The invention relates to an amphiphilic multiblock copolymer capable of forming non-covalent crosslinks. The non-water soluble copolymer, having a hydrophilic middle block and hydrophobic end blocks, has a high water transmission or permeation. The copolymer can be used in applications requiring absorption and/or transmission of fluids, the preferred fluids being water or hydrophilic liquids such as glycerin, glycols, and alcohols. One specific use of the amphiphilic multiblock copolymer is as a hydrogel material.

Amphiphilic block copolymers are well known. The majority of amphiphilic polymers are diblock copolymers that are soluble in water. These diblock polymers are used to thicken aqueous solutions and form viscoelastic gels, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,506,837; 6,437,040, and US Patent application 2003/0162896.
Amphiphilic triblock copolymers known commercially as Pluronics are also well described in the literature. These triblock copolymers can contain hydrophilic endblocks and a hydrophobic midblock or vice versa. The hydrophilic block segment is confined to polyethylene oxide (PEO) homopolymer. The triblocks containing hydrophilic endblocks are soluble in water. The triblocks containing hydrophobic endblocks will be insoluble in water.
Amphiphilic diblock polymers may be formed using stable free radical chemistry, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,025. These polymers are limited to diblock structures, and furthermore describe the use of TEMPO-based nitroxide derivatives for the synthesis of the corresponding block copolymers. This class of free radical control agent [such as (2′,2′,6′,6′-tetramethyl-1′-piperidyloxy-)methylbenzene mentioned in Macromolecules 1996, 29, pages 5245-5254] control only the polymerizations of styrene and styrenic derivatives and are not suited to the controlled polymerization of acrylics. U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,968 describes the use of living-type or semi-living type free radical polymerization to form copolymers having a random block with both a hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomer units. These block polymers are soluble in water or alcohol.
Arkema patent application US 2006052545 describes a diblock copolymer adhesive formed by a controlled radical polymerization that is capable of absorbing water and providing adhesion under humid conditions. This polymer could be water soluble.
Amphiphilic block polymers for use as additives and thickeners in oil-based compositions are described in WO 05/056739.
Hydrogels are typically polymeric materials, which are capable of absorbing aqueous fluids. Hydrogels are generally hydrophilic polymeric materials that have been chemically crosslinked to remain insoluble in water. Hydrogels are often used in wound care, in hygiene articles, in filtration aids, as flexible cushioning materials, as control-release agents, and for the adsorption of aqueous-based fluids.
There is a need for an amphiphilic polymeric material that has excellent water absorption and permeation and is formed without covalent crosslinks. The absence of covalent crosslinks inherently provides ease of processing (by solvent casting, spin coating, spray coating, melt processing, melt blending, etc.) not present in the covalently crosslinked systems. One use of these materials would be as a hydrogel. Furthermore there is a need to be able to control the water absorption/permeability of the composite as well as the physical and mechanical properties, for example, ranging from a tough thermoplastic type material, for applications such as membranes to tacky rubbers for applications such as pressure sensitive adhesives.
Surprisingly it has been found that a class of multiblock copolymers having a general structure of a hydrophilic middle block and hydrophobic outer blocks can be made by a controlled radical polymerization method to form an amphiphilic copolymer with tailored properties. Furthermore, the physical properties, mechanical properties and the water absorption/transmission properties of the amphiphilic triblock copolymer can be tailored by adjusting the levels and types of monomers in each of the block segments, as well as by adjusting the size and ratio of the blocks. Some of the properties that can be optimized include the level of water or other fluids absorbed and transmitted, gel strength, and other physical and mechanical properties (e.g., materials can range from a brittle thermoplastic to a tacky rubber).


An electronic viewfinder is configured to magnify an image and provide adjustable diopter for different observers. The electronic viewfinder includes an aperture stop, a lens group totally with positive power, and a display. The components in the electronic viewfinder are arranged sequentially between the observer and the image. The lens group is utilized to enlarge the image, and the lens group includes a first lens with positive power and a second lens with negative power. The display is for showing the image. A first planar lens is disposed between the aperture stop and the lens group. A second planar lens may be disposed between the lens group and the display. A polarizer may be arranged between the second planar lens and the lens group.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic viewfinder and, in particular, a thin, low-cost, high-magnification, high-resolution, and diopter adjustable viewfinder with increased comfort for the observer.
2. Description of Related Arts
Image capture devices can be used for digital camcorders or cameras that retrieve images of objects by zoom lenses and image sensors. For some image capture devices, the observer can further view objects through an electronic viewfinder.
Electronic viewfinders become increasingly slimmer and lighter in recent times. However, magnification or resolution of the images shown in the electronic viewfinder and the ease of use can not be optimized for different observers.


A computer implemented method provides decision support for how much of an inventory item to order and when to order where the review period is different from a basic time unit for demand realization and updates. For cases where the review period is greater than the basic time unit for describing the system, the (s,S) rule is replaced with an enhanced policy for deciding when to order and how much to order. This policy becomes necessary as in practice items are often reviewed at different frequencies, even though demand realization and inventory updates may be done every day. Given a periodic review inventory system and given a set of (s,S) values, the computer implemented method produces lower average inventory costs for the same achieved service level. Alternatively, for a given average investment in inventory, the method will result in higher service level than the corresponding (s,S) policy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer software for business management and, more particularly, to a computer implemented method which provides decision support in the form of an enhanced (R,s,S) policy for periodic review single-item inventory control system when the review period is different from the basic time unit for demand realization and updates.
2. Background Description
The system under consideration manages the inventory level of an item, where at recurring intervals called the review period, the inventory level is reviewed and if necessary purchase orders are placed to replenish depleted inventory, in accordance with a pre-specified decision rule. An (R,s,S) inventory policy is one such decision rule that specifies that an order be placed when the level of inventory on hand plus on order falls below the levels (a specified number), and the amount of order be the difference between S (another specified number) and the present level of inventory on hand plus on order; i.e., every time the inventory position (which refers to the sum of inventory on hand plus on order) falls below s, an order is placed to bring it up to S.
For a periodic review inventory system, when the review period is different from the basic time unit for demand realization and updates, the (R,s,S) Policy is no longer optimal. What is needed is an alternate, improved method to decide how much to order and when to order.

Enhanced (R,S,S) policy for periodic review single-item inventory control

International Business Machines Corporation


A process and apparatus, including a separate coating head, for coating a strip article with a coating material. The process involves coating a strip article with a film of coating material by passing the strip article through a coating apparatus having at least one floating coating head provided with a coating face facing and extending laterally across a surface of the strip article to be coated. The coating head exudes a coating material and floats on the coating material as it meters the coating to a film of the desired thickness. The coating face of the coating head has a preferred coating profile between its opposite ends, and wherein distortions of the preferred coating profile during coating of said strip article are substantially prevented by modifying heat flux to or from selected parts of the coating head to compensate for distortions caused by differences of temperature within the coating head. The apparatus provides means of modifying heat flux to prevent such distortions of the coating profile. A removable coating head also includes such means of modifying the heat flux.

