A system for use with aircraft having a collision avoidance system which employs i) two transponder systems each including two antennas and a selected one of two transponders and ii) a failure warning when a transponder system failure occurs, to permit the aircraft to take off when the failure warning is the result of only one antenna failure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to aircraft alert and collision avoidance systems and more particularly to a method and apparatus to permit the pilot of an aircraft to proceed when one of the antennas of the system fails.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Aircraft traffic alert and collision avoidance systems are well known in the art. A particularly useful system is sold by Honeywell Inc. identified as TCAS II. The TCAS II system employs two transponders and two antennas (an upper antenna and a lower antenna). Either one of the transponders may be switched to the antennas to provide a dual transponder system. The TCAS II system has several modes of operation which are pertinent to the present invention. A first is when a switch on a TCAS II/transponder control panel is turned to a "STBY" (standby) position in which both transponder systems are not activated. A second is when the switch is turned to "XPDR ON" (transponder on) in which case the system has the selected transponder active. A o third is when the switch is in a "TA" (Traffic Alert) position in which case the pilot is alerted whenever any aircraft having Mode-S or Mode-C transponders are about to enter into a first predetermined envelope of airspace (the "caution area"). A fourth is when the switch is in a "TA/RA" (Traffic Alert/Resolution Advisory) position in which case the pilot is alerted whenever aircraft having Mode-S or Mode-C transponders are about to enter into a second predetermined envelope of airspace (the "warning area"). TCAS II can also detect aircraft having Mode-A transponders, but will display them without altitude indication.
Both the upper and lower antennas of the transponder must be operable per FAA requirements to permit the "warning area" display of the KA information to the pilot but only one antenna (either upper or lower) is required for the display of the "caution area" or TA information to the pilot.
Under FAA dispatch requirements and worldwide aircraft rules, aircraft are not permitted to take off without an operating transponder system (a transponder and antenna combination In the prior TCAS II system, if one transponder system failed, the pilot was informed and would switch to the other transponder. If the problem in the first transponder system had been internal, then the second transponder would be good and the failure indication would go away so that the pilot could take off. However, if the problem in the first transponder system had been an antenna failure, the failure warning would not go away when the pilot switched to the second transponder because TCAS II was set up to provide the failure indication if either antenna failed even though the other antenna was good even when in the TA only mode of system operation. Accordingly, the pilot had no alternative but to remain on the ground until the problem was found and repaired.

Method and apparatus for alerting pilot to transponder antenna failure in a traffic alert and collision avoidance system


A circuit for providing a control signal having a first predetermined magnitude in response to an analog voltage having a magnitude below a particular threshold and the control signal having a second predetermined magnitude in response to the magnitude of the analog voltage being above the particular threshold includes a threshold establishing circuit, a first transistor and a second transistor. The threshold establishing circuit receives the analog voltage and enables the first transistor to remain non-conductive until the analog voltage reaches the threshold. The second transistor is connected to the first transistor and to the analog voltage supply. The second transistor is arranged to be initially conductive as the magnitude of the analog voltage rises, and to become non-conductive in response to the first transistor being rendered conductive so that the desired control signal is developed at an output electrode of the second transistor.

Modern electronic products, such as those including microprocessors, often include digital systems and subsystems having binary output terminals which must be set to predetermined logic levels in response to the initial application of electrical power. This setting of the output levels is required before such systems and subsystems can begin operation. For instance, a dynamic RAM controller circuit includes a pair of interconnected flip-flops which have output terminals that must be set or reset to predetermined binary levels in response to the initial application of the power supply voltage. Also, multiplexers sometimes include counters having output terminals that must be set or forced to particular binary levels in response to the initiation of the power supply voltage. There are many other kinds of circuits which also require that output terminals thereof be set or forced to predetermined states in response to initial energization by a power supply. Oftentimes these circuits are provided in monolithic integrated circuit form.
In the past, the output levels of such systems and sub-systems were forced to desired known predetermined states by internal reset circuitry driven by signals derived from external sources. In the case of an integrated circuit system and subsystem, an external pin-out is required for coupling the internal reset circuitry to the external circuits, which generally provide a reset control potential of relatively low magnitude for a selected time in response to initial energization by the power supply. The internal reset circuitry responds to the reset control potential to cause the output signal states to assume the desired predetermined levels. The prior art circuits for providing the reset control voltage for the reset circuitry often include a reset switch or a discrete series circuit having a resistor connected in series with a capacitor, which provides a reset control voltage having a resistance-capacitance (RC) time constant at an output terminal therebetween. The reset circuitry is coupled to the output terminal.
The foregoing prior art solutions are particularly disadvantageous when applied to integrated circuits, which must be designed to fit into readily available packages which have a fixed number of pins associated therewith. To minimize the cost of the integrated circuit device, it is desirable to use packages with as few pins as possible. Thus, it is undesirable to require a pin for only the reset function. For example, such a requirement can make the difference between being able to utilize a standard 24 pin package instead of a standard 28 pin package. Use of the larger package not only costs more but takes up more space which can be particularly detrimental if a multiplicity of such packages are required, as may be the case with present computer boards. Moreover, the use of external switches, capacitors and resistors also increases costs, takes up space and complicates mechanical layout of the product. In addition, the manually resettable switch or RC time constant implementations for providing the reset signal sometimes cause an undesirable amount of time delay between the point in time when the product is initially energized and the point in time when the internal signal states have been set to the proper levels so that the product can begin operating. Furthermore, such implementations cannot be fabricated as part of an integrated circuit structure.

