An ultrasonic flowmeter comprising an elongate duct through which fluid flows when the flowmeter is in use. Ultrasonic transducers are arranged respectively to transmit and receive ultrasonic pulses propagated through such fluid when the flowmeter is in use. Electronic circuitry is connected to the transducers to provide a measure of the time delay between emission of an electronic pulse from one of the transducers and reception of the pulse by the other of the transducers. The circuitry is constructed to enable an output to be provided which is dependent upon that delay and which is indicative of the rate of flow of fluid through the duct. The transducers are located respectively at opposite ends of the duct and are arranged to transmit and receive ultrasonic pulses propagated through the fluid substantially parallel to the duct from one end thereof to the other. The transducers are provided with respective vibratory surfaces which transmit and/or receive ultrasound, which vibratory surfaces have a diameter which exceeds the cross-sectional diameter of the duct.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an ultrasonic flowmeter comprising an elongate duct through which fluid flows when the flowmeter is in use, ultrasonic transducers arranged respectively to transmit and receive ultrasonic pulses propagated through such fluid when the flowmeter is in use, and electronic circuitry connected to the transducers to provide a measure of the time delay between emission of an electronic pulse from one of the transducers and reception of the pulse by the other of the transducers, and constructed to enable an output to be provided which is dependent upon that delay and which is indicative of the rate of flow of fluid through the duct, in which the transducers are located respectively at opposite ends of the duct and are arranged to transmit and receive ultrasonic pulses propagated through the fluid substantially parallel to the duct from one end thereof to the other.
2. Description of the Invention
An example of such a flowmeter is illustrated and described in GB 2259571 A. Thus in that specification there is disclosed a fluid flow measurement system which includes two transducers which are located in a duct to provide a measuring path through a measuring tube. The transducers are switchable to allow each to be used for both transmission and reception and the speed of fluid passing through the measuring tube will be dependent on the difference in time periods for a signal from the transducers passing with or against the fluid flow, and including correction means for substantially eliminating transducer delay errors to ensure accuracy. The system may comprise a calibration mechanism employing an auxiliary transducer with its own ultrasonic paths. It allows accurate measurement of speed of sound values to be determined for the particular fluid flowing and the particular system parameters including transducer delay.
A disadvantage of such a construction is the spread of the transmitted ultrasonic pulse in such a manner that there is a relatively high dispersion of each pulse before it is received by the second transducer, thus impairing the accuracy of the flowmeter.
The present invention seeks to provide a remedy.
Accordingly the present invention is directed to an ultrasonic flowmeter having the construction set out in the opening paragraph of the present specification, characterised in that the transducers are provided with respective vibratory surfaces which transmit and/or receive ultrasound, which vibratory surfaces have a diameter which exceeds the cross-sectional diameter of the duct.
Both transducers may be isolated from fluid which flows through the flowmeter when the latter is in use.
This provides the advantage that the transducers are not subject to any corrosive effects from such fluid.
Such isolation may be effected by respective caps to which the transducers are acoustically coupled.
Fluid which flows through the flowmeter when it is in use may be in contact with that side of each cap which is further from the associated transducer, the transducers being in respective cavities filled with air or other gas or other low density material.
The thickness of the caps may be such as to optimise coupling between the transducers and such fluid.
The caps may be mounted in or on damping mountings to reduce signal degradation owing to ringing of the caps.
Both transducers may be constructed to both transmit and receive ultrasonic pulses, and the electronic circuitry may be such as to enable the flowmeter to operate by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic pulses which pass within the fluid from one transducer to the other in the direction of flow of fluid, and also in the opposite direction, and to enable the difference in transmission time between pulses transmitted in the direction of flow and those transmitted opposite to the direction of flow to be used to calculate the rate of flow of fluid through the duct.
This provides the advantage that substantially all the ultrasound transmitted and received by the transducers is propagated substantially parallel to the duct. This in turn reduces the amount of scattered ultrasound, and preserves the integrity of the ultrasound waves as they pass from one transducer to the other.
There may be a circular symmetry in the construction of the flowmeter at the transducers.
There may be a reflection symmetry in the construction of the flowmeter about a central transverse plane thereof.
The flowmeter may be provided with an input aperture and an output aperture through which fluid flows when the flowmeter is in use, the diameters of the input and output apertures being substantially equal, but being larger than the cross-sectional diameter of the duct.
This results in an increase in the speed of fluid flow in the duct relative to the speed it has when it passes into and out of the flowmeter, which in turn increases the accuracy of the measurement of fluid flow through the input and the output apertures.
The input and output apertures may be located laterally of the duct, between the ends of the duct, and the flowmeter may be provided with fluid-flow passageways from the inlet aperture to one end of the duct, and from the other end of the duct to the outlet aperture. This again reduces the amount of turbulence of the fluid within the flowmeter.
The flowmeter may be constructed so that the diameter of the duct is substantially five wavelengths of the ultrasound transmitted by the transducers or at least one of the transducers, being the wavelengths of the ultrasound as transmitted within the fluid the flow of which is to be measured. This enables the duct to act as an ultrasonic waveguide, facilitating directional propagation of the ultrasound. However, to effect this a suitable balance is required between on the one hand the absorption of ultrasonic waves that strike the material which defines the duct, so that reflection or scattering of such soundwaves does not unduly corrupt the ultrasonic pulse or wave packet travelling along the duct, and on the other hand sufficient reflection of ultrasonic waves from the material which defines the duct to ensure that the strength of the wave packet travelling along the duct is not unduly attenuated.
Thus the material which defines the duct may be such that it absorbs ultrasound, as transmitted by the transducers or at least one of the transducers, having an angle of incidence to the material which is less than a predetermined angle, but reflects such ultrasound having an angle of incidence to the material which is greater than a predetermined angle.
This again preserves the integrity of the wave packets of ultrasound as they pass through the fluid which flows through the flowmeter when the latter is in use.
The ratio of the length of the duct to its cross-section diameter is preferably in the range from 20 to 30, preferably about 23.
Preferably the duct is cylindrical and of uniform cross-section, although it may be defined by material the internal walls of which have a relief pattern to achieve the desired absorption/reflection properties of the walls of the duct.
Preferably the diameter of the duct is about 5.0 mm, and the spacing between the transducers is about 113 mm.
To this end the speed of sound through the material which defines the duct is preferably greater than the speed of sound through the fluid which flows through the flowmeter when the latter is in use, and the density of that material is preferably greater than the density of the fluid which flows through the flowmeter when the latter is in use. It is desirable that this remains so throughout the range of operating temperatures and fluid compositions.
The said material may comprise glass filled polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This is able to withstand attack from fluids which may flow through the flowmeter, especially for example engine fuel such as petroleum or petroleum derivatives including diesel fuel. The glass content can be varied to tailor the acoustic impedance to a desired value.
The fluid which flows through the flowmeter when the latter is in use may comprise engine fuel.
The present invention extends to a method of measuring the flow of fluid using an ultrasonic flowmeter as set out in one or more of the preceding paragraphs relating to the present invention.


A method of calibrating a gauge in particular for the measurement of film thickness, uses a calibration variable to compensate for short term changes in probe tip condition, instead of a constant value. A calibration constant is based only on the dielectric constant for a coating such as lacquer, and is independent of the probe tip variable.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gauge calibration. In particular, but not exclusively, it relates to the calibration of gauges for measuring the weight/thickness of coatings such as lacquer applied to metals such as tinplate used in the can making trade.
2. Description of Prior Art
Capacitance based film weight gauges are known which are used for the measurement of dry film "weight". Whilst measurements taken by such known gauges are accurate, their calibration and stability over time is poor. In these gauges, a panel of known film weight is used to programme a selected channel to give the correct film weight when a measurement is taken. The panel allows the meter to be programmed with a factor K which relates the capacitance measured by the gauge to the film weight. This factor is a function of the dielectric constant of the lacquer such that the film weight is computed from the product of the capacitance and this factor K. The value obtained on the gauge is a linear correction of the capacitance measured and allows the measurement of the film weight of this particular lacquer on production sheet metal.
One major problem with this known system is that recalibration is time consuming and needs to be carried out independently for each channel of the gauge, typically 40 or more channels being used. As a panel is required for checking each of the 40+ channels which are programmed, this inevitably leads to infrequent recalibration. These panels are also not produced to a common, traceable standard and are prone to damage and consequent inaccuracy through repeated usage.
A further problem with known gauges is that there is no way of quantifying either the condition of the tip of the probe which is used together with the gauge, or any contamination of the probe tip.