This invention relates to the coating of elongated strip articles, such as metal sheet or strip. More particularly, the invention relates to such coating achieved by the utilization of direct coating apparatus having floating extrusion heads.
The direct coating of strip articles with layers of coating materials utilizing one-sided and two-sided direct coaters is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,230 to Robert A. Innes, issued Jun. 23, 1987 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,434 also issued to Robert A. Innes, issued Sep. 15, 1998, and also assigned to the same assignee as the present application. These patents disclose the concept of floating coating heads (often referred to as xe2x80x9ccoating diesxe2x80x9d) for single and double sided strip article coating. The disclosed coating heads each have a coating face directed towards the surface to be coated, and an elongated slot extending across the width of the strip article at right angles to the direction of advance of the strip article through the coating apparatus. The slot allows coating material to be extruded into the gap between the coating head and the adjacent surface of the strip article. On the downstream side of the slot of each coating head, an extended, generally flat, sloping surface (usually referred to as a xe2x80x9clandxe2x80x9d) is provided. This land slopes with a predetermined angle inwardly towards the surface to be coated in the direction of advance of the strip article. The space into which the coating material is extruded consequently narrows in the direction of strip advance, and this causes the coating material to be compressed in the gap and consequently to exert an outward force on the land as the material is squeezed and metered to the desired coating film thickness. At least one of the coating heads is movable generally at right angles to the strip article and is urged by some form of pushing arrangement towards the strip. The force generated by the coating material on the land balances the force provided by the pushing arrangement pressing the coating head towards the strip article, causing the coating head to float on the newly forming film of coating material without actually touching the strip article itself. This floating effect allows a constant thickness of coating material to be applied to the strip surfaces regardless of any non-planar condition of those surfaces, since the floating coating heads follow any contours or irregularities of the strip thickness as the strip article is advanced through the coater apparatus.
Direct coaters of this kind can be used for applying various kinds of solvent-borne coatings (e.g. paints, lacquers, enamels, etc.). For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,562 to Innes et al., which issued on Apr. 22, 1997 and also is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, describes a similar coating apparatus and method for coating strip articles with layers of molten polymer material.
In direct coaters of this kind, the coating dies are usually quite wide so that they may extend completely across the width of a sheet article to be coated. Die lengths of 30 inches (76.2 cm) or more are usual. When thin coatings are to be applied, e.g. coatings of 10 microns (xcexcm) or less, the profile of the coating face of each coating die must closely follow the profile of the adjacent part of the surface to be coated (viewed in the direction transverse to the direction of advance of the sheet article). If this is not the case, the thickness of the coating applied to the surface will vary to an extent that will be noticeable in the finished coated article. This can be a problem, particularly when direct coaters are used for applying molten polymer materials because the coating heads have to be heated to provide proper fluidity for the coating material, and temperature differentials created within the coating heads may cause distortion and a lack of uniformity of the die profile.
For example, two polymer coating materials commonly employed for this type of coating are polypropylene and polyethylene, and these require coating temperatures in the range of 200-300xc2x0 C. When using coating temperatures in this range, temperature differentials within the coating head in the range of 50-100xc2x0 C. are usual, and this may produce considerable distortion of the die over its width. Generally, the coating heads are supported by unheated metal support plates at the rear surface of the coating heads opposite to the coating faces. The rear portions of the coating heads are therefore usually cooler than the coating face, so the coating face becomes xe2x80x9ccrownedxe2x80x9d over the width of the coating head, i.e. bent in a convex bow so that the center of the coating face approaches the surface to be coated more closely than the ends of the coating face. For a 30 inch. (76.2 cm) die, the distortion from the desired flat profile may amount to 250 xcexcm (0.01 inch). obviously, this is completely unacceptable for coatings intended to be a uniform 10 xcexcm in thickness.
Calculations based on certain coating head dimensions (40 inches longxc3x977 inches deep) and a temperature differential (top to bottom) in the range of 50xc2x0 C. predict a deflection at the center line of the die relative to the ends of about 0.017 inches (about 425 xcexcm)(assuming that the expansion co-efficient of steel is about 1.2xc3x9710xe2x88x925/xc2x0 C.). For a coating head bolted to a steel plate, the bending effect will be partially resisted by the plate, and the observed value of about 0.010 inch (about 250xcexcm) is therefore consistent with the predicted curvatures.
Since the coating heads are pushed towards the surface to be coated by a pushing force, it is possible to modify the pushing force over the length of each die to compensate for the distortion produced by temperature differentials. However, to compensate for the observed distortions, relatively high loads are required and this necessitates a strong supporting frame, thus complicating the coating apparatus and requiring increased construction costs. Also, the totals of such loads may be inconsistent with that required to obtain a desired film thickness. Indeed, it is possible to encounter distortions beyond the range of those correctable by adjustment of the load profile. This is particularly frequent in the case of two-sided direct coaters where the loading device on one die must correct for the sum of the distortions in both opposed dies.
Accordingly, there is a need for a process and apparatus for adjusting for distortions of coating heads in direct coater apparatus, particularly when those coaters are used for coating with materials that require elevated coating temperatures.
An object of the present invention is to provide a process and apparatus for coating a sheet article with a coating film of uniform thickness across the width of the sheet article.
Another object of the present invention is to compensate for distortions of the coating profiles of coater heads used in direct coating apparatus.
Another object of the invention is to prevent irregularities in thin coatings of coating materials that are applied in heated molten form by direct coater apparatus.
Thus, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided, in a coating apparatus including at least one floating coating head having a coating profile that becomes distorted by heat during use, the improvement which comprises providing heaters in or adjacent to specific regions of said at least one coating head to equalize temperatures throughout said coating head t substantially prevent or correct distortion of said coating profile.
According to another aspect of the invention, in a coating apparatus for two-sided coating of an elongated strip article, having coating heads in register on opposite sides of the strip article for applying a coating of material, each coating head including a coating surface having a coating profile, and at least one of said heads floating on a layer of applied coating material under a pressing force directed towards the strip article, wherein one of said coating heads is provided with means for varying heat flux to or from said coating head to modify the coating profile of said one coating head, thus enabling the coating profile of the one head to conform to the coating profile of the coating head on an opposite side of the strip article.
More specifically, according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a process of coating a strip article with a film of coating material by passing the strip article through a coating apparatus having at least one floating coating head provided with a coating face, extending from one end of the coating head to an opposite end, facing and extending laterally across a surface of the strip article to be coated, said coating face including an elongated slot and an extended surface forming a land positioned downstream of the slot and arranged at an effective land angle with respect to the surface to be coated causing said land to slope inwardly towards said surface in a direction of movement of said strip article through said apparatus, and extruding a liquid coating material from the slot onto a surface of the strip article to be coated to be engaged by the land to meter said coating material to a desired coating thickness and to create a force on said at least one coating head that balances a pressing force urging the coating head towards the surface to be coated, wherein said coating face of said at least one coating head has a preferred coating profile between said one and said opposite ends of the coating head, and wherein distortions of said preferred coating profile during coating of said strip article are substantially prevented or corrected by modifying heat flux to or from selected parts of said coating head.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a coating apparatus for coating a strip article with a film of coating material, comprising: a strip article feed for advancing a strip article through said apparatus along a strip article path; at least one floating coating head provided with a coating face, extending from one end of the coating head to an opposite end, facing and extending laterally across a surface of the strip article to be coated, said coating face including an elongated slot and an extended surface forming a land positioned downstream of the slot and arranged at an effective land angle with respect to the surface to be coated causing said land to slope inwardly towards said surface in a direction of movement of said strip article through said apparatus; a material feed for supplying liquid coating material to said coating head; and force applying means for urging said coating head towards said strip article, whereby said strip article advanced through the apparatus by the strip article feed is coated with coating material exuded from said elongated slot of the coating head and is engaged by said land to meter said coating material to a metered coating thickness, and force generated on said land by said coating material is balanced by opposing force from said force applying means causing said coating head to float on said coating material; wherein said coating face of said at least one coating head has a preferred coating profile formed between said one and said opposite ends of the coating head, and wherein said at least one coating head is provided with one or more heat flux modifying devices for modifying heat flux to or from selected parts of said coating head effective to prevent or correct substantial distortions of said preferred coating profile during coating of said strip article.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a coating head for a direct coating apparatus employing at least one floating coating head for coating a strip article with a film of coating material, said coating head comprising: a coating face, extending from one end of the coating head to an opposite end, said coating face including an elongated slot and an extended surface forming an angled land positioned adjacent to the slot; and an inlet for coating material to the coating head for delivery to the slot; wherein said coating face has a preferred coating profile formed between said one and said opposite ends of the coating head; and wherein said coating head is provided with one or more heat flux modifying devices for modifying heat flux to or from selected parts of said coating head effective to prevent or correct substantial distortions of said preferred coating profile during coating of said strip article.
The term xe2x80x9ccoating profilexe2x80x9d in the context of this invention means the profile of the coating surface that affects the ultimate thickness of the metered coating layer. This is usually the profile of the downstream edge of the coating land in elevational view as the strip advances towards the viewer.
The term xe2x80x9cmodifyingxe2x80x9d the heat flux may mean supplying heat to the coating head of the coater apparatus, or reducing heat flow from the coater head.
The distortions from the preferred profile are generally substantially prevented by providing heat to specific regions of the coating head to equalize temperatures throughout the coating head.
The heat flux is generally provided to a rear wall of the coating head opposite to the coating face, more heat being provided close to the lateral ends of the coating head than to a region of the rear wall located centrally between its lateral ends.
The coating head may be supported by a backing support plate, and distortions may be substantially prevented by providing heat to specific regions of the backing support plate to equalize temperature throughout the coating head. The backing support plate has lateral ends adjacent to lateral ends of said coating head, and more heat is usually provided to regions of the backing support plate close to the lateral ends thereof than to a region of the backing support plate located centrally between the lateral ends thereof.
The heat may be provided by locating electrical heaters in specific regions of the coater head or backing plate, and operating the heaters when required to substantially prevent distortions.
If desired, distortions of the coating profile may be measured and, when the distortions exceed a predetermined amount, heat flux may be modified to reduce such distortions. The distortions may be measured directly by measuring positions of points on the coating surface, or indirectly by measuring temperature differentials at points on said coating head.

Process and apparatus for profile control of direct coaters


A voltage detector to sense deviations of instantaneous value of a monitored voltage from a desired value is provided. The system includes a reference voltage source for providing a reference voltage. A divider responsive to the monitored voltage and the reference voltage divides the reference voltage by the monitored voltage. Thereafter a window comparator responsive to an output of the divider produces an indication when the output of the divider is either higher than some predetermined high value or lower than some predetermined low value.