Power-on reset circuit for monolithic I.C.'s


An improved fluid coking process which includes: (a) a fluid coker comprised of a coking zone, a scrubbing zone, and a stripping zone; (b) a heater, and optionally a gasifier. The improvement comprises feeding a portion of the heated solids from the heater and/or the gasifier, to the stripping zone. Consequently, the coking zone can be operated at a temperature lower than the stripping zone.

Much work has been done over the years to convert heavy hydrocarbonaceous materials to more valuable lighter boiling products. Various thermal processes which have resulted from such work include visbreaking; catalytic hydroconversion, in both a slurry and ebullating bed; fluid coking; and delayed coking.
Of particular interest in the practice of the present invention is fluid coking. In fluid coking, a heavy hydrocarbonaceous chargestock, such as a vacuum residuum, is fed to a coking zone comprised of a fluidized bed of hot solid particles, usually coke particles, sometimes also referred to as seed coke. The heavy hydrocarbonaceous material is reacted in the coking zone, resulting in conversion products which include a vapor fraction and coke, which coke is deposited on the surface of the seed coke particles. A portion of the coked-seed particles is sent to a heating zone which is maintained at a temperature higher than that of the coking zone. Some of the coke is burned off in the heating zone. Hot seed particles from the heating zone are returned to the coking zone as regenerated seed particles, which serves as the primary heat source for the coking zone. In some fluid coking processes, a portion of hot coke from the heating zone is circulated back and forth to a gasification zone which is maintained at a temperature greater than that of the heating zone. In the gasifier, substantially all of the remaining coke on the coked seed particles is burned, or gasified, off. Several U.S. patents which teach fluid coking, with or without an integrated gasification zone, are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,726,791; 4,203,759; 4,213,848; and 4,269,696; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Many process modifications have been made over the years in an attempt to achieve higher liquid yields. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,288 discloses a method for increasing coker distillate yield in a thermal coking process by adding small amounts of a free radical inhibitor.
Notwithstanding any advantages the foregoing processes may have, there is still a need in the art for process variations which can increase liquid yields.