In a receiver having an antenna switch (23) which is connected between a receiving section (24) and an antenna (21) for adjusting a received signal so that the received signal has, as a current signal level, one of a first and a second signal level, a switch control section (26) controls an operation of the antenna switch by the use of a current signal level of the received signal and a first and a second reference level which are determined in first and second determining sections (27, 28), respectively. In order to detect the current signal level, a signal level detection circuit (25) is connected to the antenna switch. It is preferable that a signal level holding circuit (34) is connected between the signal level detection circuit and the switch control section and is for holding the current signal level during a predetermined time duration.

This invention relates to a receiver with an antenna switch known in the art. The receiver of the type is suitable for use in a mobile communication apparatus.
Such a conventional receiver is disclosed as a radio apparatus in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 34737/1993. The conventional receiver has been used in a TDD radio apparatus in order to implement the apparatus in a small size and at a low cost and to avoid deterioration in sensitivity upon reception of a high electric field.
However, the conventional receiver has a problem in which reception sensitivity is deteriorated by a switching operation of the antenna switch when the high electric field is supplied. The reason is as follows. In controtling the antenna switch, a same value is used as a reference level in common, both in switching from on to off, and in switching from off to on. Therefore, if the antenna switch is switched when the reception electric field level is not smaller than the reference level, the reception electric field level immediately becomes lower than the reference level. In this event, the switching condition of the antenna switch can not be maintained so that the high electric field is intermittently supplied to the receiving section. As a result, it is impossible to obtain a stable reception signal.

Receiver with an antenna switch, in which sensitivity and quality of reception is improved


A method for training a neural network for triggering an input signal in a measurement device is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a trigger type and/or trigger parameter from a cloud server hosting the neural network via a network to the measurement device, triggering the input signal based on the trigger type and/or trigger parameter received in the measurement device, and collecting trigger feedback information from the measurement device at the neural network to train the neural network.

Generally, in times of an increasing number of measurement applications, there is a growing need of not only a method and a cloud server for training a neural network for triggering an input signal in a measurement device but also a method for autonomous determining a trigger type and/or trigger parameter in order to perform measurements in a highly accurate and efficient manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,635 A discloses an oscilloscope comprising means for extracting main period components included in a signal to be observed, means for displaying on a screen a waveform of one of the extracted period components and information indicating with which period component the waveform was triggered, and means for triggering with a different period component and switching a sweep rate by an input from an operating section. Disadvantageously, due to the trigger system not being trained, measurements are quite inaccurate and inefficient.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a method and a cloud server for training a neural network for triggering an input signal in a measurement device and a method for autonomous determining a trigger type and/or trigger parameter, whereby both a high accuracy and a high efficiency are ensured.

Method and cloud server for training a neural network for triggering an input signal in a measurement device and method for autonomous determining a trigger type/parameter


A solar cell voltage regulating arrangement which is particularly advantageous for use in spacecraft includes a light valve such as a liquid crystal cell disposed before the solar cell, to thereby controllably vary the light transmission to the solar cell. A control arrangement varies the transmission of the liquid crystal to control the output voltage.

This invention relates to a control apparatus for the output voltage or current of a solar cell or array of solar cells, and particularly relates to those in which variable light transmissive devices, such as liquid crystal devices, are used as control regulators.
Solar cells and solar arrays are in widespread use for generation of electrical power, especially in remote or inaccessible locations. In particular, solar cell arrays are used to provide electrical power on spacecraft. FIG. 1 illustrates, in highly simplified form, a prior art spacecraft 10 including a body 12 and a pair of solar panels or solar cell arrays 14a, 14b mounted on corresponding booms 16a, 1b. Booms 16a and 16b may be arranged on bearings, such as bearing 18b, to allow for rotation of the booms for positioning the solar cell arrays.
FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of a prior art arrangement for controlling the output voltage of the solar arrays of a spacecraft. In FIG. 2, the solar panels 14a and 14b of FIG. 1 are illustrated together as a single block designated 14. When sunlight falls on solar panel 14 of FIG. 2, an electrical voltage is generated between terminals 20 and 22, which voltage can be used to energize a utilization apparatus, illustrated as a resistor 24. Electrical current flows under the impetus of the solar panel voltage from terminal 20, through a bus conductor 26 and slip rings 28 to load 24. Slip rings 28 are provided to allow a continuous electrical path notwithstanding the rotation of booms 16 relative to body 12 of the spacecraft of FIG. 1. The return path for current from load 24 to solar panel 14 is by way of another slip ring 28b and, as is well known to those skilled in the art, another conductor, illustrated in FIG. 2 as the common ground on the spacecraft.
In FIG. 2a, a resistor 30 and a zener or avalanche diode 32 form a voltage divider 33 which is coupled between bus 26 and ground, for generating reference voltage at node 34. A controller illustrated as a block 36 includes an amplifier (not illustrated) which compares a sample of the voltage from bus 26 with the reference voltage at node 34, and produces an error signal which is applied by way of a conductor 90 to the control input terminal of a shunt load, illustrated as a block 38. Shunt load 38 is coupled by a slip ring 28c across a portion of the solar array. Shunt load 38 responds to the error voltage by varying its conduction, to thereby interact with the current producing ability of solar panel 14 in a manner which reduces the voltage on bus 26 toward the value established by control block 36. Such schemes are notoriously well known and are but one form of a degenerative or negative feedback control system.
FIG. 2b illustrates a portion of solar panel 14. In FIG. 2b, solar panel 14 includes a plurality of arrayed solar cells 40a, 40b, 40c. . . , each of which has an upper surface 41 and a lower surface. Upper surface 41 includes a light input port or aperture, which is merely a light-sensitive portion of surface 41. When light, illustrated by a photon symbol 46, "enters" the aperture, a voltage is generated between upper surface 41 and the lower surface of each solar cell 40. Conductors (not illustrated) associated with the upper and lower surfaces of each solar cell provide ohmic contact between interconnection conductors 42 and the solar cells. Each conductor 42 of FIG. 2b connects the top surface of one solar cell to the bottom surface of the adjoining solar cell, thereby forming an electrical series connection by which the individual voltages produced by each cell can be added to produce a larger output voltage. Parallel connections of a number of such series strings may be made to increase the current output capability of the solar panel. Upper surface 41 of each solar cell 40 is protected by a coverglass 44, as for example upper surface 41 of solar cell 40b is protected by a coverglass 44b. The coverglass may itself have a conductive coating on its outer surface (the surface remote from the solar cell) to reduce arc discharges.
A disadvantage of the scheme of FIG. 2 lies in the thermal problems of spacecraft and the high power dissipation of shunt load 38 of FIG. 2 during operation. In a particular spacecraft under design, a solar array is used in which 90 solar cells are connected in series, each of which produces about 0.5 volts at maximum power. A sufficient number of cells are parallelled to produce an output current of 40 amperes (A), and shunt regulation is used in conjunction with 58 of the 90 series-connected cells to maintain a desired bus voltage of 28 volts. The 32 series cells which are not shunt regulated produce a maximum of 16 volts, whereupon the voltage across the 58 cells being regulated must be reduced from as much as 29 volts to 12 volts to meet the desired bus voltage. Assuming that the maximum current being shunted is 30 A, the total shunt power is 30 A multiplied by 12 volts, which equals 360 watts. In the above-mentioned spacecraft design, dissipation of this amount of heat requires that the shunt circuits be mounted on heat sink brackets associated with the solar array. The shunt elements and the associated brackets in this particular instance weigh approximately 22 lbs. It is desirable to reduce the high thermal dissipation in a shunt load, and to eliminate the weight associated with such a control scheme.

Solar array output regulator using variable light transmission


A method and apparatus for performing optical imaging on a sample wherein longitudinal scanning or positioning in the sample is provided by either varying relative optical path lengths for an optical path leading to the sample and to a reference reflector, or by varying an optical characteristic of the output from an optical source applied to the apparatus. Transverse scanning in one or two dimensions is provided on the sample by providing controlled relative movement between the sample and a probe module in such direction and/or by steering optical radiation in the probe module to a selected transverse position. The probe module may be an external module or may be an endoscope or angioscope utilized for scanning internal channels. Multiple optical paths may be provided for parallel scanning and focus may be enhanced by varying the focal point in the sample in synchronism with longitudinal scanning of the sample.