In so-called standby uninterruptible power systems, it is essential that deviations of the AC line voltage outside the allowed band be detected quickly, ideally instantaneously, in order to transfer the protected load to an alternative power source in the shortest time possible.
Based on the above performance requirements, we can define the ideal AC power detector as follows: the detector should be responsive to the instantaneous voltage value rather than its average or RMS in order to allow fast response; the detector should be capable of detecting both positive and negative deviations of the monitored AC source; and the detector should be able to react very quickly for large errors and slowly for small errors. Such characteristics will allow the detector to ignore, if desired, irrelevant errors such as harmonic distortions and short term, small magnitude, voltage deviations.
In the prior systems, the requirements set forth above are approximately satisfied by circuits based on the assumption that the monitored voltage is sinusoidal. Consequently the monitored waveform value is sampled at one, two, or more points and a decision is made that the monitored voltage is within tolerance when the samples are within a certain range.
There are numerous variations of detector circuits employing this principle. A typical one is described by H. Yamashita in his paper "Uninterruptible Power Systems in NTT" (Proceedings in INTELEC 90, pp. 414-415, IEEE publication 3CH2928-0/90/000/0412). The waveforms relevant to the detector proposed by Yamashita appear in FIG. 1. As stated by Yamashita, the AC voltage 10 is rectified. The rectified voltage 20 is compared with a reference level 22, and a train Tv of pulses 24 is obtained. The width of pulse 24 is compared with the width of reference pulse 26 of train Tr. When commercial power failures occur, the width of pulse 24 Tv will be changed, and the detection circuit will then detect the voltage failure.
Inspection of this type of circuit reveals that it has some serious deficiencies. Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that a severely clipped waveform 25 will not be treated as a failure by the detector, while a small distortion 30 around the sampling point that may be inconsequential, particularly if it is a one time phenomenon, will cause an immediate failure detection.
In contrast to the foregoing, the voltage detector of this invention eliminates these deficiencies and others existing in the prior art. In addition it provides the capability of sensing phase and frequency deviations of the monitored voltage source.


A support block at a trailing arm and a stabilizer link that varies in contact state to the support block form a large toe-in during out-of phase movement of both wheels and form a small toe-in during in-phase movement of the wheels, thereby embodying an appropriate toe-in displacement according to the vehicle turn and forward motion, thus improving the vehicle driving characteristics.

A panel-type trailing arm differs in toe characteristic corresponding to the rise and fall of vehicle wheels according to the trailing arm's unique bending rigidity. Thus, when the vehicle moves vertically, a deformation of the trailing arm in a lateral direction of the vehicle affects the toe of wheels.
A stabilizer bar used for limiting vehicle roll is connected to a stabilizer link via a joint. The stabilizer link is attached to the trailing arm, knuckle, or the like by means of the joint.
When the vehicle makes a turn, a large toe-in is beneficial to the ground force of the tire whereas a small toe-in is beneficial to the vehicle stability during a vehicle forward motion. While cornering, vehicle roll occurs where both wheels undergo an out-of-phase movement. Therefore, the large toe-in is efficient when cornering, and the small toe-in is efficient in forward movement.


This invention relates to for devices, systems, and methods for separating dross, carried by molten solder, into solder and residue.

Dross is a byproduct of soldering processes, such as wave soldering. Dross includes oxides of the metals of which the solder is composed, contaminants which come from flux and/or other agents used in the soldering process, and some usable solder. In particular, during oxidation, nuclei of solder are formed which are enveloped by oxides. Clusters of such units form the dross. Dross can disrupt the soldering process.
Dross has a density that is less than that of solder so that dross typically floats on molten solder. Known methods of dealing with dross include scooping the dross off the surface of molten solder. However, when the dross is scooped away, not only are metal oxides and contaminants removed, but also some usable solder.


An improved arrangement of a liquid crystal display device is provided in which the redundancy of a known but unwanted TFT (thin film transistor) defect is suppressed so that the yield per finished liquid crystal display device product can be increased without deterioration in the picture quality. Each pixel of the liquid crystal display device arranged at an intersection of one of scanning lines and one of signal lines is provided with two or three TFTs and also, a storage capacitor which is formed of a portion of a gate insulating layer and is sandwiched between its electrode and a preceding scanning line in the previous row using no extra masking procedure. The source, drain and gate electrodes of both the first and third TFTs are respectively coupled to the same signal line, the electrode of the same pixel and the adjacent scanning lines. The gate, source and drain electrodes of the second TFT are respectively coupled to the same scanning line to which the gate electrode of the first TFT is coupled, the electrode of the same pixel and the electrode of a succeeding pixel provided on the opposite side of the scanning line with respect to the same pixel. The arrangement also has a scanning driver circuit capable of activating two scanning lines at the same time for a sequential one-by-one scanning operation, whereby no fault in a reproduced image will be perceived in spite of the presence of a defective TFT.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device active components.
1. Description of the Prior Art
A known liquid crystal display device is provided such an array of thin film transistors (abbreviated to "TFT" hereinafter) as shown in FIG. 3 which is described in more detail in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 60-151615 (1985). The TFT array of the liquid crystal display device comprises a plurality of scanning lines X1 to XM (where M is the total number of the scanning lines), a plurality of signal lines Y1 to YN (where N is the total number of the signal lines), a plurality of TFTs 11, and pixel electrodes 26. The scanning lines X1 to XM are coupled to gate electrodes 21 of their respective TFTs 11 and the signal lines Y1 to YN are coupled to source electrodes 23 of the same. The drain electrode 22 of each TFT 11 is coupled to a pixel electrode 26. A liquid crystal material 13 is sandwiched between the pixel electrode 26 and its opposite electrode 27 constituting a display pixel 14. The display pixel 14 acts as a capacitor in an equivalent circuit and if needed, may be accompanied by a storage capacitor coupled in parallel. The operation of the TFTs 11 will now be described referring to FIG. 3. In operation, such selective pulses P1, P2, P3, . . . as shown in FIG. 4 are applied by a scanning driver circuit to the scanning lines X1, X2, X3, . . . respectively. As shown in FIG. 4, T represents a frame period while M is the number of scanning lines. For example, when only a pulse P1 is fed, the scanning line X1 becomes activated selectively (while the other scanning lines remain unselected) thus allowing each of the TFTs 11 coupled thereto to communicate between its source and the drain and draw a corresponding signal voltage from a signal driver circuit to actuate its pixel. When X1 is unselected, its TFTs become disconnected and hold their signal voltages applied to the pixels until X1 is again selected in the following frame. As understood, the liquid crystal display device with a TFT array is capable of feeding desired signal voltages to corresponding pixels accurately and respectively thus ensuring display of a picture which exhibits less crosstalk and a high contrast ratio.
In production, it is however difficult to have a considerable number of finished TFTs qualified as "good" products, particularly when the number of their scanning and signal lines is increased. Each TFT is constructed in a layer arrangement in which the gate 21, the source 23, and the drain 22 are separated from each other by at least one insulating layer 24, as best shown in the cross sectional view of FIG. 6. Hence, during a procedure of a pinhole forming or other steps, any incidental error tends to cause a shortcircuit between the gate and the source. Accordingly, the shortcircuit between the gate and source electrodes will result in a crucial malfunction of a series of TFTs aligned along the scanning line coupled to the defective TFT which is known as a "line defect". Also, when the source electrode 23 is shortcircuited to the drain electrode 22, their corresponding liquid crystal, cell fails to hold a normal signal voltage thus causing a "point defect".
An improved TFT array has also been introduced in which even if some TFTs are defective, pixel defects (including line defects and point defects) will be minimized, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 61-243483 (1986). The improved TFT array is illustrated in FIG. 7 in which each pixel 14 incorporates a plurality of TFTs 11 so that even if one TFT is defective, the remaining TFTs can perform a normal action. However, when such a liquid crystal display device is used for display of alphabetic and numeric characters, the pixel capacitance has to be greater than a parasitic capacitance 28 for the purpose of temperature compensation or other compensation for signal noise and flicker effects. It is apparent that when the capacitance of each pixel 14 in the TFT array is adapted to be greater than the parasitic capacitance 28 of the TFT 11, no trouble arises. In practice, the pixel capacitance across a liquid crystal 13 is insufficient and noise pulses are inducted by a pixel potential via the parasitic capacitance 28 from the scanning line Xi (i=1 to M; M is the total number of the scanning lines) and the signal line Yj (j=1 to N; N is the total number of the signal lines). For a solution, a storage capacitor is arranged in parallel to the display pixel in order to increase the pixel capacitance relative to the parasitic capacitance 28 and thus minimize the noise effect. It is well known that the storage capacitors are formed in an array between corresponding pixel electrodes 26 and a common electrode 29. Although this arrangement is advantageous in the holding of signals, it will be disadvantageous in the cost of fabrication. More particularly, each storage capacitor in the TFT array is arranged by interposing an insulating layer between the pixel electrode 26 and the common electrode 29 and thus, requires an extra number of masking procedures during the production. As the result, a series of the masking procedures will cause the production cost to increase and incidentally, the frequency of production faults will be increased.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A method of assembly of a fuel cell plate includes forming channels in a body to provide a flow field. A porous media is inserted into the flow field. The fuel cell plate is a non-porous body including a side having the flow field providing a fluid flow path. The porous media is provided in the fluid flow path.