Coking process with hot solids recycled to the stripping zone


While continuously providing a service in an existing optical communication system, a service at another communication speed is realized at low cost. For this reason, a station-side optical network terminal apparatus is configured so that to one light-emitting unit connected are a first processing unit that performs a process to output an optical signal at one communication speed by the light-emitting unit and a second processing unit that performs a process to output an optical signal at another communication speed by the light-emitting unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a station-side optical network terminal apparatus, a subscriber-side optical network terminal apparatus, and an optical communication system such as a PON (Passive Optical Network) to perform transmission/reception of information at a high speed by communication using light as a transmission medium.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, with popularization of multimedia service such as video service or internet access, installation of an optical communication system which performs communication connection to a subscriber device by FTTB (Fiber to the Building), FTTH (Fiber to the Home), or the like using light as a transmission medium is advanced.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a general PON. In an optical communication system serving as a related art of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1, an optical signal from a station-side optical network apparatus OLT (Optical Line Terminal) is passively split and coupled by an optical star coupler serving as a 1-to-multi connection optical split coupler and connected to a plurality of subscriber-side optical network terminal apparatus ONUs (Optical Network Units) installed in an office or the like through optical fibers.
As a system previously applied by the present applicant, an ATM-PON duplex system which forms a duplex configuration between an optical coupler and a subscriber-side optical network terminal apparatus is known. In this system, switching is performed in units of virtual passes or virtual channels on the basis of switching control information, so that high-speed switching to a spare system without adversely affecting a circuit in which a failure does not occur (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2002-57679 (Patent Document 1)).
As an IP (Internet Protocol) telephone access system previously applied by the present applicant, there is known a system which verifies an IP packet by using an address management table, an IP management table, and a subscriber number management table which associates logical link identifiers of subscriber terminal apparatuses and IP addresses of IP telephone terminals with each other. In this manner, a fixed telephone number is prevented from being used beyond a geographical identification area (for example, see JP-A-2006-13639 (Patent Document 2)).
Problems of the related arts described above will be described below.
When a high-speed service of a PON is to be introduced in the optical communication system according to the related art, the service must be continuously performed to a user using an existing service. For this reason, in order to introduce the high-speed communication service, an OLT for the existing service and an OLT for high-speed communication service must be arranged as illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, in comparison with provision of only the existing service, the cost further increases. In the example in FIG. 2, the OLT for an existing service and the OLT for a high-speed service are denoted as a 1G OLT and a 10G OLT, respectively.
Since optical signals in different wavelength bands are multiplexed in accordance with communication speeds by wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), a usable wavelength path may be difficult to be assured when a communication speed for providing services and the number of applications increase.
The systems in Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above are not made in consideration of provision of services of a plurality of communication speeds. Therefore, in this case, a cost reduction is not considered.

Station-side optical network terminal apparatus, subscriber-side optical network terminal apparatus, and optical communication system


A device for drilling an acoustic component including a drilling head, and the drilling head has a support unit including at least two autonomous drilling cassettes. Each cassette includes at least one drill bit, a stationary frame with respect to the support unit, and a bit support moveable along the main axis (Δ) of the cassette between a retracted position and a deployed position. In particular, each bit support is equipped with a device for sensing the skin of the acoustic component to be drilled allowing to automatically control the drilling depth of the bits of each cassette.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In the field of drilling acoustic components, robots with arms, or 5-axis machines, are used for carrying heads integrating bits disposed in a line or in a matrix manner. These heads are fixed on the arms of the robots or the 5-axis machines and each robot or 5-axis machine is programmed to place a head above an area of an acoustic component to be drilled, so that the bits integrated in the head may drill the area. Then, this head is displaced above the acoustic component according to a computed trajectory in order to adjust the time and improve quality of drilling the acoustic components so as to join another area to the acoustic component to be drilled of and carry out another drilling thereto.
Currently, the acoustic heads for drilling are achieved by disposing bits in a matrix manner, for example 9 bits distributed into three rows of three columns (3*3) or even 21 bits distributed in 7 lines and three columns (7*3). In this type of device, the drilling ends of the bits are disposed in a same stationary plane with respect to the acoustic head for drilling.
The matrix drilling is more efficient than line drilling but nevertheless has drawbacks, in particular the difficulties to align the ends of the bits in a parallel fashion with a non-planar skin and additional difficulties of managing the depth of each hole, or even the necessity of modifying the drilling head in order to manage reduced inter-patch spaces or according to the entry angle of the drilling head, or even the relatively low drilling pace.
Inter-patch means the non-drilled distance left between two adjoining patches (two drillings).
The difficulties of aligning the ends of the bits in a parallel fashion with a non-planar skin of an acoustic component to be drilled sometimes requires breaking the bits so that they do not penetrate too much into the acoustic component to be drilled thus risking drilling the acoustic component right through, this breaking operation makes operators lose a significant amount of time, and in addition is expensive since new bits must replace the broken bits once these are no longer used.
Moreover, the maintenance of such heads for drilling acoustic components is difficult in particular as currently specialized production operators handle these drilling heads, but should a problem arise, the operator must call a specialized maintenance team, which is moreover expensive and slows down production.

Device for drilling an acoustic component, cassette, acoustic drilling method and method of manufacturing an acoustic component


The apparatus for erecting ribbed cardboard for protecting packed products comprises a collecting device provided with gripping means which are mobile between a gripping station of a single blank sheet of ribbed cardboard from a collecting store and a folding station of the sheet. A folding matrix is destined to receive a single sheet of ribbed cardboard supplied by the collecting device. The forming punch is destined to cooperate with the folding matrix in order to fold opposite lateral flaps of the sheet by contact with the folding means. The forming punch is destined to retain the sheet on completion of the folding stage. A transfer device hingedly bearing the forming punch and destined to move the forming punch between the folding station and a release station of the sheet, which sheet is retained in a folded configuration by the forming punch and a packing line of the products.