There are may industrial, medical, and other applications where high resolution (generally less than 10 micrometer) images of, and measurements of distances, thicknesses, and optical properties of, a biological or other sample are required.
Copending application Ser. No. 07/692,877 mentioned above describes an optical coherence domain reflectometer (OCDR) technique for performing such measurements generally with a single scan in the longitudinal direction. However, there are many applications, including medical applications, where a need exists for such scans to be conducted in two or three dimensions rather than in a single dimension, including transverse directions at a given longitudinal depth, thereby providing multidimensional imaging and measurements. Therefore, a need exists for a means to perform such scanning in at least one transverse direction at a selected longitudinal depth, with the capability of also scanning in the longitudinal direction.
Further, particularly in medical application, it is frequently desirable to provide such scans inside of tubular or other structures such as blood vessels, the bronchial tree of the lungs, the gastrointestinal tract, the genital tract or the urinary tract, using an angioscope or endoscope. In order for such scanning to be performed, a probe must be provided which is capable of being mounted in an endoscope or angioscope for performing internal scans.
While typically a scan would be completed through the full depth range at a given lateral and/or transverse position before repositioning to the next position, this may require scanning of the mirror or other element used for performing longitudinal range or depth scans at a rate higher than the capacity of existing equipment. This is particularly true where the longitudinal scan produces a Doppler shift frequency which affects the interferometric signal frequency and hence the system sensitivity. It is, therefore, desired that such scanning be performed at a constant velocity. However, since very high speed longitudinal scanning at a constant velocity is difficult to achieve, where two or three dimensional scanning is being performed, other scan patterns may be required. Further, in some applications, it may be desirable to perform transverse scanning in one or two dimensions at a selected longitudinal position or depth.
Another problem which becomes particularly serious when transverse scanning is being performed is that the bandwidth of the received signals increases beyond the inherent Doppler frequency shift of the system. In such cases, aliasing (i.e. variations in image intensity) may occur. It is, therefore, desirable that a technique be provided to enhance resolution by eliminating or averaging out such intensity variations.
Another problem with the prior system is that, if scanning is to be conducted over an extended depth range, a smaller numerical aperture must be used so as to extend the depth of focus. However, this reduces lateral resolution and the received optical signal power throughout the range. A need, therefore, exists for a technique which permits the use of a large numerical aperture over an extended depth range within a sample.
Further, some of the problems described which result from performing longitudinal scanning by mechanically moving a mirror or other element may be overcome by performing this scan electronically, for example by varying the optical frequency or amplitude of the light incident from the light source. However, for certain applications, for example imaging a dynamic biological sample such as the eye, the scanning speed required to do three-dimensional scanning may be such that a parallel scanning technique may be preferable or may be required.

Method and apparatus for optical imaging with means for controlling the longitudinal range of the sample


Disclosed herein are techniques for implementing vehicle ECU reprogramming, so the ECU programming, which plays a large role in vehicle performance characteristics, is tailored to current operational requirements, which may be different than the operational characteristics selected by the manufacturer when initially programming the vehicle ECU (or ECUs) with specific instruction sets, such as fuel maps. In one embodiment, a controller monitors the current operational characteristics of the vehicle, determines the current ECU programming, and determines if a different programming set would better suited to the current operating conditions. In the event that the current programming set should be replaced, the controller implements the ECU reprogramming. In a related embodiment, users are enabled to specify the ECU programming to change, such as changing speed limiter settings.

Modern vehicles are often equipped with sophisticated controllers that enable vehicle performance characteristics to be optimized for specific needs. An engine manufacturer may use different programming to logic to vary the engine performance characteristics, including horsepower delivered, according to the needs of a specific customer or class of customers. For example, trucks sold for use in over the road trucking, operating for most of their service life on highways, require different performance characteristics than similar trucks operating for most of their service life on city streets in stop and go traffic. A fuel map refers to a set of programming instructions that can be input into an engine control unit (an ECU) to modify performance characteristics of an engine.
As used herein and in the claims that follow, the term fuel map refers to a specific program (i.e., a set of machine instructions) used by an engine control unit (an ECU) to determine how to respond to various sensor inputs (i.e., changes in driving conditions). The ECU generally responds to changing inputs by changing at least one of the following parameters: fuel flow rate, spark timing, and idle speed. Changing the fuel map (i.e., the instruction set used by the ECU) will change the performance characteristics of the engine. Manufacturers generally select a fuel map to provide satisfactory vehicle performance over a wide range of conditions.
Other ECU programming instructions sets can be used to modify other performance characteristics, such as maximum road speed, maximum RMP, maximum idle time, etc.
In general, modification of such programming instructions sets requires a replacement instruction set, a hardware interface to be coupled to a vehicle data port (enabling the instruction set to be sent to the appropriate ECU), and a software interface or software application to manage the replacement. Some third party vendors sells kits that enable vehicle owners to perform their own ECU reprogramming using a laptop and a custom hardware interface, programming set, and software application (generally the hardware interface, programming set, and software application are sold together as a kit). Otherwise, vehicle operators need to bring their vehicle to a mechanic to have such ECU reprogramming performed.
It would be desirable to provide vehicle operators with the ability to more readily implement ECU reprogramming. Fuel mapping and other performance related instructions set, customized to the specific performance requirements of a vehicle for a specific route or trip, may lead to more cost efficient operations.

Method and apparatus for matching vehicle ECU programming to current vehicle operating conditions


A method for predicting blood glucose level of a person includes performing on the person a near-infrared spectral scan of a body part at a first group of wavelengths and at a second group of wavelengths, determining a first group of near-infrared absorbance values for the first group of wavelengths and a second group of near-infrared absorbance values for the second group of wavelengths, determining a first difference for the first group of near-infrared absorbance values and a second difference for the second group of near-infrared absorbance values, and calculating a blood glucose level for the person using the first and second differences.

1. Field of the Invention
The current invention relates to methods for predicting a blood glucose level of a person using a near-infrared spectral scan of a body part of the person.
2. Description of Prior Art
People affected with diabetes must frequently monitor their blood glucose level. The traditional method of checking blood glucose level involves a finger prick to draw a drop of blood that is tested in an analytical device. It is often difficult, particularly for children and elderly people, to perform this test especially if it is needed several times a day.
There has been considerable research into non-invasive methods of predicting the blood glucose level of a person affected with diabetes. A popular method involves using a near-infrared (NIR) spectral scan of a body part of the person. When NIR light is radiated through the skin and into the blood vessels glucose molecules in the blood absorb some of the NIR light energy. The corresponding NIR absorbance can be used to predict the glucose level of the blood. The major problem with this method is accurately establishing an evaluation model for predicting the blood glucose level from the NIR spectral scan results. Various methods of establishing evaluation models are given in U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,030 to Ciurczak et al and its various references. The contents of U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,030 and the reference cited therein are incorporated in this application by reference to more fully describe the state of the art in this field.
A problem with most of the disclosed methods is that they are usually specific to the person being tested and the evaluation models are dynamic and often require recalibration.

Method for predicting the blood glucose level of a person


The invention relates to a system and method for automatically producing documents that incorporate one or more data elements. A guided/structured software environment is provided that assists users in creating manuals by defining the appropriate content for each manual section, content rules and relationships, and tasks to be performed for each type of manual entry. Manual content is stored as structured data elements, rather than pages of sentences, to more efficiently generate, revise, and store the content of a manual. A storage database is provided for retrieving and storing predefined templates, documents and individual data elements to produce a final manual. Manuals are created by combining various data elements. An instant preview interface permits a user to quickly view what revisions will look like in a final document prior to actually publishing the manual. A published manual is compiled by assembling the stored data elements and into a document.

During a production process of aircraft and other products, alterations or modifications to the aircraft product must be reflected in the corresponding technical, maintenance, and/or end-user documentation or manuals. For instance, as the audio/video system in a commercial aircraft is upgraded or changed the corresponding manuals have to be modified according to industry rules or regulations. Since an aircraft fleet may include aircraft having different combinations of systems or upgrades, different sets of manuals or instructions are often needed to support all aircraft in the fleet. Maintaining and generating the various document revisions leads to a tedious, time consuming, and potentially error-prone process.
Existing documentation techniques typically employ intricate versioning schemes, esoteric document "languages" and large amounts of storage to hold all the different permutations of the documentation. U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,956 discloses a process in which documents are manually altered or revised, while older document versions are added to an ever growing database of complete documents before finally assembling the final document. The older document versions are maintained with all associated graphics, text and diagrams related to each document. However, with this approach, the size of the database eventually becomes very large and, consequently, processing of the documents slows down. U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,956 also relies on manual, unassisted editing of existing documents that typically requires specialized knowledge of the subject matter by the author, editor and others reviewing the document. That is, the person editing such documents would need to have specific knowledge about the product and the product's history to be able to ascertain whether the associated graphics, text and diagrams in the documentation are correct. A quality assurance reviewer or editor familiar with the technology, steps, or processes described in the documentation would need to review the final document for reliability. An author or reviewer may be required to re-learn an entire area of knowledge to update older documents. In complex technical systems, the possibilities for errors are proportional to the amount of knowledge required by the authors and reviewers. The potential for error may result in safety violations or other dangerous situations. Further, the author-reviewer-rewrite cycle is time consuming and inefficient.
United States Patent Publication 2005/0022118 describes using a template where all the required elements that form the output must be maintained in exactly the same location otherwise the template is unable to recreate the document accurately. This technique is rigid, inflexible, and in most cases requires the author to make the template out of a document description language as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,956. This requires the author to have extra knowledge about the structural requirements of the book/manual and how the selected templates may affect the final output. For example, in the airline industry the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) require documentation to meet specific standards. Authors constantly review the formatting requirements to comply with changing governmental regulations. Further, U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0022118 only allows the structure of the book to be shown, and does not preview the final product for the author to see the effect of any changes. Thus, the author has to wait until the content is published and then make alterations in a repetitive cycle until the document is satisfactory. Any changes made during the review process starts the cycle over again wasting time and delaying production of the documentation required.
Thus, for the reasons discussed above, prior art document production and storage techniques are inadequate to generate, structure, and store multiple altered versions of a document. Furthermore, the ability to check and track changes made is slow and cumbersome due to the number of document comparisons that must be made. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method that assist and guide authors in creating highly structured documents that are automatically assembled, formatted, and reproduced to accurately reflect all the elements of the system with minimal knowledge required of the author. A further need exists for a system and method for updating and maintaining such documents to reflect the specific elements actually used in the project.