This disclosure relates to flow field plates in a fuel cell. Fuel cells typically include an anode catalyst, a cathode catalyst, and an electrolyte between the anode and cathode catalysts for generating an electric current in a known electrochemical reaction between reactants, such as fuel and oxidant. The fuel cell may include flow field plates with channels for directing the reactants to the respective catalyst. Conventional fuel cells utilize inlet and outlet manifolds to deliver the reactant gases and coolant to the channels and receive exhaust gas and coolant from the channels. The flow field plates are often rectangular, and the inlet and outlet manifolds may be arranged on opposite ends of the plate from one another.
Flow field plates are often designed such that reactants move from one side of the flow field to the other through a first set of channels and turns to flow back across the flow field in another set of channels many times to make at least several passes over the flow field. One challenge associated with a multi-pass design is achieving high fuel cell performance with a configuration that can be stamped. Multi-pass flow field designs in solid plates may employ an embossed feature in the end turns that consists of multiple protrusions. The challenge for these designs is to maintain cell performance which requires good electrical contact and the distribution of fluids to the channels. Failure to achieve these requirements results in poor performance in the flow turn regions which lowers overall cell performance.


The invention provides a test apparatus capable of testing an adhesive bond in multiple loading modes, such as in tension and in shear. The test apparatus includes a test frame, a force generator, and a force transfer arm. The test frame is configured so that the force generator may be attached to the test frame in a plurality of locations, where each location allows for a different loading mode to be tested. The test apparatus also may be used within an environmental chamber for testing the adhesive bond at extreme environmental conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to adhesive creep fixtures, and more particularly to an adhesive creep fixture configured to test adhesion properties in a plurality of loading modes for elements bonded to glass.
2. Description of Related Art
Adhesives are compounds that adhere or join two items together. Adhesives are extremely useful for many applications where penetrative fixation, such as screws or nails, is not feasible or desirable. Adhesives have become increasingly important in both the construction and automotive industries. One particular application where adhesives are used is adhering brackets to glass. This type of application commonly occurs with motor vehicle windows, where the glass window requires a linkage to the mechanism that lowers and raises the window.
In many instances when adhesive bonds are used to create fixation between two elements, characterizing the strength and durability of the bond created by the adhesive is desirable. This characterization becomes increasingly important for understanding the strength and durability of various compounds prior to utilizing a compound for a commercial application. Adhesive materials typically provide strength in tensile loading and shear loading. Tensile loading are types of loads that tend to pull the two bonded items apart. Shear loading are types of loads that tend to cause the two bonded items to slide relative to each other. Companies typically have test protocols in place to characterize adhesion strength of compounds in at least these two types of loading conditions.
Several solutions for testing the adhesive strength of materials have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,971 to Hammond et al., teaches a tester designed to measure the amount of tack an adhesive possesses. In Hammond, a patch of a tacky material, such as an adhesive, is positioned on a well within a carrier top. A probe attached to a variable speed motor is positioned in contact with the patch. The probe is attached to the motor via a carrier. A strain gauge is operatively attached to the carrier via a system of springs. When the motor is in operation, the carrier is drawn away from the patch until separation of the probe from the patch is achieved. The springs transfer the force required to separate the patch from the probe to the strain gauge.
In contrast, Japanese Patent Number JP 09-061340 to Yamagiwa teaches a method for testing a resin in shear. In Yamagiwa, a resin injection space defined by a U-shaped spacer is provided between the two items to be joined by the resin. The resin is subsequently injected into the resin injection space and hardened. A tensile tester clamps onto the materials and pulls the materials apart until fracture is achieved.
Adhesives also should be able to retain adhesion strength under various environmental conditions, such as exposure to moisture, extreme heat, or extreme cold. Adhesion testing under such harsh environmental conditions would allow the tester to understand how well the adhesive should perform when used in the real world. As such, having test fixtures capable of generating the tension and shear loads while being exposed to various environmental conditions is desirable.
Environmental chambers are laboratory test apparatus capable of tightly controlling and monitoring environmental conditions such as moisture and temperature. Environmental chambers are commonly utilized in industries where products are exposed to the elements. Environmental chambers are typically small, so the chambers generally do not have extensive space for the test articles. Therefore test equipment should be sized to fit and function within environmental chambers. Many conventional systems utilize large motorized devices that can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars and are not typically capable of being exposed to environmental conditions.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for an inexpensive and reusable test apparatus capable of testing adhesive properties in multiple modes that may also be configured to perform while exposed to environmental conditions. The test apparatus should be able to be quickly switched from one test mode to another test mode. The test apparatus should be able to test actual components intended for use in commercial products. Further, the connection mechanisms between the test apparatus and the test parts should be able to isolate unintended forces from being transferred to the test parts.


A transmitter module for a broadband data transmission system for radio communications, comprising at least one polyphase FFT filter bank is described. The at least one polyphase FFT filter bank is established as a synthesis polyphase FFT filter bank, wherein the at least one polyphase FFT filter bank comprises several filter units, wherein the transmitter module is configured to generate a transmission signal by an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing technique, for example by a shaped orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. Moreover, a receiver module for a broadband data transmission system and a data transmission system are described.

Different techniques for a broadband transmission of data via radio frequency are known from the state of the art. Examples for such techniques are direct sequence hopping, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and shaped orthogonal frequency division multiplexing.
For certain applications like police radio or military radio, it is important that on one hand the transmitted signal is difficult to detect for everybody else than the designated recipient and that on the other hand it is difficult to jam the transmission, for example by using an interfering transmitter.
There is a need to provide a transmitter module for a broadband data transmission system, a receiver module for a broadband data transmission system as well as a data transmission system for a broadband transmission of data that allow for a secure and/or resilient transmission of RF signals.

Transmitter module, receiver module and data transmission system


A method for mapping data relating to the conditions on a road, the method including the following steps: (a) a step for recording, in a database, information relating to the weather conditions on a road, determined by a vehicle travelling on the road, (b) a step for recording the GPS position of the vehicle corresponding to the recordings made, and (c) a step for displaying, on a map showing the route followed by the vehicle, the weather conditions as a function of the GPS position.

The invention relates to a method for mapping data relating to the conditions on a road. The invention notably, but not exclusively, implements a method for detecting the conditions on a road and state of the tyres equipping a vehicle travelling along this road, based on the noise generated by the tyres when the latter come into contact with the ground.
Indeed, it turns out to be useful to know, at any moment in time, the conditions on the road or state of the tyres in order to interact with the driver or with the driver assistance systems, in such a manner as to inform them in real time of the changes in the driving conditions, and more generally, of the possible modification of the conditions of adherence of the tyres and of the road holding of the vehicle. These methods are therefore aimed at highlighting the variations in the weather conditions such as the passage between driving conditions on dry, damp, wet, snow-covered or icy ground.
In order for this data to be usable, it proves to be useful for it to be displayed so as to be readable and understandable for a user such as a vehicle driver.
Maps are thus known allowing the weather conditions over a certain route to be known in real time, for example using data supplied by meteorological services. However, although allowing a first idea of the driving conditions over a route to be obtained, they do not allow the road conditions to be precisely known at a given moment in time, information which could allow a driver, or the safety system of a vehicle, to adapt the driving conditions, and hence the risks of an accident to be reduced.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for mapping data relating to road conditions

COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN


An improved data structure is provided by modifying a public-domain data structure known as a “heap”. When these improvements are applied, the resultant data structure is known as a “pile.” This invention further describes a pipelined hardware implementation of a pile. Piles offer many advantages over heaps: they allow for fast, pipelined hardware implementations with increased throughput, making piles practical for a wide variety of new applications; they remove the requirement to track and update the last position in the heap; they reduce the number of memory reads accesses required during a delete operation; they require only ordinary, inexpensive RAM for storage in a fast, pipelined implementation; and they allow a random mixture of back-to-back insert, remove, and swap operations to be performed without stalling the pipeline.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to generally to the field of sorting techniques and architectures.
2. Description of Related Art
Data structures known as heaps have been used previously to sort a set of values in ascending or descending order. Rather than storing the values in a fully sorted fashion, the values are "loosely" sorted such that the technique allows simple extraction of the lowest or greatest value from the structure. Exact sorting of the values in a heap is performed as the values are removed from the heap; i.e, the values are removed from the heap in sorted order. This makes a heap useful for sorting applications in which the values must be traversed in sorted order only once.
The properties of a heap data structure are as follows.                P1. A heap is a binary tree, or a k-ary tree where k>2.        P2. A heap is a balanced tree; i.e., the depth of the tree for a set of values is bounded to logk(N), where N is the number of elements in the tree, and where k is described above.        P3. The values in a heap are stored such that a parent node is always of higher priority than all of its k descendent nodes. Higher priority means "higher priority to be removed from the heap".        P4. A heap is always left (or right) justified and only the bottom level may contain "holes" (a lack of values) on the right (or left) side of that level.
Property P2 is a reason that heaps are a popular method of sorting in systems where the sorted data must be traversed only once. The bounded depth provides a deterministic search time whereas a simple binary or k-ary tree structure does not.
Property P3 dictates that the root node of the tree always holds the highest priority value in the heap. In other words, it holds the next value to be removed from the heap since values are removed in sorted order. Therefore, repeatedly removing the root node removes the values in the heap in sorted order.
FIG. 1 is a conventional architectural diagram illustrating a tree-based heap data structure 10, with a level 0 of heap, a level 1 of heap, a level 2 of heap, and a level 3 of heap. Tree-like data structures such as heaps are typically depicted and implemented as a series of nodes and pointers to nodes. Each node comprises a value to be sorted. In the level 0 of heap, a node 11 stores a value of 5. In the level 1 of heap, a node 12 stores a value of 22, and a node 13 stores a value of 10. In the level 2 of heap, a node 14 stores a value of 26, a node 15 stores a value of 23, a node 16 stores a value of 24, and a node 17 stores a value of 17. In the level 3 of heap, a node 18 stores a value of 27, and a node 19 stores a value of 38.
FIG. 2 is a conventional architectural diagram illustrating an array-based heap data structure 20. It is well known in the art that balanced trees, such as heaps, may be constructed with arrays. The array-based heap data structure 20 eliminates the need to keep forward and backward pointers in the tree structure.
FIG. 3 is a conventional flow diagram illustrating the process of a heap remove operation 30. Once a root node 11 is removed, a "hole" is created in the root node position 11. To fill the hole in the root node 11, the bottom-most, right-most value (BRV) 12 is removed from the heap and is placed in the hole in the root node 11. Then, the BRV and the k descendent nodes are examined and the highest priority value, if not the BRV itself, is swapped with the BRV. This continues down the heap. This comparison and swapping of values is known as the "percolate" operation.
FIG. 4 is a conventional flow diagram illustrating the process for a heap insert operation 40. To add a value to be sorted into the heap, a slightly different kind of percolate operation is performed. The first hole 41 to the right of the bottom-most, right-most value is identified, and the new value is inserted there. This value is compared to the value in its parent node. If the new value is of higher priority than the parent value, the two values swap places. This continues until the new value is of lower priority, or until the root of the tree is reached. That is, the percolate continues up the tree structure rather than down it.
The described methods of adding and removing values to and from a heap inherently keeps a heap balanced: no additional data structures or algorithms are required to balance a heap. This means that heaps are as space-efficient as binary or k-ary trees even though the worst case operational performance of a heap is better than that of a simple tree.
A third operation is also possible: "swap". A swap operation consists of a remove operation whereby the BRV is not used to fill the resultant hole in the root node 11. Instead, a new value is immediately re-inserted. The percolate operation is performed is identical to the delete case.
Because the percolate operations for remove and for insert traverse the data structure in different directions, parallelism and pipelining of the heap algorithm are inefficient and difficult, respectively.
High-speed implementations of heaps seek to find a way to execute the heap algorithm in hardware rather than in a software program. One such implementation is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,023. This implementation uses a number of so-called "macrocells," each consisting of two storage elements. Each storage element can store one value residing in a heap. The two storage elements in a macrocell are connected to comparison logic such that the greater (or lesser) or the two can be determined and subsequently be output from the macrocell. A single so-called "comparing and rewriting control circuit" is connected to each macrocell so the comparisons between parent nodes and child nodes can be accommodated. In every case, both child nodes of a given parent are in the same macrocell, and the parent is in a different macrocell.
The shortcomings of the heap data structure and of previous implementations are described in the following points:    S1. Efficient pipelined heaps cannot be implemented due to opposing percolate operations.            There are two completely different percolate operations described in the previous section: one is used to remove values from the heap in sorted order, and one is used to insert new values into the heap. The former operation percolates downward from the top of the heap, whereas the latter operation percolates upward from the bottom of the heap.        A pipelined hardware operation is similar to an assembly line in a factory. In a pipelined heap—if such a structure existed—one insertion or removal operation would go through several stages to complete the operation, but another operation would be in the previous stage. Each operation goes through all the stages. I.e., if stage Sj is currently processing operation i, stage Sj-1 is currently processing operation i+1, stage Sj-2 is currently processing operation i+2, and so on.        However, since some operations flow through the heap in one direction (e.g., insertion), whereas other operations flow though the heap in the other direction (e.g., removal), an efficient pipeline that supports a mix of the two operations is difficult to construct. This is because a removal operation needs to have current, accurate data in the root node (property P3, section 4.1) before it can begin, but an insertion of a new value percolates from the bottom up (see section 4.1). Thus, an insert operation is executed before a subsequent removal operation can be started. This is the direct opposite of a pipeline.        A unidirectional heap that operates only top-down is in the public domain. To operate in this fashion, the insert operation computes a path through the heap to the first unused value in the heap. Additionally, a simple method is proposed for tracking this first unused position. However, this tracking method assumes that heap property P4 holds. Although this property holds true for a traditional heap, removal of this property is desirable to eliminate shortcoming S2, described below. Thus, a suitable unidirectional heap structure suitable for high-speed pipelining does not exist in the current state of the art.            S2. Pipelined implementations of heaps are difficult to construct in high-speed applications due to the specifics of the "remove & percolate" operation.            The operation that removes values from a heap in sorted order leaves a "hole" in the root node once the highest priority value has been removed. This hole is filled with the bottom-most, right-most value in the heap.        In order to fill the hole caused by a remove operation, a hardware implementation of a heap must read the memory system associated with the current bottom of the tree to get the last value of the tree. This requires (a) that the location of the bottom always be known, and (b) that the all the RAM systems, except the tree root, run faster than otherwise necessary. When the each of the logk(N) tree levels of the heap has a dedicated RAM system, the required speedup is two times the speed otherwise required. (Placing the logk(N) tree levels of the heap in separate RAMs is the most efficient way to implement a pipelined heap, if such a thing existed, since it has the advantage of using the lowest speed RAMs for any given implementation.)        Point (b) states that "all" memory systems must be faster because the bottom of the heap can appear in any of the logk(N) memories.        Point (b) states that the memory must be twice as fast because the RAM is read first to get the value to fill the hole. The RAM may then be written to account for the fact that the value has been removed. Later, if the downward percolation reaches the bottom level, the RAM will be again read and (potentially) written. Thus, a single operation may cause up to 4 accesses to RAM. Only 2 accesses are necessary if the remove operation is optimized to avoid reading and writing the bottom-most level to get the bottom-most, right-most value.            S3. A conventional design may not be fully pipelined. That is, since there is only one "comparing and rewriting control circuit," and since this circuit is required for every parent-child comparison in a percolate operation, it is difficult to have multiple parent-child comparisons from multiple heap-insert or heap-remove operations being processed simultaneously. This means that an insert or remove operation is executed before a new one is started.    S4. A conventional design is structured so that it takes longer to remove values from deeper heaps than from shallower heaps.    S5. A conventional design is incapable of automatically constructing a heap. An external central processor is repeatedly interacting with the design to build a sorted heap. (Once the heap is correctly constructed, however, the values may be removed in order without the intervention of the central processor).    S6. A conventional design employs so called "macrocells" that contain two special memory structures. Each macrocell is connected to a single so called "comparing and rewriting control circuit" that is required to perform the parent-child comparisons required for percolate operations.            This structure means that a macrocell is required for every pair of nodes in the heap, which in turn means that:        The structure does not efficiently scale to large heaps since large quantities of these special memory structures consume more area on a silicon die than would a traditional RAM memory sized to hold the same number of heap values.        The structure is costly to rework into a k-ary heap where k>2 since comparison logic grows more complex with the number of values being compared.            S7. A conventional design does nothing to prevent the painful problem of using a value from the bottom of the heap to fill the root node during a remove operation. The conventional design provides dedicated hardware to facilitate this nuance of heaps.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a method and structure for a more efficient and flexible processing of a heap data structure.

Data structure and method for pipeline heap-sorting


A coupling frame to provide structural support and electrical functionality includes a plurality of conductive frames spaced from each other and having predetermined gaps. A plurality of conductive sheets are electrically connected to the different places of the inside surface of the conductive frames and an insulating frame fills in the predetermined gaps. Each conductive frame and the insulating frame are annular structures. The insulating frame extends inwardly to partially cover the plurality of conductive sheets. A method for making the coupling frame is also provided.

A frame of an electronic device is utilized by the inside circuitry, such as being utilized for an antenna of the electronic device. In order to make the frame meet different needs of the circuit, the frame needs to made of segments. Some metal segments are coupled together, and plastic is injected between the metal segments to create the complete frame.

Coupling frame and methods for making the same


A method of making a multilayered product having a repeating conductive pattern that includes determining a repeating pattern configuration such as a grid of conductive traces for use in a range of active element configurations, and forming a continuous web of multilayered product having at least one layer of conductive material configured according to the determined repeating pattern configuration. The continuous web is suitable for use in a range of active element configurations. The method may also include altering the continuous web to form a customized active element. Forming the continuous web may include providing a first roll of continuous webbing stock, the first roll having at least a portion of the repeating pattern formed thereon, providing a second roll of continuous webbing stock, the second roll having at least a portion of the repeating conductive pattern formed thereon, and laminating the first and second rolls of continuous webbing stock together.