The invention relates to an apparatus for predisposing and erecting ribbed cardboard for protecting products, in particular precious articles, in a packing line for the products.
The prior art comprises methods for packing precious products, such as for example perfumes and the like, in which paper-based packing is often used comprising sheets of material of a ribbed cardboard type. The use of this material enables an aesthetically-pleasing pack to be obtained while at the same time providing effective protection for the product, often realized in glass or another fragile material, from impacts and external shocks.
In particular, methods and apparatus are known which efficiently enable packs to be obtained which comprise a box-shaped external pack, internally exhibiting a sheet of shaped ribbed cardboard destined to contain a single product, for example a small glass bottle.
These methods and apparatus of known type essentially comprise predisposing a sheet of ribbed cardboard, specially cut to measure, and folding the sheet into the desired shape with alternated movements on the part of special mobile folding means, inserting a single product internally of the sheet of ribbed cardboard and proceeding to the realizing of the external packing.
The apparatus at present known, however, generally do not enable this type of pack to be realized when operating the erecting and inserting of the ribbed cardboard continuously in the packing line. This often leads to a limitation in the production speed of the line.

Apparatus for erecting ribbed cardboard for protecting packed products


A multi-layered capacitive humidity sensing element having a carrier material separated from a water vapor permeable, electrically conductive coating by an insulating layer which is humidity sensitive, and a method for its manufacture is provided. A metal foil is utilized as the carrier material serving both as a support frame and as an electrically conductive layer. A thin gold layer is applied to the insulating layer, which is formed out of a synthetic material. The gold layer is sufficiently permeable to allow water vapor to freely diffuse into the synthetic layer from the surrounding atmosphere, yet remains thick enough to function as an electrically conductive outer layer. The sensing element thus constructed has both a short response time and an improved simplicity of manufacture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a capacitive humidity sensing element, and more particularly to such an element that is multi-layered and which contains a carrier material insensitive to humidity, having at least one humidity-sensitive layer, and at least one water vapor permeable, electrically conductive coating bonded to the carrier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A capacitive humidity sensing element is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,941. Therein, a carrier consisting of a non-electrically conductive material which is also not sensitive to humidity, i.e., the ambient water vapor, is attached to a support frame. Humidity sensitive layers are applied to both sides of this carrier. The humidity sensitive layers are in turn coated with sprayed-on, electrically conductive layers. These form the coatings of the capacitor and contacts are provided at the support frame. This construction is relatively involved and does not permit the economical mass production of this device.


A power system for an electric vehicle, an electric vehicle and a method for charging a power battery are provided. The power system includes: a power battery (10); a charge-discharge socket (20); a bidirectional DC-DC module (30); a driving control switch (40); a bidirectional DC-AC module (50); a motor (M); a motor control switch (60); a charge-discharge control module (70); a battery manager (108); and a control module (80) configured to control the driving control switch (40), the motor control switch (60) and the charge-discharge control module (70) so as to control the power system to enter a charge-discharge mode, and to control the power battery (10) to charge and discharge in a pulse mode so as to heat the power battery (10) when the temperature of the power battery (10) is lower than a predetermined temperature.

With an increasingly serious global energy crisis, electric vehicle with advantages of saving energy and reducing pollution has drawn much attention. A power battery in an electric vehicle may store a great deal of energy. Currently, a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery is widely adopted as the power battery in the electric vehicle due to its numerous advantages, such as high discharge rate (5-10 C), stable discharging voltage, safety in use, long service life and low environmental pollution. However, when the lithium iron phosphate battery used as an in-vehicle power battery works in a low temperature environment, an internal resistance of the battery becomes too large such that the battery is difficult to be charged.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


In an imaging apparatus, at least one imaging unit performs a capturing task to capture image data in accordance with control data. An embedding unit embeds, into the image data, condition data indicative of an operating condition of the imaging unit, thus generating embedded image data. A communication unit performs serial communications with an external device to thereby receiving the control data from the external device, and transmitting the embedded image data to the external device.