Automatic authoring and publishing system


A sod plug mulcher is towed behind a sod plugger preferably on a golf course, park land, or grass playing surfaces. The sod plugger punches holes in the turf and creates sod plugs. The sod plug mulcher catches the sod plugs and processes them into a fine mulch. The sod plug mulcher has a roller assembly to flatten the sod plugs. Then a series of spinning hammer blades chop the flattened sod plugs into a mulch inside a rotating drum. A spreader tray then throws the mulch back onto the golf course.

Golf course fairways require constant grooming to ensure a good playing surface. Traditionally a tractor pulls a sod plugger periodically over the fairway. The sod plugger aerates the turf by punching holes in the turf thereby creating sod plugs also known as sod cores as a by-product. The sod plugs are dirt cylinders about three inches long. They may contain grass, roots, rocks, clay, and thatch. These sod plugs must be removed in order to play golf. The sod plugs are composed of valuable top soil.
Traditionally the sod plugs are either raked up manually, swept up by a powered sweeper, cut up, or left on the ground. It is desirable to recycle the dirt back into the lawn. Sometimes they are further processed into mulch by hand methods or running lawnmowers over them. These methods are time consuming. Additionally, the sod plugs must dry out before sweeping is possible due to the sticky composition of the dirt and clay mixture in the sod plug. Sometimes valuable playing time is lost using these methods.
The present invention solves both the problem of losing valuable playing time and the loss of the dirt compost from the turf. The plug mulcher is towed directly behind the sod plugger during the aeration process. The sod plugs are captured directly from the sod plugger into the plug mulcher. The plug mulcher then crushes the sod plugs and feeds them into a rotating drum also known as a hammer mill. The rotating drum has spinning hammer blades which pulverize the sod plugs into small dirt particles. The small dirt particles are recycled back into the turf with a spreader.


An actuation assembly to actuate a component of a mineral extraction system, where the actuation assembly includes an actuator configured to generate a force in a direction, a lever assembly coupled to the actuator, where the lever assembly is configured to rotate about a fulcrum in response to application of the force, and a piston coupled to the lever assembly, where the piston is configured to move in the direction in response to rotation of the lever assembly about the fulcrum.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Natural resources, such as oil and gas, are used as fuel to power vehicles, heat homes, and generate electricity, in addition to a myriad of other uses. Once a desired resource is discovered below the surface of the earth, drilling and production systems are often employed to access and extract the resource. These systems may be located onshore or offshore depending on the location of a desired resource. Such systems generally include a wellhead assembly through which the resource is extracted. At various times, operations may be carried out to inspect or to service the well, for example. During these operations, pressure control equipment is mounted above the wellhead to protect other surface equipment from surges in pressure within the wellbore or to carry out other supportive functions.

Systems for sealing pressure control equipment


A solderless coaxial feedthrough component that has a metallic knit fabric contact element made of a mesh fabric inserted between a pressure element and a contact surface of the component.

The present invention concerns coaxial feedthrough components, such as coaxial feedthrough capacitors or coaxial feedthrough filters.
Until now, soft-solder connections or soldered-on contact elements have been used in coaxial feedthrough components, such as feedthrough capacitors or feedthrough filters, in order to electrically connect external electrodes of the component with the winding, for example, in the case of a feedthrough capacitor. Such soft-solder connections or soldered-on contact elements do, of course, provide for a good electrical connection between external electrodes and the winding. However, they have the disadvantage that considerable heat is produced during the soldering process, which has a damaging effect on temperature sensitive synthetic capacitor windings. Also, the specifications of radiofrequency tight contacts of the material are often difficult to realize with soft-solder connections or soldered-on contact elements which require a certain accessibility for tools.
In one aspect, the invention is directed to a solderless coaxial feedthrough component that has a metallic knit fabric contact element (also referred to as mesh fabric) is inserted between a pressure element and the contact surface. The metallic knit fabric contact element is mechanically braced against a contact surface of components, for example, a capacitor winding, by means of a pressure element such that a reliable electrical contact is produced by means of this metallic knit fabric contact element between, for example, the capacitor winding and an electrode.
For this metallic knit fabric, a tin-plated or nickel-plated copper wire or another wire with good electrical conductivity is advantageously used. The feedthrough component may preferably be a coaxial feedthrough capacitor or a coaxial feedthrough filter.
The present invention can, consequently, provide a solderless coaxial feedthrough component with which it is possible to do without soft-solder connections or soldered-on contact elements and yet enables reliable, radio frequency tight contact of temperature sensitive components.

Solderless, coaxial feedthrough component


Disclosed herein are phase separator devices, and related methods of fabrication and use. The disclosure provides improved phase separator devices for phase separation of input feeds, and systems/methods for utilizing and fabricating the devices. The disclosure provides phase separator devices utilizing inertial separation and porous media extraction for the phase separation of two-phase input feeds (e.g., to separate an input feed of a two-phase mixture to a first phase output (e.g., to a liquid output flow) and to a second phase output (e.g., to a gas output flow)). The device can separate a mixed fluid flow of both liquid and gases. The liquid and gas can include liquid and vapor phases of the same chemical/constituent (e.g., ammonia), or may include liquid and gases of two different constituents (e.g., liquid water and air). The phase separator devices can be utilized at standard gravity to micro-gravity to zero gravity environments.

In general, there are numerous applications for structures and assemblies for phase separation of input feeds.
An interest exists for improved systems and methods for phase separation of input feeds.
These and other inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement are addressed and/or overcome by the systems, methods and devices of the present disclosure.

Two-phase separator devices incorporating inertial separation and porous media extraction


A new Golf Ball Distance and Locating System for determining the distance a golf ball was driven and for locating the golf ball within difficult to locate terrain. The inventive device includes a transmitter concentrically positioned within the golf ball, a receiver for determining distance and direction of the golf ball from a golfer. The transmitter is surrounded by an impermeable encasement which is positioned within a protective gel contained by a gel container for reducing shock impact from striking the golf ball thereby reducing the chance of damage to the transmitter. The gel container is positioned within a viscous liquid concentrically filling the golf ball thereby providing additional protection for the transmitter from the shock impact. The transmitter emits a high frequency signal which is detected by the receiver which thereafter determines the distance from the receiver and the direction of the golf ball in relation to a projected direction of the receiver.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Golf Ball Locating Devices and more particularly pertains to a new Golf Ball Distance and Locating System for determining the distance a golf ball was driven and for locating the golf ball within difficult to locate terrain.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of Golf Ball Locating Devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, Golf Ball Locating Devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art Golf Ball Locating Devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,314; U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,549; U.S. Pat. No. 5,298,904; U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,781; U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,566 and U.S. Design Pat. No. 355,943.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new Golf Ball Distance and Locating System. The inventive device includes a transmitter concentrically positioned within the golf ball, a receiver for determining distance and direction of the golf ball from a golfer.
In these respects, the Golf Ball Distance and Locating System according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of determining the distance a golf ball was driven and for locating the golf ball within difficult to locate terrain.

Golf ball with distance and locating system

personal representative of said Dorren S. Quimby, deceased


A new High-Throughput Explosive Destruction System is disclosed. The new system is comprised of two side-by-side detonation containment vessels each comprising first and second halves that feed into a single agent treatment vessel. Both detonation containment vessels further comprise a surrounding ventilation facility. Moreover, the detonation containment vessels are designed to separate into two half-shells, wherein one shell can be moved axially away from the fixed, second half for ease of access and loading. The vessels are closed by means of a surrounding, clam-shell type locking seal mechanisms.

