 is assumed to be coupled to ground, as an example.
Because the end point S1 of the secondary coil 140 is coupled to ground while the end point S2 is not coupled to ground, the end points S1 and S2 have different impedances. Because the transformer 10 is a planar transformer, and the points P1′ and P2′ are respectively right above or under the end points P1 and P2, the two end points P1 and P2 respectively correspond to two points P1′ and P2′ of the secondary coil 140. Referring to FIG. 1, the corresponding point P1′ has a longer distance from the end point S2 compared to the distance between the corresponding point P2 and the end point S2. That is, signal transmission distances between the point P1′ and the end point S2 and that between the corresponding point P2′ and the end point S2 are not equal. Since the end points S1 and S2 have different impedance values, and the signal transmission distances between the corresponding point P1′ and the end point S2 and that of the corresponding point P2′ and the end point S2 are not equal, the two end points P1 and P2 of the secondary coil 120 respectively have different input impedances. Therefore, when input signals having equal energy are respectively inputted to the two end points P1 and P2 of the primary coil 120, two output signals have unequal energy at the end point S2 of the secondary coil 140, thereby creating a problem of unequal energy of the output signals of the transformer.
In addition, when the transformer 10 is used in a transmitter of a communication system, wherein circuits of the transmitter are non-ideal, on top of a to-be-transmitted signal, second-order harmonic signals of the to-be-transmitted signal are transmitted. When signal strength (energy) of the to-be-transmitted signal of the transmitter becomes larger, the signal strengths of the second-order harmonic signals become larger. Large second-order harmonic signals will cause interference to a circuit having an on-chip inductor, such as a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) where its output frequency may have undesired shift because of the interference; however, the conventional transformer described above is unable to remove the undesired signals.
Therefore, a transformer capable of outputting output signals having equal output signal strength and removing undesired signals (e.g., second-order harmonic signals) is in need.


The present invention pertains to an improved belt and pulley conveying apparatus for conveying bottle containers. The conveying apparatus comprises a set of belts each driven by a pair of pulleys with a lateral spacing between the belts dimensioned to receive bottle containers therebetween. The belts engage the bottle containers and convey them from an input conveyor to a diverter assembly. The apparatus includes a plurality of motor driven shafts, each shaft having a plurality of the pulleys adjustably mounted thereon. The positions of the belts are horizontally and vertically adjustable thereby allowing the conveyor to accommodate containers of various dimensions.

The present invention pertains to improvements to an air conveyor of the type disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/062,939, filed May 13, 1993, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, issued on Aug. 1, 1995 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,521, and incorporated herein by reference. More particularly the present invention pertains to an air conveyor that conveys a stream of bottles along an input path and then selectively diverts bottles from the stream into one of two or more output paths.
An air conveyor is useful for the rapid transport of plastic bottles between work stations as, for example, between a storage station and a bottle-filling station. Typically, the known air conveyor includes a pair of flanges spaced to define an elongated slot between them, and a series of air ducts on opposite sides of the slot. Plastic bottles are formed with annular rims adjacent the tops of their necks. With the bottle necks extending through the slot and the rims overlying the spaced flanges, the bottles are suspended from the flanges and hang below the slot. Pressurized air from the ducts is directed in streams toward the bottles. The bottles move through the slot because of the force of the air streams against the bottles. Preferably, the bottles are conveyed in closely spaced succession.
In at least some of the conventional air conveyors, the air is directed through a plenum within a channel and against the tops of the bottles above their annular rims. This results in turbulence of air emerging through the elongated slot causing fluttering of the bottles and forward and backward wobbling as they are blown in the direction of bottle flow. Frequently, this wobbling will cause the bottles to wedge against one another.
The known air conveyors for plastic bottles are also deficient because once the bottles accumulate, the force of air required to move the slug (accumulated bottles) as a group must be high to overcome the drag. Therefore, the air pressure kept in the plenum is high enough to overcome the friction drag force of a slug should one occur. Consequently, as single or spaced bottles are conveyed by this high air pressure, their speed accelerates to a high velocity. This high acceleration and velocity is detrimental because the bottles collide at high speed with other bottles that have stopped or accumulated downstream potentially damaging the bottles. Conversely, if the force of air is reduced to prevent high acceleration of single bottles to prevent high speed impact, the reduced air flow will be inadequate to move the slugs (accumulated bottles).
In the prior art, much has been done in attempts to control the force of air to convey bottles at high speed yet avoid high speed impacts, such as modulation of the blower speed, which requires motor speed controls. However, reaction time in depleting the air stored in the plenum as well as in replenishing air blown within the plenum is rather slow compared to the more immediate response required in high speed production lines. In other prior art, louvers have been installed in the walls of the plenum in an effort to control the speed of single (random) bottles while applying greater force against the slugs. However, since accumulated slugs can and do occur randomly at any place along a given conveyor span, the complexity of such applications becomes neither economical nor practical.