Typical imaging apparatuses, which are for example installable in a vehicle, are configured to use serial communications to communicate with external devices.
For example, such an imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit. The imaging apparatus is configured to transmit image data captured by the imaging unit to external devices via serial communications.
In addition, the imaging apparatus is configured to receive, from external devices via serial communications, control data for controlling the imaging unit, and transmit, to external devices, condition data indicative of the operating parameters of the imaging unit.
International Unexamined Patent Application No. 2013/043661 discloses such an imaging apparatus configured to transmit frames, i.e. frame images, at predetermined intervals, i.e. predetermined vertical blanking intervals. That is, the vertical blanking interval represents a period during which no frames are transmitted from the imaging apparatus to an external device.
In particular, the imaging apparatus is configured to communicate, with an external device, such control data and/or such condition data during at least one of the vertical blanking intervals.

Imaging apparatus and image processing system


A liquid crystal display element comprises a first and a second substrates, a vertical alignment liquid crystal layer, and a first and a second polarizers arranged to cross approximately their absorption axes and an alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules when no voltage is applied at almost 45 degrees. At least one of the electrodes comprises a polyline extending to an extending direction as a whole and having no straight line in parallel to the extending direction along an electrode edge, and the polyline is formed along an edge of at least one of the first and the second electrodes where the alignment directions when a voltage is applied and when no voltage is applied are opposite to each other if the polyline is a straight line along the extending direction.

A) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a liquid crystal display element.
B) Description of the Related Art
A vertical alignment type liquid crystal display element is formed by placing a vertical alignment (VA) mode liquid crystal cell between polarizers arranged in the crossed Nicols. The VA mode liquid crystal cell consists of a liquid crystal layer placed between two front and back glass substrates, and liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are aligned approximately perpendicular to the substrates. When viewed from a perpendicular direction to the glass substrates, optical transmission of a background display region (no-voltage applied region) of the vertical alignment type liquid crystal display element is almost similar to that of the polarizers arranged in the crossed Nicols and very low. Therefore, it is relatively easy to realize high contrast display with the vertical alignment type liquid crystal display element.
The following techniques are well-known as alignment processes for uniformly pretilted liquid crystal molecules away from the perpendicular direction between inner surfaces of the front and back substrates of the VA mode liquid crystal cell: (i) a method wherein a uniformed alignment is realized by an effect of the surface shape obtained by performing oblique deposition of a metal oxide film such as SiOx as an alignment film from a direction tilted away from the perpendicular direction to the substrate to form a surface of the deposited film in a sawlike or jagged shape; (ii) a so-called photo alignment method wherein an organic alignment film material such as polyimide, etc. is formed on an inner surface of a substrate and thereafter ultraviolet ray is irradiated to a surface of the alignment film from a direction tilted away from the perpendicular direction (refer to Japanese Patent No. 2872628); and (iii) a method wherein a vertical alignment film having a specific surface free energy is formed on an inner surface of a substrate and thereafter treated by a rubbing process (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 2005-234254). Those methods are mono-domain alignment methods wherein liquid crystal molecules can be aligned in one direction in a liquid crystal layer of a VA mode liquid crystal cell when no voltage is applied.
FIG. 8A is a schematic cross sectional view of a vertical alignment type liquid crystal display element according to the prior art, and FIGS. 8B to 8D are schematic plan views showing parts of electrode structures of the element.
As shown in FIG. 8A, the conventional vertical alignment type liquid crystal display element consists of a front substrate 11, a back substrate 12 and a vertical alignment liquid crystal layer 13 placed between both substrates 11 and 12.
The front substrate 11 consists of a front glass substrate 11a, a segment transparent electrode 11b formed on the front glass substrate 11a and a front vertical alignment film 11c formed on the front glass substrate 11a and the segment transparent electrode 11b. Similarly the back substrate 12 consists of a back glass substrate 12a, a common transparent electrode 12b formed on the back glass substrate 12a and a back vertical alignment film 12c formed on the back glass substrate 12a and the common transparent electrode 12b. The segment transparent electrode 11b and the common transparent electrode 12b are, for example, formed of indium tin oxide (ITO).
The front and the back vertical alignment films 11c and 12c are treated with the alignment process in one direction, for example, by the above-described alignment method (ii) or (iii). When a directional coordinate system in a plane parallel to the front and the back substrates 11 and 12 is defined by defining a far side direction perpendicular to the surface of the drawing sheet as a twelve o'clock direction (90 degrees direction), a right direction in the surface of the drawing sheet as a three o'clock direction (0 degree direction), a near side direction perpendicular to the surface of the drawing sheet as a six o'clock direction (270 degrees direction), and a left direction in the surface of the drawing sheet as a nine o'clock direction (90 degree direction), for example, the front vertical alignment film 11c is treated with the alignment process to align the liquid crystal molecules in the twelve o'clock direction, and the back vertical alignment film 12c is treated with the alignment process to align the liquid crystal molecules in the six o'clock direction.
A vertical alignment liquid crystal layer 13 is a liquid crystal layer whose liquid crystal molecules are almost vertically aligned and placed between the front vertical alignment film 11c of the front substrate 11 and the back vertical alignment film 12c of the back substrate 12. For example, the vertical alignment liquid crystal layer 13 is formed of liquid crystal material having negative dielectric anisotropy and has a mono-domain structure. For example, when no voltage is applied between the segment transparent electrode 11b and the common transparent electrode 12b (hereinafter called the no-voltage-applied state), the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 13 are aligned approximately perpendicular to the front and the back substrates 11 and 12 When a voltage larger than threshold voltage is applied between both electrodes 11b and 12b (hereinafter called the voltage-applied state), a large part of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 13 are tilted toward an in-plane direction of the substrates 11 and 12 in the alignment process direction.
A spacer 14 keeps a gap, for example, between the front substrate 11 and the back substrate 12. Both substrates 11 and 12 are adhered too each other by a sealing part 15.
A front viewing angle compensator 16 and a front polarizer 18, in this order, are placed on the front glass substrate 11a on an opposite side of the liquid crystal layer 13. Similarly a back viewing angle compensator 17 and a back polarizer 19, in this order, are placed on the back glass substrate 12a on an opposite side of the liquid crystal layer 13. The front and the back polarizers 18 and 19 are, for example, placed in crossed Nicols arrangement and also in an arrangement wherein an absorption axis and an alignment direction (the six o'clock direction) of the liquid crystal molecules in the center of the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 13 in the no-voltage-applied state cross each other at almost 45 degrees in a plane in parallel to the substrate surface. For example, the front polarizer 18 is placed to make its absorption axis direct in a 45 to 225 degrees direction, and the back polarizer 19 is placed to make its absorption axis direct in a 135 to 315 degrees direction.
The front and the back viewing angle compensators 16 and 17 are viewing angle compensators having negative uniaxial or negative biaxial optical anisotropy. When in-plane slow axes exist in the front and the back viewing angle compensators 16 and 17, the front and the back viewing angle compensators 16 and 17 are arranged to make the slow axes and transmission axes of the adjacent polarizers 18 and 19 approximately parallel to each other.
In application of the liquid crystal display element, a back light is placed behind the back polarizer 19. Light emitted from the back light transmits through the back polarizer 19 and the back viewing angle compensator 17 and is input to the liquid crystal cell. The front polarizer 18 blocks the light input to and transmitted through the liquid crystal cell in any regions when a larger voltage than a threshold voltage is not applied between the segment transparent electrode 11b and the common transparent electrode 12b and in regions except a display regions (regions where both electrodes 11b and 12b are overlapped in a direction perpendicular to the substrates 11 and 12 and where display is performed) even when the voltage is applied. Therefore, a viewer viewing the liquid crystal display element from the outside of the front polarizer 18 sees a dark display state (black display). On the other hand, in the display region when the voltage larger than the threshold voltage is applied between both electrodes 11b and 12b, the light input to the liquid crystal cell transmits through the liquid crystal cell and the front polarizer 18. Therefore, a viewer viewing the liquid crystal display element from the outside of the front polarizer 18 sees a light display state (white display).
FIG. 8B and FIG. 8C are schematic plan views respectively showing a part of the segment transparent electrode 11b and a part of the common transparent electrode 12b. Moreover, FIG. 8D is a schematic plan view showing the parts of both electrodes 11b and 12b viewed from a direction perpendicular to the front substrate 11.
The liquid crystal display element shown in FIGS. 8A to 8D is a so-called segment liquid crystal display element which realizes a shape of a display region mainly by a shape of the segment electrode 11b. The display regions in an arbitrary shape can be demarcated by a shape of an electrode in the segment liquid crystal display element. FIGS. 8B to 8D show the electrodes 11b and 12b regions that form the display region which reads a word "AUTO". Moreover, the segment liquid crystal display element is driven by a simple matrix drive such as the multiplex drive.
In order to display the word "AUTO", the segment transparent electrode 11b is formed on the front glass substrate 11a in a shape shown in FIG. 8B. Moreover, the common transparent electrode 12b is formed on the back glass substrate 12a in a shape shown in FIG. 8C. The front substrate 11 and the back substrate 12 are arranged in approximately parallel to each other with making the surfaces where the electrodes 11b and 12b are formed face each other. Moreover, the front substrate 11 and the back substrate 12 are adhered to each other by positioning them as shown in FIG. 8D to form an overlapped region where both electrodes 11b and 12b overlap in a shape of the word "AUTO". With a combination of the electrode structures shown in FIGS. 8B to 8D and the mono-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal layer, it becomes possible to realize a good dark display state in the region other than the display region.
It is known that the liquid crystal display element shown in FIGS. 8A to 8D has the polar angular direction observation angle wherein the light display state can not be observed from the six o'clock direction whereas the good light display state can be observed from the twelve o'clock direction. The twelve o'clock direction is called the optimal viewing direction while the six o'clock direction is called the anti viewing direction.