Recent attention to buried chemical weapon materiel has highlighted the need for remediation systems to destroy recovered chemical warfare materiel (CWM) at a substantially faster rate than can be done with systems currently used by the Project Manager for Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel (PM NSCM). The attention has highlighted the fact that the PM NSCM's inventory of mobile remediation systems—the Explosive Destruction System (EDS) and the Rapid Response System (RRS)—were originally designed to address only small volumes of recovered CWM. These systems have worked very well and have achieved a significant degree of acceptance with the public and within the regulatory community. However, the near continuous use of the existing four EDS platforms and the extension of the Chemical Weapon Convention deadlines have shown the throughput of these systems is inadequate to address many of the identified CWM disposal/burial sites.
Devices for safely handling explosives are well known in the art. For example, Fylling, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,479, describes a mobile container in which an explosive, such as a time bomb, can be placed after discovery for transport to a suitable location for disarming. In includes a ballistic grille to vent explosion gases in an upwardly direction. Hickerson, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,601, describes a container for explosive devices that includes inner and outer cylinders to substantially contain detonation fragments and the blast. This device is intended to transport improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or homemade bombs to a safe disposal area. Benedick et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,247, describes an explosive storage container designed to absorb and contain the blast, fragments, and detonation products from an unintentional detonation of the contained explosive or munition. Here again, the device is designed to safely transport and store a munition and includes distinct layers to absorb the explosive energy. All of these devices are intended to provide a safe means for transport and/or storage of an explosive, but none are designed for purposeful detonation in order to destroy the explosive, and none are gas-tight or otherwise designed to treat toxic or hazardous chemical payloads.
Holmlund et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,126 describes a chamber for containing the effects arising from explosions or detonations whether initiated intentionally or unintentionally inside the chamber. The chamber comprises a cylindrically formed mantle with associated sealed ends. Ohlsson, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,350, describes a spherical container or chamber to protect the surroundings by containing critical stages in the manufacture of explosives, or to store or serve as a bunker for explosives. Ohlson, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,559, describes a readily replaceable liner to be used in detonation chambers and capable of receiving fragments to mitigate the effects of splinters produced by explosions, and in which only damaged parts of the liner need to be replaced; and Ohlson, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,041, describes a cylindrical blasting chamber which can contain high pressure and splinters produced by an explosion. The blasting chamber includes a double-wall design such that explosive pressure is distributed fairly evenly between the inner and outer walls. However, these devices are not intended to be used for the safe detonation and chemical treatment of explosively configured chemical warfare munitions.
Donovan, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,613,453, 5,884,569, 6,173,662, and 6,354,181 describes methods and an devices for containing and suppressing explosive detonations, whether for the explosive working of metals or for the disposal of unwanted explosive munitions. The apparatus includes a linear array of vent pipes to vent the explosions' gaseous combustion products for subsequent treatment in a scrubber. This apparatus includes a double-walled steel explosion chamber anchored to a concrete foundation, and double-walled access and vent doors. Energy absorbing means such as water-filled bags and conventional chain blast mats are also employed. This device is not intended to be readily mobile, is not equipped for chemical neutralization, nor is it gas-tight so that it can safely contain toxic chemical warfare agents and byproducts.
Explosive chambers have also been developed for controlling and suppressing the detonation of explosives used for industrial applications such as surface hardening of manganese steel rail, welding of metallic components, and compression molding of components from powders. Most of these applications permit the release of the explosion combustion products into the atmosphere. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,419,862 and 4,100,783 issued to Hampel and Gambarov, respectively. Dribas in U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,883 and Minin in U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,982 disclose spherical containment vessels for explosive working of metals, the latter also including an internal liquid spray for neutralizing toxic byproducts of the explosion. Here again, these devices are intended to explosively work or harden a workpiece, are not intended to access the interior of the workpiece or otherwise destroy it, and are not gas-tight or otherwise suitable for disposal of chemical warfare munitions.
Sandia National Laboratories developed the EDS for PM NSCM in the late 1990s to provide a self-contained, transportable capability to remediate small volumes of non-stockpile chemical munitions at recovery sites. The technology is summarized in U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,338, to Tschritter, et al., herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, as is a list of the constituents known to have been used in CWM weapons as are the commonly known remediation solution media. The EDS has proven to be a flexible, capable, effective, and regulatory acceptable system to meet PM NSCM's mission requirements as these requirements were understood in the late 1990s. The successful operation of the EDS, and a subsequently larger, second generation version of EDS, has proven the core technology, but neither system was designed for high throughput or large quantity operations. Moreover, these systems do not disclose a separate waste treatment system, nor do they disclose an explosive containment vessel comprising two side by side cylindrical cups and a center seal system, nor do they disclose a semi-permanent fragmentation suppression system does the present invention, no is a semi-continuous batch operation anticipated by either. Consequently, neither can meet the emerging needs for expected higher volume processing. However, the current limited process rate is not inherent in the EDS technology. It is entirely feasible to build a much faster system while retaining the proven benefits of the EDS process.
In view of the foregoing, and the enormous need for remediation of obsolete, decaying, and degraded munitions it is highly desirable to provide an apparatus which can be used to dispose of chemical warfare munitions in a safe and rapid industrial basis.

High throughput chemical munitions treatment system


A method, computer system, and a computer program product for digital content development is provided. The present invention may include identifying one or more keywords associated with a digital course received from a digital content developer. The present invention may include identifying one or more relevant digital courses of one or more digital learning platforms. The present invention may include analyzing one or more relevant digital courses using one or more analytical techniques. The present invention may include evaluating the course received from the digital content developer. The present invention may include generating one or more new digital courses for each of the one or more digital learning platforms.

The present invention relates generally to the field of computing, and more particularly to digital content development.
A digital content developer may publish digital course content to one or more digital learning platforms. Digital course content may be learning and/or instructional materials such as, but not limited to, video lectures, bulleted text slides, architectural diagrams, audio recordings, presentation materials, lab exercises, offline exercises, amongst other learning and/or instructional materials. Each of the one or more digital learning platforms may feature at least, different pricing, format suitability, duration requirements, completion certificates, state and/or government licensed courses, amongst other features.
Furthermore, the same digital course content may be advantageous for users on one digital platform but inadequate for users of another digital platform.

Reformatting digital content for digital learning platforms using suitability scores

International Business Machines Corporation


The growing management system optimizes peak aggregate nutrients for individual edible plants including vegetables, and herbs such that the individual edible plants are organized into a blend such that the aggregate of the individual edible plants are grown in a blend and that growing parameters including the use of seed coatings shift the occurrence of each of the individual edible plants peak nutrients to occur concurrently to maximize overall nutrient delivery. It is understood that nutrient and flavor peaks can be used interchangeably.

This invention addresses when the most beneficial time to harvest produce is based on nutrient optimization. Historically, growers were paid a certain price by weight whether per bushel or per pound. Therefore, measures of success were determined by how many bushels or pounds could be produced. This traditional metric was solely price-driven. In the past, the level of nutrients in the harvested produce was not taken into consideration.
Others have evaluated and made dietary recommendations on the consumption of nutrient dense fruits and vegetables based on the levels of micronutrients where the density is purely correlated with the fewest calories (e.g., Joel Fuhrman, M.D.). Today, with food being grown and shipped from far away and/or being harvested early and artificially ripened with chemicals the amount of nutrients consumers are actually receiving has been adversely impacted. Harvard Medical School's Center for Health and the Global Environment has shown that foods grown far away that spend significant time on the road have more time to lose nutrients before reaching the marketplace. In other words, consuming fruits and vegetables, all things equal, that are more devoid of nutrients defeats the purpose of consuming such fruits and vegetables in the first place.
Plants make a variety of compounds, many of which act as antioxidants when consumed. In reality, it is understood that plants in their natural form are superior to pure and highly processed antioxidants as compared to the full range of micronutrients present in live plants. Plants produce a unique pattern of reaching their maximum nutrient compound capacity, which is often concurrent with maximum flavor compound capacity. A landmark study by Donald Davis and his team of researchers from the University of Texas (UT) at Austin's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry was published in December 2004 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. They studied U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional data from both 1950 and 1999 for 43 different vegetables and fruits, finding "reliable declines" in the amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin C over the past half century. Davis and his colleagues chalk up this declining nutritional content to the preponderance of agricultural practices designed to improve traits (size, growth rate, pest resistance) other than nutrition. "Efforts to breed new varieties of crops that provide greater yield, pest resistance and climate adaptability have allowed crops to grow bigger and more rapidly," reported Davis, "but their ability to manufacture or uptake nutrients has not kept pace with their rapid growth." There have likely been declines in other nutrients, too, he said, such as magnesium, zinc and vitamins B-6 and E, but they were not studied in 1950 and more research is needed to find out how much less we are getting of these key vitamins and minerals. This further validates the requirement for the disclosed invention, a system to maximize nutrient and flavor and NOT to maximize revenue as traditionally directly correlated with weight of fruits and vegetables.
It is understood in the background that a wide range of sensors, ranging from spectrum analyzers (i.e., optical, and generally real-time and non-destructive) to chemical analyzers (i.e., GC mass spec, generally not real-time and destructive testing), exists in the art.
Furthermore, it is understood that plants grow (in nature as provided by the sun) the full light spectrum. Testing, originally attributed to space exploration, has lead to a more detailed understanding that red and blue are the two primary colors necessary to complete photosynthesis—the energy conversion where the plant transforms light into food and oxygen. The amount of red and blue light within a light source will affect plant growth in different ways. Blue light regulates the rate of a plants growth and is especially helpful in plants with lots of vegetation and few to no flowers. Blue light regulates many plant responses including stomata opening and phototropism. Stomata are openings on or beneath the surface of the leaves. A plant's moisture loss is primarily due to the stomata and blue light controls the degree of stomata opening, therefore blue light regulates the amount of water a plant retains or expels. Phototropism is the definition of a plant's response to light; the stems grow up toward the light and the roots grow down, away from the light. Metal halide grow lights emit more light in the blue spectrum and are the best source of indoor lighting to use for plant growth if there is no sunlight available. Red and orange light triggers hormones in plants that increase flowering and budding, but plants cannot grow with red light alone. They also need blue light to help regulate other types of responses. Red light stimulates flowering and foliage growth, but too much red light will cause a plant to become spindly. HPS (high-pressure sodium) grow lights emit a red orange glow and are excellent companion lights for growing conditions that include some natural sunlight or other light sources with high levels of blue light. Red light induces germination and blue light promotes seed growth, but far-red light inhibits germination.
Furthermore, it is understood that several phases of plant growth and resultant nutrient capacity are measured. Phase I is the early/immature stage of plant growth. During Phase I the plant has not reached the maximum peak potential of growth or nutrient optimization. Phase II is the mature stage of plant growth. During Phase II the plant has reached peak growth as well as peak nutrient optimization. Phase III is the post-mature stage of plant growth. During Phase III the plant is typically past the stage of optimal nutrient levels.