The invention proposes a method for locating a network element, comprising the steps of obtaining (S1) the coordinates (xS, yS) of a second network element (BTS) to which the first network element (MS) is connected or attached; detecting (S2) a serving area (S), which is served by the second network element (BTS); detecting (S3) a propagation delay of the first network element with respect to the second network element (BTS); determining (S4) a propagation delay depending area (C), which is an area having a distance to the second network element (BTS) based on the propagation delay and a width based on the propagation delay; and forming (S5) an intersection area (I) of the serving area (S) and the propagation delay depending area (C); wherein a location estimate of the first network element (MS) is determined (S6) from the intersection area (I). Thus, an uncertainty area where a first network element is located can be reduced and the location accuracy can be improved.

The need for an efficient and accurate user positioning in wireless networks grows day by day. The position estimation of wireless callers to emergency numbers, as the "Enhanced-911" (E-911) mandatory in the U.S. by October 2001 and the E-112 under consideration by the European Community, is only one of the possible applications beside vehicle fleet management, intelligent transport systems (ITS's) and location-based billing.
To guarantee positioning in the whole coverage area, achieve different service requirements and handle the variety of location information, combinations of different location technologies have been considered and suitable signaling protocols proposed. Standardization of Mobile Stations (MS's) positioning in GSM networks started in 1995 within ETSI SMG (European Telecommunications Standards Institute Special Group Mobile) 1 after European operators asked for commercial services based on MS positioning and separately within T1P1 in the U.S., after the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) established the requirements for the E-911 service.
In 1997 the T1P1.5 subcommittee of T1P1 (T1P1 is a subgroup of T1, a committee of TIA, the North American Telecommunications Industry Association) was given the responsibility to lead the standardization activities. At the conclusion of the works, T1P1.5 proposed four positioning alternatives: three using measurements performed within the cellular network; namely, the Timing Advance (TA), Uplink Time Of Arrival (TOA) and Enhanced Observed Time Difference (E-OTD) procedures and one based on the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, the Network-Assisted GPS procedure. All four procedures were included by ETSI in the GSM specifications Release '98 and Release '99 (see ETSI, "Digital Cellular Telecommunications System (Phase 2+); Location Services (LCS), (Functional Description)—Stage 2 (GSM 03.71 version 7.3.0 Release 1998)"—doc. ETSI TS 101 724, February 2000).
The Uplink TOA procedure is able to locate legacy handsets (i.e., handsets with standard software) but requires installation of new network elements called LMUs (Location Measurement Units) at each BTS site. The Enhanced OTD procedure requires installation of LMUs every 2-5 BTS's and software modification in the terminals. Also the Network-Assisted GPS procedure requires installation of reference GPS receivers besides the integration of a GPS receiver into the handset.
All procedures, including the Timing Advance, require the introduction of a new network element responsible for the location calculation called SMLC (Serving Mobile Location Center).
The principle of the Timing Advance is illustrated in FIG. 1. The Timing Advance (TA) describes the back-and-forth propagation time between the mobile station and the serving base station. It is used to avoid overlapping slots in communications. The distance d between the serving base station and the mobile station can be estimated using the TA:d≅TA×(cTb/2)where Tb=3.69 μs is the bit period, c=3×108 m/s is the speed of radio waves, and TA is an integer ranging from 0 to 63.
The Timing Advance procedure is the simplest procedure among the standardized ones. It requires only the addition of location calculation functionalities (i.e., the SMLC) in the network side and, since it uses information already available in nowadays networks, it is able to locate legacy handsets and it does not need the installation of additional measurement units.
The Timing Advance procedure can be applied also as back-up procedures for other standardized solutions. In some cases, in fact, the number of Base Transceiver Stations (BTS's) in case of Uplink TOA/Enhanced OTD or satellites, in case of Network-Assisted GPS, that can be used for positioning purposes is low or the quality of the measurement is so poor that none of such technologies can be used. The estimations obtained by using the Timing Advance technique can also be used as initial guess for the algorithms used to implement one of the standardized solutions (e.g. the E-OTD), in order to improve accuracy or speed of convergence of those algorithms.