Multilayered products for use in electronic devices or elements typically include spaced apart conductive circuits that are formed on separate layers of flexible polymer-based film, webbing, or insulating laminate layers. One common method for producing this type of product is to form the customized circuits on individual sheets of plastic film and then join the two sheets of film together after the two circuits have been completely formed. The sheets may be joined together using, for example, a lamination process. This technique can be expensive and entail difficult and time-consuming hand lay-up and registration operations, particularly when the plastic films are very thin, for example, in the range of about 1 mil to 10 mils (25-250 micrometers) thick. The separate films are typically hand registered in stacks and then laminated with rollers or in a press or autoclave under heat and pressure.
Another technique for forming multilayered products includes laminating rolls of web with other layers of web or laminate. The roll of completed product may be cut to any desired length. This technique has certain drawbacks as well. A circuit positioned in the continuous roll of laminated webbing can be difficult to access for the purpose of coupling to a circuit board or to a hard wire connection. Circuit parts can be positioned such that the tail area of a part is exposed along a side of the web for connection as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,016. When this technique is used for a grid type circuit in which conductive traces are aligned in orthogonal X and Y directions, leads to the conductive traces must extend to the sides of the web in order to be exposed for later connection. This restriction on the routing and access points of the conductive traces can result in limitations related to manufacturing efficiency, cost-effective production of parts, and design options for the circuit components and electronic devices that use those components.
Touch screens and electromagnetic digitizers are two types of electronic sensing elements that use a multilayered product. The popularity of technologies that use such sensors has increased significantly over the past several years. Many different technologies have been explored in an effort to produce a high-quality sensor that is reliable and cost effective. Examples of sensor technologies include capacitive, resistive, near field imaging (NFI), acoustical wave, infrared, and force. Common applications for such sensors include computer monitors and mobile and handheld devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and tablet computers.
Sensors, like many other types of electronic elements or devices that utilize multilayered products, can have many different size and shape limitations. Different sensors may have different requirements for conductive elements and electrically active features in the multilayered product. A single multilayered product and related methods of making such products that can be customized for use in different end products would be an advance in the art.

Generic patterned conductor for customizable electronic devices


A method and system for designing models is disclosed. The method includes selecting a plurality of models for modeling a common event of interest. The method further includes aggregating the results of the models and analyzing each model compared to the aggregate result to obtain comparative information. The method also includes providing the information back to the plurality of models to design more accurate models through a feedback loop.

Across scientific disciplines, most domains are affected by the uncertainty associated with model conceptualization. Technically referred to as model selection uncertainty, this uncertainty is associated with correctly selecting a set of domain-specific interpretations, processes, and mathematical systems in order to accurately model behavior or classify events of interest (e.g. protein structures, weather systems, image recognition tasks, etc.). This type of uncertainty is the greatest source of error and risk associated with modeling and forecasting.
One of the most powerful ways to address model selection uncertainty is through the aggregate prediction of a model ensemble. These ensembles are composed of individual models (here models can be an algorithm, a mathematical model, and expert opinion, etc.) where each model uniquely explores a portion of hypothesis space by uniquely defining a set of processes, systems, and relationships that can describe the event of interest. The aggregate obtained from a model ensemble—through techniques such as bootstrap aggregating, boosting, and Bayesian Model Averaging—provides better overall predictive performance and exhibits less bias than any of the ensemble's individual constituents because the aggregate is derived from a weighted combination of all of the ensemble members.
While aggregates provide more accurate estimates for prediction and forecasting, these aggregates do not help modelers refine and improve the individual models that initially formed the ensemble. There is no known method that utilizes the benefits of aggregation techniques to provide feedback to modelers so that they can better understand the events they are trying to model, characterize, or classify.

System and method of designing models in a feedback loop


Equipment supports having irregular lower surface disclosed. Ridges protruding from the lower surface of support (if present) displace soil in use, while recesses in the surface (if present) tend to collect or accumulate the soil. The surface features effectively lock the support in position relative to the ground, inhibiting lateral and rotational movement of the base after the equipment is mounted. In some embodiments, ridges of one pad fit within recesses of another when the pair is stacked with their bottom surfaces in contact, thereby reducing the volume needed to transport the pads between locations.

Historically, external heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ("HVAC") and analogous equipment have been mounted on concrete blocks or pads. These pads isolate the equipment from contaminants such as dirt, debris, and moisture typically present on the adjacent ground, thereby reducing the detrimental effects of such contaminants on the operation of the equipment. The pads additionally may dampen at least some ground- or equipment-based vibrations, diminishing the likelihood of damage caused by the vibrations to the mounted equipment, and decrease or prevent settling of the equipment into the soil itself.
Although useful for these purposes, concrete pads are both expensive to create (if formed on-site) and difficult to transport (if pre-cast). Pouring concrete is, of course, labor intensive, requiring substantial human effort to form a suitable pad. While pre-cast concrete bases may be less expensive to construct, their weight and brittleness likely increase transportation-related difficulties and cost.
To avoid these problems associated with conventional concrete pads, U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,449 to Turner, et al. ("the Turner patent") describes a composite equipment base having a core of expanded polystyrene ("EPS"). According to the Turner patent, use of EPS decreases the weight of the base by as much as seven-eighths of the weight of a (solid) concrete base of equivalent size. Applied to the sides and top of the EPS core is a "concrete coating" of "a fiberglass/cement composition using alkali resistant fiberglass strands." See col. 2, lines 32-34. Although denominated a "low density" composite material, the resulting structure nonetheless "appears to be an ordinary solid concrete slab" when viewed in use. See col. 1, lines 43-44.
The Turner patent additionally mentions possibly applying "a thin coating of cementitious material . . . to the core bottom." See col. 2, lines 50-52. The existence of such coating appears not to be preferable, however, as it counteracts advantageous characteristics of the base described in the Turner patent. For example, exposing the bottom of the EPS core purportedly permits it to act "as a cushion preventing damage to the top surface of the base stacked beneath the exposed bottom" during shipping. See id., lines 61-63. The exposed core
also allows for easier installation of the base since the polystyrene will conform to a ground configuration thus requiring less smoothing than that necessary for the installation of ordinary concrete bases.
See id., lines 64-68.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,830 to Millen ("the Millen patent") discloses another faux-concrete composite pad. As described in the Millen patent, the pad includes a cellular core embedded in a cementitious shell. A "bottom facing sheet" of undisclosed composition seals the core within the shell, its presence being masked by additional shell material so that, "from all outward appearances," the pad is "a solid block" of the cementitious material. See col. 4, lines 53-54. Discussed solely in the Abstract of the Millen patent is a feature of the cellular core, which purportedly "enables the pad to conform to a degree to surfaces on which the pad is placed." See Abstract, lines 13-14. The Millen patent fails to describe how such conformation can occur, however, particularly when both the facing sheet and rigid cementitious shell material encapsulate the core bottom.
Because directed to faux-concrete bases of decreased weight, the Turner and Millen patents otherwise disclose generally conventional equipment pad structures. FIGS. 1-3 of the Turner patent, for example, illustrate smooth-bottomed pads regardless of whether the EPS is exposed or, alternatively, coated with cementitious material. FIGS. 1-2 of the Millen patent likewise illustrate predominantly flat-bottomed structures with essentially no surface irregularities. The pads of these patents thus apparently rely solely on the weight of the mounted equipment (and possible compression of any exposed core) to seat them on the ground.


A method of detecting the actuation of a sprinkler involves sensing a first fluid pressure at a first flow cross section, in one of the sprinkler and a conduit in which the sprinkler is mounted, sensing a second fluid pressure at a second flow cross section, in the sprinkler, wherein said first flow cross section is larger than said second flow cross section, and comparing the fluid pressures sensed at the first and second flow cross sections in order to detect a change in the relation of the fluid pressures due to actuation of the sprinkler, and thereby detect actuation of the sprinkler. The fluid pressures are sensed by ports in the sprinkler, or by one port in the sprinkler and one port in the conduit, and at least one transducer connected to the ports, and output signals from the transducer are sent to a computer or other recording instrument.

The present invention relates to the detection of the actuation of a fire sprinkler, for example, in tests related to research in controlling fires or in actual fire sprinkler installations.
In fire tests for evaluating the effectiveness of a fire sprinkler or arrangement of fire sprinklers, it is helpful to know the precise time of actuation of the sprinkler or sprinklers. The present art in detecting the operation of a fire sprinkler, as in fire testing, is based on the sprinkler being part of an electrical circuit that is interrupted the instant that the heat responsive element of the sprinkler actuates upon exposure to a fire. In one type, electrical wires extend to a heat fusible link that melts in response to the heat of a fire and allows water to flow. The link and wires are part of an electric circuit that is broken when the link melts, whereby the operation of the sprinkler can be detected. In electric sprinkler actuation detection devices generally, the electrical connections at the sprinkler may interfere, or be perceived to interfere, with the actuation event itself or with the water spray produced by the sprinkler. The interference with the water spray can be either in the region of the so-called deflector that generates the drops or in the spray formation region below the deflector.

Method and apparatus for detecting a sprinkler actuation event


A display system in which images from two displays that have the same optical polarization that is not affected by reflection by a beam splitter which combines images from the displays, and half wave plate optical retarders to rotate plane of polarization and to null out optical dispersion effects to provide for stereo viewing of images via plane polarizers that have the same polarization direction.