An optical element comprising a stacked liquid crystal (LC) structure for rotating polarization (e.g., handedness) of an incident circularly polarized light over a broad wavelength and incident angle for head-mounted displays (HMD)s display application is proposed. The stacked LC structure has a dual cell structures, which includes at least a first LC cell and a second LC cell, and the stacked LC structure rotates the polarized light for a broad band of light (e.g., visible spectrum) over a given field a view. The performance of designed dual LC cells structures may be optimized for narrow band wavelength and a narrow incident angle for different application cases.

The present disclosure generally relates to adaptive visual images from electronic displays, and specifically to minimizing the birefringent dispersion of birefringent optical components.
A near-eye display (NED), augmented reality (AR) headsets, and virtual reality (VR) headsets can be used to simulate virtual, augmented, and mixed reality environments. For example, stereoscopic images can be displayed on an electronic display inside the headset to simulate the illusion of depth. Head tracking sensors can be used to estimate what portion of the virtual environment is being viewed by the user. Such a simulation, however, can cause visual fatigue and nausea resulting from an inability of existing headsets to correctly render or otherwise compensate for vergence and accommodation conflicts.
To create a comfortable viewing experience, the virtual image generated by the headset needs to be generated at the right distance from the eye. One or more optical components such as liquid crystal cells may be used to achieve this. However, conventional liquid crystal displays are birefringent.

Liquid crystal cells for polarization rotation


A portable apparatus and method for monitoring heart muscle electrical activity includes a plurality of electrical contacts and a monitoring unit. The contacts receive the electrical signals generated by the heart muscle of a patient and transmit the signals to the monitoring unit. A reference axis is established for each signal by the monitoring unit. Predetermined portions of each signal are then used by the monitoring unit to identify the ST segment of the signal which is then compared to the reference axis. Whenever a series of ST segments exhibit an ST deviation from the reference axis which exceeds a predetermined threshold ST deviation, the monitoring unit records data relating thereto which is used for diagnosis of myocardial ischemia.

A restricted blood supply to the heart muscle is a condition termed myocardial ischemia which is evidenced by abnormal heart muscle electrical activity. Untreated, myocardial ischemia can ultimately result in heart failure. As a result, monitoring of the electrical signals which stimulate the heart muscle is an invaluable diagnostic tool for determining the health of the heart and identifying abnormalities thereof.
When the electrical signal of a heart muscle is plotted over time, it defines a characteristic curve having a waveform which extends periodically above and below a horizontal reference axis conventionally termed the isoelectric line. Each elevation or depression of the signal curve above or below the reference axis respectively is termed a wave and is identified by a letter. There are a total of six waves in each period of the signal which are identified by the letters, P, Q, R, S, T, and U. A straight line connecting two waves of the signal curve is further identified as a segment, while a wave and connecting straight line is termed an interval. Segments and intervals are identified by various combinations of the above-listed letters.
A normal electrical signal of a healthy heart muscle is generally reflected in a regular curve having predictable PR and ST segments and PR, QRS, and QT intervals. Anomalous electrical signals of a heart muscle are reflected by deviations in specific portions of the curve from the predicted norm. Such deviations, and specifically deviations of the ST segment, may be symptomatic of myocardial ischemia.
Conventional electrical monitoring devices of the heart muscle are usually relatively immobile and complex to operate which requires them to be maintained in a central medical facility for operation by skilled personnel. As a result, outpatients at such facilities only receive monitoring periodically and for a short duration. However, diagnosis of myocardial ischemia generally requires the compilation of signal histories for an extended period of time which periodic monitoring does not provide.
Portable monitors for heart muscle electrical activity represent a potential solution to this problem. Unfortunately, satisfactory portable monitors have not been developed which are sufficiently small to enable full mobility of the patient, yet which are sufficiently sophisticated to enable continuous and reliable electrical monitoring of the patient in remote environments. As such, an electrical monitor is needed which specifically monitors electrical signals of the heart muscle and detects abnormal activity thereof. A monitor is needed which enables recording and displaying of relevant diagnostic data relating to anomalous heart muscle electrical signals. Further, such a monitor is needed which is portable, thereby enabling full mobility of the patient while providing continuous effective operation in remote environments.