A multi-piece valance body is configured to extend lengthwise along the front of an adjacent headrail (e.g., of a covering for an architectural opening) between opposed lateral ends. The valance body may include a first valance body portion and a second valance body portion, with the body portions configured to be coupled together via a joint defined between the body portions in the lengthwise direction across the length of the headrail (e.g., a width of the architectural opening) to form the complete valance body structure.

In many instances, a valance is coupled to the front of a headrail of a window covering to improve the overall aesthetic appearance of the window covering. For example, valances often have a unique shape or outer profile that provides a more aesthetically pleasing look than the front of the headrail, itself. As is generally understood, a valance may be secured to and supported by an associated headrail using a variety of different techniques, such as by using valance clips coupled between the headrail and the valance.
When designing a valance to be used in association with a headrail, it is often desirable to provide the valance with a given vertical height. For instance, due to the vertical height of the associated headrail, a minimum vertical height may be desired to ensure that the valance adequately covers the front of the headrail. Additionally, in certain instances, it may be desirable to provide a valance with an increased vertical height notwithstanding the corresponding vertical height of the headrail. For instance, valances with increased heights may provide a unique aesthetic appearance that cannot be achieved with shorter valances.
Despite the desirability in many instances to provide valances with increased vertical heights, conventional design constraints and other considerations often serve to limit the height of a valance. For instance, window coverings sold in retail stores are often packaged in standardized boxes. In such instances, these standardized boxes typically provide a pre-defined storage area for the associated valance, which serves to limit the overall size of the valance. Moreover, the packaging for retail window coverings may be specifically designed to allow the covering and associated valance to be cut or sized within its package via a cut-down machine (also referred to a size-in-store machine) located at the associated retail establishment. As a result, the location or relative positioning of the valance within the package is typically set based on the cutting configuration of the cut-down machine so as to ensure prospering sizing or trimming of the covering/valance. In addition, the maximum dimensions for the packaging may also be limited based on the cutting configuration of the cut-down machine. Furthermore, packaging dimensions must also take into account shipping constraints and/or the amount of shelf space to be occupied within a retail store. Accordingly, such packaging/processing constraints typically serve as practical limits on the overall height of a valance.
Accordingly, a multi-piece valance assembly that allows for the assembled valance to have a desired vertical height while taking into consideration relevant packaging/processing constraints would be welcomed in the technology.

Valance assembly for a covering and associated packaging

HUNTER DOUGLAS INDUSTRIES SWITZERLAND GMBH


An monolithic integrated circuit comprising a transistor-inductor structure is provided having simultaneously noise matched and input impedance matched characteristics at a desired frequency. The transistor-inductor structure comprises a first transistor Q.sub.1 which may be a common emitter bipolar transistor or common source MOSFET transistor Q.sub.1, a second optional transistor Q.sub.2, a first inductor L.sub.E in the emitter (source) of Q.sub.1, and a second inductor L.sub.B in the base (gate) of Q1. The emitter length l.sub.E1, or correspondingly the gate width w.sub.g, of Q1 is designed such that the real part of its optimum noise impedance is equal to the characteristic impedance of the system, Z.sub.0, which is typically 50.OMEGA.. The first inductor L.sub.E, provides matching of the real part of the input impedance and the second inductor L.sub.B cancels out the noise reactance and input impedance reactance of the structure. The resulting simultaneously noise and impedance matched integrated circuit provides optimal performance. The optimized transistor-inductor structure has particular application to silicon integrated circuits, such as low noise amplifiers and mixer circuits, for wireless and RF circuit applications at 5.8 Ghz, previously reported only for GaAs based circuits. Other basic silicon integrated circuits were optimized at frequencies up to .about.12 GHz.

Successful exploitation of wireless consumer products relies on highly integrated, low cost integrated circuits. Steady improvements in transistor performance and demand for higher levels of integration have led to the increased application of silicon technology for RF and wireless circuit applications. Indeed, cost effective silicon-based integrated circuits are now available for wireless personal communications systems at lower bit rates in the .about.1 GHz band.
Recent developments in broadband multimedia communications systems are based on wireless asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) transmission in the 5 GHz band. Although GaAs circuits remain several times more expensive than silicon circuits, the feasibility of using lower cost silicon based technology in this frequency band has been limited, due to significantly higher substrate and interconnect losses in silicon relative to GaAs. Historically, silicon technology has suffered from a lack of high Q inductors. More recently, improved inductor performance has been obtained using microstrip transmission line inductors.
Nevertheless, whether designing high frequency GaAs or silicon based circuits, for example, tuned low noise amplifier (LNA) and mixer circuits for wireless systems, simultaneous noise and impedance matching presents a challenge to improved performance. There is a trade-off in noise and input impedance matching, as discussed by K. K. Ko et al, "A comparative study on the various monolithic low noise amplifier circuit topologies for RF and microwave Applications" IEEE J. Solid State Circuits vol. 31, no. 8, August 1996, pp. 1220-1225. This trade-off is caused mostly by the fact that the transistor size is traditionally considered as a fixed design parameter, and a library of certain standards sizes are available. Thus, conventionally, a passive network is designed around a given transistor in order to achieve noise matching and/or impedance matching. The passive network itself contributes losses and degrades the noise figure, as discussed by F. McGrath et al, in "A 1.9 GHz GaAs Chip set for the personal handyphone system", IEEE Trans. MTT Vol. 43, pp. 1733-1744, 1995 and by A. Brunel, et al. in "A Downconverter for use in a dual mode AMPS/CDMA chip set", in Microwave J., pp. 20-42, February 1996.
The losses in the passive network increase as the network become more complicated, and a significant area of an integrated circuit may be taken up by the matching network. For example, in typical low noise amplifiers and GaAs mixer circuits discussed in the above mentioned references to Ko, McGrath and Brunel, either the noise figure or input impedance matching are sub-optimal, or the passive matching circuit is excessively complex, occupying a large semiconductor area.
It is well known that high frequency losses are particularly severe on semiconducting silicon substrates, relative to semi-insulating GaAs substrates. On the other hand, while passive components are less lossy on GaAs substrates, the present cost of GaAs circuits is at least a factor of two more expensive than silicon circuits. Consequently, if matching losses were reduced for silicon substrates to allow for design of high performance wireless circuits, these circuits could be fabricated in silicon with significant cost savings relative to similar GaAs circuits.

High frequency noise and impedance matched integrated circuits


An eyeglass frame having removable lenses, comprising of lens rings which are split into an upper and lower ring portion. Interposed between the upper and lower ring portions, and forming an integral part of the frame and positive actuating means to force open and draw closed the split lens rings to facilitate insertion and removal of lens. Several spices of eyeglass frame are visualized The preferred spieces utilizes a coil spring and resilient rod. Another spieces visualized utilizes several serrated coupling edges and an actuating fulcrum.