Some current three-dimensional displays are based either on imaging techniques which give rise to an apparent stereo effect (also referred to as stereoscopic effect and/or three dimensional or 3D effect) by perspective views or on two images being presented that are separated such that the right eye and left eye see their respective images, which are distinguished or differentiated, for example, by polarization characteristics of light. Two images separated or distinguished by polarization can either be superimposed as they are with two movie projectors or they may be displayed time sequentially to give an image which appears to be continuous. Autostereo is another technique for presenting and viewing stereo images.
An exemplary 3D display system is disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,988 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/721,968, each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

Monitor for showing high-resolution and three-dimensional images and method


A method of detecting an arc fault in a power circuit includes injecting an AC-signal into the power circuit and measuring a response signal that is related to the injected AC-signal in the power circuit. The method further includes determining a frequency response of the power circuit from the response signal, analyzing the frequency response, and identifying a preferred frequency. A signal related to AC-current flowing in the power circuit within the preferred frequency range is measured and an occurrence of an arc fault in the power circuit is signaled depending on the measured signal. A system for detecting an arc fault is designed to perform a method as described before.

A power circuit, in particular DC (Direct Current)-power circuits that work with high voltages and high currents, for example in photovoltaic systems or systems providing off-grid power supply, are prone to the development of electric arcs. Electric arcs can for example occur when a power line with a high current load is interrupted during maintenance or in case contacts at interconnectors are degraded. Other possible courses for arc faults, i.e. the occurrence of an electric arc in the power circuit, are corroded solder joints or broken insulators of the power lines. Arc faults are the most common fire causes in photovoltaic systems. This also reflects in the requirements for arc fault protection for photovoltaic systems as for example regulated by the National Electric Code (NEC) 690.11 of the United States of America coming into force in 2011.
A reliable arc fault detection method and system is therefore of major importance. On the one hand, for security reasons the existence of an arc fault has to be detected with a reliability as high as possible. On the other hand, the probability of an erroneous indication of a supposed arc fault has to be as low as possible, in particular if an erroneous detection of an arc fault might lead to a shutdown of a photovoltaic system without the option to automatically restart it, as for example specified in the before mentioned NEC 690.11 code.
Electric arcs usually emit a broadband AC (Alternating Current)-signal in an RF (Radio Frequency)-frequency range. Detection systems for arc faults that are based on detecting an according radio frequency signal in the power circuit are well established and for example known from document WO 95/25374. A problem associated with the detection of arc faults via their AC-current signature can arise from the weakness of the signal. In order to ensure that arc faults are assuredly detected, detection circuits with a high detection sensitivity are required. A down-side of high detection sensitivity could be an increased number of nuisance alarm situations, in which a noise signal, e.g. due to a disturbing RF-signal that is coupled into the detection circuit, is misinterpreted and wrongly assigned to the presence of an arc fault. Possible sources of disturbing signals are for example RF-radio transmitter, electric trains or trams passing by, electric or electronic devices with an insufficient electro-magnetic shielding or interference suppression, or arcs in adjacent power systems. In the following, all possible RF-sources other than an arc fault in the respective power system are hereinafter referred to as a "disturber".
It is thus desirable to create a method and system for reliably detecting arc faults in a power circuit. It is furthermore desirable to describe a photovoltaic system with a corresponding detection system.

Method and system for detecting an arc fault in a power circuit using frequency response


A voice prosthesis is adapted to be inserted into a fistula between an esophagus and a trachea of a user. This prosthesis includes a cylindrical middle piece defining a passageway therethrough which has a groove therein and which has first and second end portions. First and second external flanges extend from respective first and second end portions of the middle piece. The middle piece and the flanges are all made of flexible material. A ring made of a material which is stiff in relation to the flexible material of the middle piece and the flanges is inserted into the groove in the passageway of the middle piece for stiffening of the middle piece. A valve is provided which includes a seat formed in the passageway of the middle piece and a flap extending across the passageway and carried by the middle piece for resting on the seat to close the passageway and is adapted to be moved off the seat to open the passageway.

The invention relates to a voice prosthesis.
As a result of different diseases the larynx of the diseased must sometimes be removed in an operation. In connection with such operations there must also be made a so called tracheostoma or an artificial tracheostoma fistula into the trachea so as to make possible breathing. Food stuff is taken in through the esophagus which is completely separated from the trachea.
Due to the measures mentioned above the ability of speech is lost. To some extent restore the ability of speech it is possible, by means of an operation, to open a fistula between the esophagus and the trachea to direct air to the oral cavity. However, said fistula must always be closed, except when air is admitted into the pharynx, because food stuff and liquids must be prevented from entering the trachea and further into the lungs.
To make it possible to open and close said fistula a so called voice prosthesis functioning as a one-way valve is inserted in said fistula. Said one-way valve permits air to pass from the trachea to the esophagus when a certain opening pressure has been reached in the trachea, but has to be completely closed in the reverse direction.
A voice prosthesis of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,691. Said voice prosthesis includes a cylindrical housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and is mounted in such a way that said inlet opening opens into the trachea and said outlet opening opens into said esophagus. Said outlet opening is provided with a one-way valve in form of a perpendicular membrane hingedly mounted within the housing. Throughout the complete housing is a boring which at the point where said membrane is hinched is provided with a radially extending rim functioning as a sealing structure to said membrane. The inner diameter of said boring is substantially reduced at the position of said rim resulting in a decreased flow capacity of said prosthesis. The chosen type of valve results in a low opening pressure but the assembling of said prosthesis is complicated and the requirements for assembling are very high to minimize the risk that said membrane falls off, and also to insure that said membrane seals completely against said sealing structure.
A different form of voice prosthesis is put on the market by ENTERMED, P O Box 236, 3440 AI Woerden Hollland. Said prosthesis comprises a cylindrical web having an annular external flange in one end and a circular end wall formed with a slit in the other end. Said end wall extends radially from said web as an external flange and is curved in a convex shape. Said slit functioning as a valve extends as a diameter over said end wall and is normally closed. The prosthesis is inserted with said flange in trachea and said end wall in esophagus. In this type of voice prosthesis a very high opening pressure is required, and furthermore said valve is sensitive to influence from muscular movements in the esophagus, for instance at swallowing.
An object of the present invention is to overcome substantially the drawbacks and deficiencies of previously known voice prosthesis and to ensure a secure one-way function while maintaining a low opening pressure. Furthermore, the voice prosthesis according to the invention is comparatively easy to manufacture and to insert in the throat, and also permits a high flow in relation to the outer dimensions thereof. According to a further development a voice prosthesis has been accomplished which when mounted has a low tendency of rotating.


A suitcase including a luggage member, a support structure attached to the luggage member, the support structure having a first horizontal member having two wheels thereon to facilitate towing on the ground, a second horizontal member, two tubular members coupling the first and second horizontal members, thereby forming a rectangular frame, a shaft in extensible slidable engagement in each of the tubular members, the shafts being connected by a first handle, the shafts being extensible between a collapsed position in the tubular members and a fully extended position to enable towing of the luggage member on the wheels, at least one of the shafts including a wedging member slidable within the respective tubular member which is received frictionally in a first bore provided at an end of the respective tubular member adjacent the second horizontal member to maintain the shafts in the fully extended position.

The present invention relates to a wheeled suitcase or suitcase support having a collapsible towing handle.
There is a need for improved wheeled suitcases or suitcase supports having collapsible towing handles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,487 discloses a wheeled suitcase and luggage support. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,618,035, 4,261,447, 3,917,038, 2,581,417, 4,759,431, 3,257,120, 3,606,372, 4,087,102, 4,256,320, 4,411,343, 4,616,379, 4,792,025, and DE 3,328,063, FR 2,409,720, FR 2,538,229, GB 1,539,021 and GB 2,168,035 are exemplary of the prior art in the field of wheeled suitcases, towing handles for suitcases and supporting structures for moving luggage.
Although the prior art shows various forms of wheeled luggage, supports therefor and towing handles for luggage, there is a need for an improved wheeled suitcase which is convenient to use, economical, does not interfere with use of the luggage or invade into the carrying space of the luggage, and which provides versatile modes of use.

Wheeled suitcase of luggage support with collapsible towing handle


An injection device (1) for injecting a dose of drug, e.g. insulin for diabetes treatment, in which energy is stored in a spring member (9, 24) during dose setting. The stored energy is released and used for driving an injection mechanism during injection of a previously set dose. The injection device (1) further comprises means for electronically detecting the amount of a set dose and/or means for electronically detecting the amount of an injected dose. The electronic detecting means allows storage and/or logging of data relating to injections performed using the injection device (1).