Compositions and methods are provided for creating a low density cellular concrete that has a viscosity which rapidly increases after adding an accelerator, while maintaining substantially the same density. The initial components include a cement, water, a surfactant to create a foam, and an accelerator such as sodium carbonate. The accelerator serves to rapidly increase the viscosity of the mixture, thereby entrapping the foam or air within the matrix of the mixture before air can escape. An additional embodiment includes using a byproduct such as fly ash in the composition to further reduce costs and make an environmentally friendly product.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods of making concrete, mortar and grout, and more specifically low density cellular concretes which harden in an accelerated period of time.
Cementitious products such as concrete, grout and mortar are commonly used materials which are critical to the construction industry. The materials have almost limitless uses including the construction of highways, building foundations, brickwork, and oilfield well-bore applications, to name a few. These cementitious products almost all combine at minimum a mixture of a lime cement material which is mixed with water. Other common ingredients may include sand, fly ash, silica fume, or cenospheres, to name a few.
Cellular concretes are cementitious products which are characterized by a much lower density than typical concrete, which results from air bubbles being entrained within the concrete during hardening. These low density concretes sustain impressive compressive forces, yet at significantly reduced weights, thus making the material ideal for use in roofs, above grade flooring materials and in conditions where high density concretes create soil settling problems.
Cellular concretes are typically made by mixing a foam with a cement slurry, the foam being made out of certain proteins such as ground chicken feathers and other chemical protein compositions including soaps to create a low density slurry. As the concrete cures, the air bubbles in the foam become trapped, this reducing the density of the concrete. Another method of making cellular concrete utilizes an xe2x80x9cautoclavedxe2x80x9d method where aluminum powders are put in a mold with lime concrete and water, thus creating a chemical reaction which creates hydrogen bubbles within the concrete slurry. The hydrogen bubbles are subsequently trapped during the hardening of the concrete, thus making the concrete less dense.
Unfortunately, manufacturing cellular concretes using various forms of proteins or with the autoclaved process can be expensive, time consuming and requiring specialized materials and equipment. Additionally, it typically takes a significant period of time for the cellular concrete to set, thus making it impractical for numerous commercial and industrial applications. Thus, it would be extremely beneficial and useful to have a composition and method for manufacturing cellular concretes which utilizes commonly known materials, is inexpensive and which significantly accelerates the curing process, and consequently shortens the time required for the cellular concrete to cure.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a composition and method for making a low density cellular concrete utilizing inexpensive materials and equipment. Thus, the materials must be readily available, non-toxic, not dangerous to handle, and stable during the manufacturing of the cellular concrete. It is a further object that the materials can be mixed on-site or off-site with conventional cement mixing equipment, and thus allows the cellular concrete to be made at remote locations where building materials are required. One particular application would be where temporary shelters are required as a result of catastrophes resulting from hurricanes, tornados, war or other disasters. The invention disclosed herein allows for production of an economical, thermally efficient, environmentally friendly, fire-resistant building material.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a concrete material which is capable of rapidly changing viscosity during hardening, while the density remains substantially the same. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the cellular concrete mixture can be prepared and poured in a liquid state. However, after introducing the accelerator, which is typically a sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate material (baking soda), the viscosity of the cellular concrete changes rapidly to a non-liquid state which cannot be poured from a 3 inch diameter by 6 inch tall cylinder mold by means of gravity. Alternative accelerators which could be used for the same purpose include all metal carbonates or metal bicarbonates, including sodium, lithium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a low density cellular concrete which utilizes power plant waste materials, and more specifically, fly ash. By utilizing an otherwise waste product, a low density cellular concrete can be made which has superior strength and is cost effective and environmentally friendly.
Thus, in one aspect of the present invention, the following materials are used in combination to create a low density cellular concrete:
1. Lime cement;
2. Water, either fresh or brine;
3. Non-ionic foam surfactant; and
4. Sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate accelerator.
Alternatively, sand, fly-ash, silica fume, particles, cenospheres or further materials could be used in conjunction with the aforementioned components. The foam may be produced from proteins such as ground chicken feathers and other chemical protein compositions including soaps, with a non-ionic surfactant considered a preferred material, for example, Surfonic SF 95.
Type F DSI or FGD fly ash generated as a byproduct of burning coal has also been found to be an acceptable mix ingredient. Fly ash is residue that results from the combustion of ground or powdered coal and is removed from the stack gasses with various types of air quality control equipment. Fly ash is a pozzolan: a siliceous material which, in the presence of water, will chemically combine with lime (calcium oxide) to produce a cementitious material with excellent structural properties. It has be found that about 22% by weight fly ash can be used to create a cellular concrete mix with compressive strengths similar to autoclave structural blocks used in building construction applications. Furthermore, 50% fly ash by weight has been used to create a backfill material.
In another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for manufacturing the cellular concrete material. In this process, it is critical that the cement and water are mixed first and then combined with a pre-mixed foam comprising water and preferably a non-ionic surfactant. Once the cement and foam are completely mixed, the accelerator is added to the cellular concrete mixture.