This invention pertains to and is concerned with an eyeglass frame with detachably mounted lenses having a prescription axis alignment system and safety locking feature to assure correct optical positioning of the lenses with no possibility of the lenses separating from the frame. The eyeglass frames of this invention are primarily intended for use with prescription lenses and prescription sunglasses. The most immediate application of these eyeglass frames permits the wearer to interchange a single pair of prescription lenses into multiple frames for fashion considerations. The eyeglass frames are constructed in a rather conventional manner insofar as lenses and temple members are concerned. The modification of the present invention resides in the means of securing the lenses within the lens rings. The lens rings are of a split-ring type of construction wherein the upper and lower portions of the rings may be separated slightly to allow removal of lenses and then drawn together to secure the changed lenses in the lens ring. The opening and closing means used in the split-ring construction of the lens rings may be constructed in a variety of configurations.

Eyeglass frame permitting interchanging of lenses


Interference mitigation methods and systems are provided. A base station obtains physical channel information of a transmission signaled in a first frequency band between the base station and at least one user equipment (UE) associated with the base station. The transmission corresponds to at least one of an uplink communication or a downlink communication. An interference mitigation controller compares the obtained physical channel information to a predetermined interference condition, to identify a presence of interference in the transmission. A second frequency band different from the first frequency band is selected, responsive to the identified presence of interference. The base station sends an instruction to the at least one UE associated with the base station to signal using the selected second frequency band. At least one of the first frequency band and the second frequency band includes a Long Term Evolution (LTE) band.

Consumer adoption of user equipment (UE) such as cellular telephones, laptop computers, pagers, personal digital assistants, and the like, is increasing. These devices can be used in a wireless communication network for a diversity of purposes ranging from basic communications, to conducting business transactions, to managing entertainment media, as well as a host of other tasks. Given the sophistication of data applications in addition to traditional voice, these UEs are continually transmitting over the air.
A wireless communication network may include a number of base stations that can support communication for a number of UEs. Transmissions from a base station to a UE may encounter interference due to transmissions from neighboring base stations or from other wireless radio frequency (RF) transmitters. Transmissions from a UE to a base station may encounter interference from other UEs communicating with the same base station, with neighboring base stations or from other wireless RF transmitters. The interference may degrade the performance of the wireless communication network. The increased usage of UEs and corresponding demand on the service provider to support increased capacity have posed greater challenges in minimizing interference.

Interference mitigating cellular network


A turbine assembly for a rotary sprinkler head includes a flow control valve, a turbine housing having a fluid inlet and fluid outlet ports, and a rotor mounted in the housing. The flow control valve is moveable between a closed position and a maximum open position, and is spring biased towards the closed position in which all of the fluid flowing into the sprinkler head initially flows into the turbine assembly. When the flow rate through the sprinkler head is sufficient to open the valve, a portion of the fluid flow passes through the valve to bypass the turbine assembly. As the flow rate continues to increase, the valve opens further until it reaches the maximum open position. Once the valve is opened to a predetermined point, as it opens further, up to the maximum position, the valve also increasingly throttles the fluid outlet ports up to a point short of complete blockage of the outlet ports.

Rotary and oscillating sprinkler systems are widely used to irrigate lawns and landscaping in both commercial and residential environments. The most effective and reliable sprinkler systems include a series or network of pop-up sprinkler heads connected to a fluid source via irrigation pipes installed underground around the area to be maintained, an example of which is illustrated in FIG. 1. Each pop-up type rotary sprinkler head 100 generally includes a riser assembly 102 which is slidably mounted in the sprinkler head housing 104 between a fully retracted position in which the riser assembly 102 is entirely encased within the housing 104 when no fluid is flowing through the sprinkler head 100, and a fully extended position in which substantially the entire length of the riser assembly 102 extends out of the housing 104 when fluid is flowing through the sprinkler head 100 during operation of the irrigation system. A nozzle assembly 108 is rotatably attached at the top of riser assembly 102, and includes at least one nozzle 110 through which irrigation fluid is distributed out of the sprinkler head 100.
The sprinkler head housing is typically installed just beneath the ground surface 106 so that when no fluid is flowing into the sprinkler head, the riser assembly is also substantially below the ground surface. When irrigation fluid flows through the sprinkler head, the force of fluid pushes the riser assembly out of the housing until the riser assembly is fully extended to be appropriately positioned above the ground surface to deliver irrigation fluid.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a riser assembly as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0074432, and which includes a turbine assembly 122 having a rotor 112 and a turbine inlet 114, a gear assembly 116, and a turbine shaft 118. During operation, fluid flowing into the riser assembly enters the turbine inlet 114 and causes the turbine wheel 112 to rotate. Rotor 112 is attached to turbine shaft 118, which drives the gears in gear assembly 116.
Nozzle assembly 108 is rotatably connected to the riser assembly 102 by an output shaft 120, which also defines the flow path of fluid from the riser assembly 102 into the nozzle assembly 108. As such, irrigation fluid flows upwardly through the riser assembly 102 and is channeled into output shaft 120 and out through nozzle 110. In the riser assembly 102, output shaft 120 is driven by the output of gear assembly 116, whereby rotation of the output shaft 120 is thereby controlled by the movement of the gears in the gear assembly 116. The gears may be configured to rotate the output shaft 120 continuously or in an oscillating manner through a predetermined arc, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. RE 35,037 to Kah, Jr. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0074432 to Kah, Jr. et al., the disclosures of which are both incorporated herein by reference.
In climates which experience freezing temperatures during the year, irrigation systems such as those described above must be drained or blown-out with air after seasonal use to clear any water out of the system to prevent freezing damage. In many cases, the simplest installation provides only for allowing the irrigation system pipes and sprinkler heads to be cleared of water by blowing out compressed air through the system. This can be very damaging to the turbines, which normally rotate at a much slower speed when driven by water. Air is an expandable fluid and is relatively light compared to water, which is a relatively incompressible fluid and does not generate the rotational velocities produced when air is expanded in the turbine assembly onto the rotor blades.
Unless care is taken to limit the system air, blow-out time and pressures, the high turbine shaft velocities resulting from blowing compressed air through the sprinkler system can heat the shaft and cause it to seize to the plastic housing material. Once this occurs, the rotor is prevented from turning any further and is rendered unusable in the future. This has proved to be one of the major causes for premature failure of gear driven sprinklers in colder climates, where sprinklers are used for only part of the year and would therefore be expected to last much longer than in warmer climates, where they are run year round. Accordingly, the longevity of gear driven sprinkler systems in colder climates would be greatly enhanced if such systems were equipped with means to prevent the turbine rotor from rotating at excessively high velocities when driven with compressed air.
At least one device is known for preventing excessive rotational speed in turbine-driven sprinklers. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0162901 to Hunter et al., in which a brake force is applied to the rotor in a turbine assembly in a rotary sprinkler head when compressed air is flushed through the sprinkler system. To achieve this result, the turbine assembly includes a float mechanism which may be seated on the turbine rotor or blocks the flow path to the rotor when air is flowing through the sprinkler head, and is lifted off the rotor or removed from obstructing the flow path when water is delivered therethrough. The default position of the float mechanism is in the position to hinder rotation of the turbine rotor, but its buouyancy in water causes the float mechanism to be moved in the direction of flow so as to enable the turbine to rotate freely when water flows through the sprinkler head.
Even with water flowing through the sprinkler system, however, the sprinkler heads may wear out faster with continued operation at high fluid output rates than at lower output rates. In particular, certain types of rotary irrigation sprinkler systems provide the capability to adjust the output rates and/or change between several different nozzles for applying a selected flow rate and/or distribution profile of the irrigation fluid. Changes in the output flow rate caused by changing the nozzles also affect the flow rate driving the turbine rotor which rotates the sprinkler head. This is generally the case with most known rotary sprinklers, including the system disclosed in Hunter and discussed above. When the irrigation fluid flowing through the sprinkler system disclosed in Hunter is water, the rate of rotation of the turbine assembly is directly determined by the flow rate of water through the system, and would therefore vary through the entire operation range of the sprinkler system.
Because water is an incompressible fluid, as the selected output rate from the sprinkler increases, the faster the velocity of water passing through the turbine assembly. The faster the velocity of water entering the turbine assembly, the faster the rotor is driven by the water striking the rotor blades. Therefore, it would be advantageous to maintain the rotational velocity of the turbine rotor as constant as possible for as great a range of flow rates as possible for both air and water.