Various injection devices have been described, which comprise energy storing means, such as a spring member, in which energy is stored during dose setting. Subsequently, during injection of a previously set dose, energy stored in the energy storing means is released and used for driving an amount of drug corresponding to the previously set dose out of the injection device.
Examples of such injection devices are shown in WO 2006/045528 and in WO 2006/045529. The injection devices disclosed in WO 2006/045528 and in WO 2006/034429 both comprise mechanical means, in the form of a dose indicator barrel, for detecting and displaying the amount of a set dose. During injection, the dose indicator barrel returns to its initial position, and it is thereby also capable of indicating the amount of an injected dose.
In some cases it may be desirable to store and/or log data relating to the injections performed using the injection device, e.g. in order to be able to compare such data. However, it is undesirable if this results in an increased size of the injection device.
Furthermore, in some cases it is desirable to provide an electronic display at an exterior part of the housing of the injection device for displaying various relevant parameters, such as set dose, injected dose, time lapsed since last dose was injected, kind of medicament contained in the device, etc. At the same time, it is desirable to be able to monitor relevant parts of the injection device, in particular to monitor movements of such relevant parts, in order to obtain desired information to be displayed at the display.

Injection device with electronic detecting means


For sure sealing and easy handling, the plugging type dental liquid housing container comprises a container main body 1 having a holding blade plate projected on an outer circumference of a liquid housing part 1a; a flat face 1ea, a slope face 1eb and a stepped face 1ec at of an opening end; and an inner face taper part 1d provided on the opening side of an inner face 1c of the liquid housing part 1a so as to have an inner diameter gradually decreasing toward the bottom side, and a plug body 2 having a contacting blade plate 2b projected on an outer circumference thereof; a truncated conical shape part 2e at a bottom; and plural annular projection ridge parts 2f formed above truncated conical shape part 2e so as to contact with a portion on the bottom side of the inner face taper part 1d.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plugging type dental liquid housing container capable of firmly sealing by plugging, hardly causing liquid leakage or the like, and easily opening by only rotating a plugged plug body without soiling a hand.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
In the dental liquid housing container, sufficient care is necessary in order not to leak a chemical or the like inside thereof and expose it with external air, and sealability is remarkably important as compared with the general container. Therefore, the plug body inserted and fitted into an opening part of the container is used in many cases without using a cap type cover body. However, although the high sealability can be kept by the plug body, there is a problem that it takes time and effort for opening the container.
Further, since the chemical used for a dental treatment is comparatively little, the dental liquid housing container is a small type in general, and thus there is a problem that the handling of opening or the like is difficult. Therefore, when the plug body is used in order to increase the sealability, the handling becomes more difficult. Thus, in the conventional dental liquid housing container, it is remarkably difficult to keep the high sealability together with the easy handling using the plug body.
For solving such the problem, the following opening and closing cap of the container has been used (for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid Open No. 60-142742). It is an opening and closing cap comprising a fitting cylindrical body and a plug body. The fitting cylindrical body is fixed at a pour-out neck part protruded from a barrel part of the container, and the plug body is detachable with the fitting cylindrical body. In this opening and closing cap, the fitting cylindrical body comprises a sleeve inserted in the pour-out neck part, and plural of first protruded pieces separately formed on the upper face of an outer circumference of the sleeve. The plug body comprises a top plate having a diameter equal to an outer diameter of the cylindrical body or more, a sleeve provided downward from the lower face of the top plate, a plug core liquid-tightly fitted with the sleeve, and plural second protruded pieces separately formed on the lower face of the top plate at the outer circumference of the plug core. When the top plate of the plug body is rotated, the second protruded piece is run upon the first protruded piece to generate lifting force, and the fitting of an annular projection with a stepped part or a recessed groove is released by the rising force. However, as for this opening and closing cap, the structure is complicated, and the fitting cylindrical body and the plug body must be inserted into the opening part of the container. Thus, although this cap can be used to a comparatively large makeup bottle or the like, it cannot be used to the small type dental liquid housing container. Further, when the structure as in this opening and closing cap, where the plural first protruded pieces and second protruded pieces are separately formed on the lower face of the plug body and the upper face of the fitting cylindrical body respectively and the second protruded piece of the plug body is run upon the first protruded piece of the fitting cylindrical body, to thereby open the cap, is used to the small type dental liquid housing container, the first protruded piece and the second protruded piece cannot be formed largely and the plug body can hardly be lifted to the sufficient height. Thus, contacting length of the fitting cylindrical body and the plug body cannot be sufficiently secured to have high sealability.
Further, as for a cap not using such the two kinds of protruded pieces, the following cap structure has been used (Japanese Utility Model Laid Open No. 3-100141). It is a cap structure comprising a cylindrical neck part having upper and lower openings and a cap detachably mounted to the neck part. The cylindrical neck part is provided at an upper end part of the container. In this structure, an inner circumference part of the neck part has an approximately elliptical shape at an upper portion and is gradually contracted toward the lower portion to have an approximately right circle. As for the cap, the plug body capable of inserting into the neck part is integrally formed downward from a lower face center part, and a base end of the plug body has the approximately same elliptical shape as the upper portion of the neck part. In the cap structure of the container, the upper portion of the inner circumference part of the neck part and the base end of the plug body formed downward form the cap are formed to have the elliptical shape. By rotating the cap where the plug body is formed downward, the portions having the elliptical shapes are not engaged each other, to thereby push up the plug body inserted into the neck part. However, as for this cap structure of the container, the neck part and the plug body of the cap must be inserted into the opening part of the container and the sufficiently large opening part is needed to make the inner circumference part or the like of the neck part to have an elliptical shape, corresponding to the major axis of the ellipse. Thus, this structure can not be used at all to the small type dental liquid housing container.

Plugging type dental liquid housing container


A method and electronic device for determining relevant signals in radar signal processing. The electronic device includes a radar transceiver, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to cause the electronic device to obtain, via the radar transceiver of the electronic device, radar measurements for one or more modes in a set of modes; process the radar measurements to obtain a set of radar images; identify relevant signals in the set of radar images based on signal determination criteria for an application; and perform the application using only the relevant signals.

Radar is a detection system utilizing radio waves in various frequency bands including, but not limited to, 6-8 GHz, 28 GHz, 39 GHz, 60 GHz, and 77 GHz. Radar operates to localize targets in the radar field-of-view in terms of azimuth (range) and/or elevation (angle) and/or speed. Examples of conventional use cases for radar includes proximity sensing, gesture recognition, anti-spoofing, and context detection for electronic devices.

Determining relevant signals using multi-dimensional radar signals


An electronic device may include a display and display control circuitry. The display may be calibrated to compensate for changes in display temperature. Display calibration information may be obtained during manufacturing and may be stored in the electronic device. The display calibration information may include adjustment factors configured to adjust incoming pixel values to reduce temperature-related color shifts. During operation of the electronic device, display control circuitry may determine the temperature at different locations on the display. The display control circuitry may determine the temperature at a given display pixel using the temperatures at the different locations on the display. The display control circuitry may determine adjustment values based on the temperature at the display pixel. The display control circuitry may apply the adjustment values to incoming pixel values to obtain adapted pixel values, which may in turn be provided to the display pixel.

This relates generally to electronic devices with displays and, more particularly, to electronic devices with calibrated displays.
Electronic devices such as computers, media players, cellular telephones, set-top boxes, and other electronic equipment are often provided with displays for displaying visual information.
Displays are often capable of displaying color images. However, the color response of a display may change as the display operates. For example, changing operating conditions such as changing display temperature may affect the color response of a display. Some displays depict white as somewhat yellowish when initially powered on and cold. As the display warms, the white point of the display shifts toward a more neutral white, such as that defined by the standard illuminant, D65. Other display colors such as skin tone colors may also experience shifts within a color space as the temperature of the display changes. Similarly, other parameters of the display may shift as a function of temperature such as luminance, black level, contrast, or electro-optical transfer function, which may be referred to as the "native gamma" of the display. This set of parameters may be referred to as the color profile of the display.
The shift in the color profile due to temperature changes in the display generally causes each pixel of the display to change color until a stable operating temperature is achieved, at which point the pixel colors may likewise be stable. That is, although a pixel may be instructed to display the same color at an initial temperature and a stable operating temperature, the actual color displayed, as objectively measured by its chromaticity and luminance, may vary.
Displays are sometimes calibrated to account for temperature induced white point shifts. Conventional methods include applying adjustment factors to incoming pixel values based on a temperature measured at the center of the display. This type of global white point correction neglects local variations in temperature across the display and can exacerbate temperature induced color shifts in localized hotspots or cold spots on the display.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved ways of calibrating electronic devices with color displays.

Dynamic color adjustment for displays using local temperature measurements


Liquid crystal (LC) beam modulation devices are applied to lighting control or to optical wireless communications to improve performance of lighting or communications. A flexible optical network using LC beam modulation and common control of beam intensity and solid angle of beams are also described.

Beam shaping and/steering using LC is known in the scientific literature, however, it is not presently available in commercial products.
Li-Fi is an emerging technology that is commercially available. Li-Fi can make use of ambient light sources, such as LED lamps that are ceiling mounted as flood beam lights. These Li-Fi devices can act as access points for Li-Fi client devices within the range of the beam of the access point. Li-Fi communication is bidirectional, and the light source is matched with a light detector that may use the same beam optics as the light source.
Smart lighting is also an emerging technology that suggests the incorporation of detection and imaging functionalities to optimize light parameters (such as timing, dimming, color temperature, etc.).