Low density cellular concrete with accelerators for rapid hardening


The present invention comprises a method and system for weight generation in an adaptive array with spread spectrum signals. Signals received by each antenna are amplified, weighted and summed. Complex weighting is achieved by splitting the signal into inphase and quadrature components, and adjusting the gain of each of these components before combining these weighted components. The output signal after combining of the weighted signals from each antenna is downconverted to baseband, creating inphase and quadrature baseband components. The baseband components are multiplied by the spread spectrum sequence to despread the output signal and reduce the bandwidth of the desired spread spectrum signal to the original desired signal bandwidth. The signals received by each antenna are also downconverted to baseband inphase and quadrature components. Each of these components is multiplied by the spread spectrum sequence to despread the output signal and reduce the bandwidth of the desired spread spectrum signal to the original desired signal bandwidth. The despread/filtered individual antenna signals are multiplied by the despread/filtered output signal to generate antenna weights.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to wireless communication systems. More particularly, it relates to a wireless communication system using a plurality of antenna elements with weighting and combining techniques for optimizing antenna diversity and combining gain for use in a system that uses spread spectrum.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a prior art adaptive array 10. Adaptive array 10 comprises multi-element antenna 12 where the received signals are weighted and combined to produce output signal 14. There are M antenna elements, with weights W1 to WM.
Antenna weights are typically generated to improve the performance of the output signal. For example, the received signals may be combined to maximize the output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or the output signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR).
FIG. 2 shows a prior art adaptive array with weight generation, where the weights are generated in weight generation module 17 from output signal 14 and each of received signals 16.
One method for generating antenna weights is maximal ratio combining (MRC), where the weights are generated to maximize the desired signal SNR. A simple implementation technique to generate weights that are similar to MRC is Granlund combining, where the output signal is correlated with the complex conjugate of the received signal at each antenna for the weights for the corresponding antenna. This technique is described in "Wireless Communication System using a Plurality of Antenna Elements with Adaptive Weighting and Combining Techniques," U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/732,003, filed Dec. 10, 2003, hereby incorporated by reference into this application. This technique has the advantage that it is blind (does not require demodulation of the signal).
Spread spectrum is a method that can be used to suppress interference and distinguish desired and interfering signals. With spread spectrum, the desired signal (containing data at a given data rate) is multiplied by a higher rate pseudorandom sequence, which spreads the spectrum of the desired signal. The ratio of the bandwidth of the original desired signal (data bandwidth) to the spread spectrum signal is the spreading ratio. At the receiver, the spread spectrum signal is mixed with the spreading sequence and low pass filtered. The output is then the original desired signal, whereas any interfering signal is distorted and suppressed by the spreading ratio in the output signal.