Device for limiting turbine rotation speed in gear driven sprinklers


A sheet deposition system having multiple supports detachably suspended in multiple guide members, wherein a support can be placed in a sheet deposition location or the distance between supports can be altered by driving the guide members. Multiple sheet deposition locations may be provided. The system enables that supports can be easily removed, added or relocated either manually or in an automated manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a system for depositing printed sheets on a selected one of multiple supports. The system may be part of an image-forming system such as a printing or copying system.
2. Background of the Invention
In order to reproduce images, it is generally known to feed a medium in sheet or web form through the image forming part of an image reproduction system such as a printing and/or copying system to form images of a marking substance thereon. The printed medium may be subjected to all kind of finishing treatments including but not limited to cutting, punching, inverting, sorting, stapling and folding such as to obtain finished sheets, sets of finished sheets or booklets, hereinafter referred to as sheets. The sheets are forwarded to a sheet deposition location of a sheet deposition system where the sheets are deposited usually on a selected one of multiple trays, hereinafter referred to as supports. The sheet deposition system may be a stand-alone system or may be an integral part of the image reproduction system.
Of particular interest are sheet deposition systems with multiple supports and multiple sheet deposition locations. An example of such a system is a sheet deposition system equipped with two sheet deposition locations, one being a sorting sheet deposition location where sheets are directed to in a sorting mode and the other a non-sorting sheet deposition location where sheets are directed in a non-sorting mode. Typically a single support is available for ejecting sheets thereon in the non-sorting mode when facing the non-sorting sheet deposition location, while an assembly of supports is available which can be moved up and down such that a selected support of the assembly faces the sorting sheet deposition location for ejecting sheets thereon.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,669 a system having a non-sorting exit, a non-sorting bin, a sorting exit and an assembly of sorting bins is disclosed. The assembly of sorting bins can be moved up and down and impart movement to the non-sorting bin. Although the non-sorting bin is movable within a limited range, the flexibility of the system is very limited as the non-sorting bin cannot be used as a sorting bin, or in other words the non-sorting bin cannot be guided such as to face the sorting exit. Moreover, at least a part of the sorting bins cannot be guided such as to face the non-sorting exit. A further disadvantage of the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,669 is that the spacing between adjacent sorting bins cannot be changed. By consequence, the sheet stacking capacity of the respective bins cannot be adjusted responsive to the size of the job submitted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,539 a sheet deposition system is disclosed which is provided with a single sheet deposition location and multiple bins. The spacing between selected adjacent bins can be adjusted to control the sheet stacking capacity of a selected bin. The bin capacity adjustment system comprises two pairs of coaxial independently rotatable screw threaded bin movement members, each being provided with a separate drive motor. The bin capacity adjustment solution disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,539 is only suitable for a single sheet deposition location and does not enable the user to add or remove bins either manually or in an automated way.

Sheet deposition system having multiple supports detachably suspended in multiple guide members


The present invention provides a rollover protection structure that utilizes unitary corner members that are cast pieces that require no additional bracing. In addition, each corner member includes a leg portion that integrally defines an area of reduced cross-section. This reduction in cross-section creates an area of predictable deformation in the structure which will prevent the structure from collapsing on an operator stationed within the cab.

In the construction of modern day cab assemblies, it is common practice to build the cab around a very structurally sound framework. The framework is intended to withstand tremendous forces that would be applied to the cab in the event that the vehicle to which the cab was attached should happen to roll over. This structure must be able to withstand forces at least equal to the weight of the vehicle to prevent the occupant of the cab from being crushed as as the vehicle rolls over. This structure is commonly known as a rollover protective structure or ROPS.
The rollover protective structures are normally comprised of a plurality of tubular posts that are usually fixed together by welding. They normally consist of an upper rectangular section and a lower rectangular section that are joined by vertical posts that extend between the corners of the respective rectangular sections. Because the corner area joins three structural members that extend in three separate directions, it is inherently the weakest member of the structure. As a result, it must be heavily braced. Each corner member normally includes as many as six braces that extend between the individually directed structural members. This not only increases the complexity of the ROPS, it also increases the number of parts as well as the time required to fabricate the assembly.
In other instances, the rollover structure includes a pair of fabricated posts that have sufficient cross-sectional area to withstand the forces that would be applied to the structure in the event of a vehicle rollover. These types of structures have been known to include areas that have thinner cross-sections at preselected locations to allow a predetermined amount of plastic deformation. One such design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,668, issued to Stanley B. Adams on Feb. 12, 1974. This design utilizes fabricated upright leg members that extend upwardly from the vehicle frame along each side of the vehicle. The leg members define upper and lower transition areas, or areas of reduced cross-section, to define plastically deformable hinge points upon application of forces that exceed a predetermined magnitude. In order to create these transition areas, the ROPS must be fabricated in such a manner to insure that the portion of the leg members immediately above and below the transition areas have a more rigid structure. In order to provide this rigidity, the structure utilizes several transverse and longitudinal brace assemblies. While this particular design has been known to work quite well in its intended capacity, it inherently requires many components and substantial time to fabricate and assemble the components.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

Construction for a rollover protection structure


A power door presenter system for pivoting a vehicle door relative to a vehicle body between a closed position and a partially open deployed position includes a presenter assembly mounted to one of the vehicle body and the vehicle door with an auxiliary striker fixed to the other one of the vehicle body and the vehicle door. The presenter assembly has an extensible member configured for movement between retracted and extended positions corresponding to the closed and deployed positions and an auxiliary latch mechanism moveable between latched engagement with the auxiliary striker when the vehicle door is indicated as not being under manual control of a user to allow automated return of the vehicle door to the closed position and unlatched engagement from the auxiliary striker when the vehicle door is indicated as being under manual control of the user to allow the door to be moved to a fully opened position.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
The passenger doors on motor vehicles are typically mounted by upper and lower door hinges to the vehicle body for swinging movement about a generally vertical pivot axis. Such swinging passenger doors ("swing doors") have recognized issues such as, for example, when the vehicle is situated on an inclined surface and the swing door either opens too far or swings shut due to the unbalanced weight of the door. To address this issue, most passenger doors have some type of detent or check mechanism integrated into at least one of the door hinges that functions to inhibit uncontrolled swinging movement of the door by positively locating and holding (i.e checking) the door in one or more mid-travel positions in addition to a fully-open position.
In view of increased consumer demand for motor vehicles equipped with advanced comfort and convenience features, many current vehicles are now provided with passive keyless entry systems to permit locking and release of the passenger doors without the use of traditional key-type manual entry systems. In this regard, some of the more popular features now provided with vehicle closure systems include power locking/unlocking and power release. These "powered" features are typically integrated into a primary latch assembly mounted to the passenger door and which is configured to include a latch mechanism, a latch release mechanism and at least one electric actuator. As is known, movement of the passenger door to its closed position causes the latch mechanism to engage a striker (mounted to the vehicle body) and shift the primary latch assembly into a latched mode. To subsequently release the passenger door for movement from its closed position toward an open position, an electric "power release" actuator can actuate the latch release mechanism to mechanically release the striker from the latch mechanism and shift the primary latch assembly into an unlatched mode.
As a further advancement, power door actuation systems have been developed which function to automatically swing the passenger door about its pivot axis between its open and closed positions. Typically, power door actuation systems include a power-operated device such as, for example, a power swing door actuator having an electric motor and a rotary-to-linear conversion device that are operable for converting the rotary output of the electric motor into translational movement of an extensible member. In many power door actuator arrangements, the power swing door actuator is mounted to the passenger door and the distal end of the extensible member is fixedly secured to the vehicle body. One example of a door-mounted power door actuation system is shown in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 9,174,517 with a power swing door actuator having a rotary-to-linear conversion device configured to include an externally-threaded leadscrew rotatively driven by the electric motor and an internally-threaded drive nut meshingly engaged with the leadscrew and to which the extensible member is attached. Accordingly, control over the speed and direction of rotation of the leadscrew results in control over the speed and direction of translational movement of the drive nut and the extensible member for controlling swinging movement of the passenger door between its open and closed positions. Operation of the power swing door actuator is controlled in coordination with the power release operation of the primary latch assembly via the passive keyless entry system.
Some other door actuation systems, known as door presenter systems, are configured to include a power-operated door presenter assembly operable to "present" the door by opening it only a predetermined amount to a partially-open position so as to allow subsequent manual movement of the door to its fully-open position.
Because the door presenter assembly is typically activated by the passive keyless entry system in conjunction with power release of the primary latch assembly, it would be beneficial to have a door presenter system configured to fully close the vehicle door in the event the user decides, once the door is deployed, to not open it. It would also be beneficial to provide a door presenter system configured to hold the door by the power-operated door presenter assembly, to move the door between its deployed and rest positions, and allow manual or power release of a holding mechanism associated with the door presenter assembly. It is also desirous to overcome problems associated with current power door presenter systems in which the door can unintentionally open due to gravity forces and wind forces.
In view of the above, there remains a need to develop alternative power door presenter systems which address and overcome limitations associated with known power door actuation systems as well as to provide increased applicability while reducing cost and complexity.

Power door presenter with latching feature