Spread spectrum can be used as a method to distinguish the desired signal from interference in an adaptive array. One such technique is described in, "Spread Spectrum in a Four-Phase Communication System Employing Adaptive Antennas," IEEE Trans. on Communications Special Issue on Spread-Spectrum Communications, May 1982 and in Spread-Spectrum Communications, IEEE Press, NY, 1983. In this technique, the output signal is despread, filtered, and respread, resulting in a signal, used as a reference signal, that has the desired signal unchanged, but any interference without the correct spreading sequence is distorted. This reference signal can be used with the standard least mean squares (LMS) algorithm: The reference signal is subtracted from the output signal, and this signal is used as an error signal to drive the weights to minimize the mean square error (MMSE) in the output signal. This MMSE algorithm thereby generates weights that maximize the output SINR, i.e., suppress interference and increase desired signal power. These MMSE weights also minimize the bit error rate of the output signal without consideration of the reduction in interference due to despreading.
However, it has been found that any technique that maximizes SINR must do so at the expense of reducing the SNR of the desired signal. In a spread spectrum system, any interference in the output is suppressed by the spreading ratio of the spread spectrum code. Therefore, although it is desirable to distinguish the desired signal from interference when generating the weights, maximizing output SINR may not be desirable as it may result in a reduction in the output SNR over MRC in order to achieve unneeded interference suppression. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a technique for weight generation in a spread spectrum system that maximizes the SNR of the desired signal only.

Method and system for weight generation in an adaptive array with spread spectrum


A lift mechanism for simplifying the raising and lowering of a machine component has a base and a frame structure. The lift mechanism may include a lift arrangement interposed between the base and the frame structure that allows for the raising and lowering of the frame structure about a single lift point. The lift mechanism may also include various shafts, drive members, links, and arms, which in combination translate rotational movement of a motor into linear vertical motion. For instance, a drive link and an arm may be rotatably attached to one another, as well as a drive shaft and a second shaft. Additionally, a drive member may be associated with the motor. In operation, the drive member may be rotated by the motor, and a drive belt transmits rotation of the drive member to the drive shaft, the second shaft, the drive link, and the arm.

A well-known type of packaging machine involves advancing web material through the machine, typically in an indexing manner, with various operations being performed by the machine on the web material as it is advanced through the machine. For example, in a typical machine, forming tooling first acts on a lower web of material to form the lower web to define a series of cavities. The cavities are then loaded with the product being packaged, and an upper web is then supplied to overlie the loaded cavities. The upper web is then sealed to the lower web, and the sealed webs are severed about the sealed cavities to form individual packages. In some cases, the cavity atmosphere may be modified, such as in a gas flush or evacuation process, before the cavity is sealed. Packaging machines such as this, as well as other types of machines that are used in packaging and other applications, require various components to move upwardly and downwardly during the process. Traditionally, this is achieved using complicated lift mechanisms. For instance, many such machines require equipment located at all four corners of the lift system. In turn, this results in lift points located in the four corners of the lift system. Oftentimes, the equipment consists of two-link systems, which are complicated to use. These complications are exacerbated where four separate two-link systems are used in tandem to result in coordinated movement in upward and downward directions. As a result, issues with any one of the four systems can render the lift mechanism inoperable. Similar issues exist for many other types of machines that required various components to be repeatedly moved from a first position to a second position, including in upward and downward positions or side-to-side positions.

Simplified lift mechanism for a packaging machine