Device for detecting abnormal heart muscle electrical activity


A deterrent device communication apparatus is linked to a deterrent device. When the deterrent device is in a ready state, the communication apparatus cooperates with an intermediate communication device to establish a communication path with an emergency response center through which the holder of the deterrent device can communicate.

The decision to use a deterrent device such as a firearm in a response to a home invasion is not a decision that is made lightly. Many homeowners would prefer to allow trained law enforcement professionals to address such situations. However, when confronted with the possibility of a home invasion it may be necessary to make a split second decision as to whether to reach for a firearm or to reach for a telephone. This gives a homeowner a difficult choice between arming to defend oneself and remaining disarmed and distracted while attempting to contact law enforcement officials.
It is known to equip firearms with gunshot detectors and notification systems that advise local authorities when the firearm is discharged. Examples of this include but are not limited to US Pat. Pub. No. 2006/0042142 entitled Gunshot Detector Notification System, U.S. Pat. No. 8,339,257 entitled Firearm and System for Notifying Firearm Discharge and US Pat. Pub. No. 2012/0062388 entitled Firearms Management System. However, such approaches merely notify authorities that firearm has been discharged and do not achieve the goal of preventing the need for the homeowner to discharge the weapon. Additionally, firearm interlock systems are known that prevent firearms from being used in certain areas or regions. For example, US Pat. Pub. No. 2002/0170219 entitled Dischargeable Hand Weapons Having Reduced Criminal Usefulness describes a firearm control system that limits the geographical area in which the firearm will discharge to an area where the firearm is kept for defense. However, this does nothing to assist the homeowner in the case of a home invasion.
Additionally, many of these systems require that a cellular telephone be integrated into the firearm. This creates difficulties in that incorporating such technologies into the firearm typically requires a significant alteration in weapon design, balance, handling and ultimately utility.
What is needed therefore is an integrated approach to home defense allowing a homeowner to seek help from law enforcement while maintaining an active and ready deterrent capability.
The challenge of maintaining a firearm or other deterrent device in a ready position during a home invasion while also attempting to communicate with police or other law enforcement authorities can be complicated when a homeowner chooses to retreat into a hiding place while waiting for seeking law enforcement help. In such circumstances, the dilemma of whether to focus on manipulating a deterrent device or a telephone can extend for a significant period of time.
Despite these challenges it can be critical for a homeowner to maintain communications with law enforcement personnel during a home invasion. For example, such communications can be important in helping to direct law enforcement personnel to particular portions of the home where the perpetrator may be found. Such communications can also be used to help ensure that law enforcement is aware of locations of the home where the homeowner or other family members may be found so as to lessen the risk that the homeowner or family members will be confused with the perpetrator and to lessen the risk that law enforcement will take actions that may endanger a homeowner or other family members.
Accordingly, what is needed is a new personal defense system that enables communication between a homeowner with law enforcement personnel while allowing the homeowner to maintain an active and ready defensive position.


A network interface device having a first board to connect with a wired network to provide signal exchange, which is mounted in a network electronic device, a second board to connect with a wireless network to provide signal exchange, and a first and a second link portion provided at the first and the second boards to removably connect the first and the second boards, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network interface device, and more particularly, to a network interface device which is adapted to electronic devices, such as computers and printers, to connect them to wired or wireless networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a network interface device is installed in a network electronic device, such as a computer and a printer, to connect the electronic device to wired, or wireless networks.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show one example of the network electronic device, i.e., a printer. It is common that a printer 100, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is connected to a network through the employment of network interface devices 150, 150′ which are separately purchased. In this case, the network interface devices 150 and 150′ are removably mounted on a mounting portion 115 of the printer 100, while being selectively blocked from the outside by a side cover 110, and the network interface devices 150 and 150′ usually include a board 151, a bracket 153 and a connecting terminal 155.
The board 151 is usually a printed circuit board (PCB) having predetermined circuits printed thereon, and for the signal exchange with wired or wireless networks, there are a plurality of electronic elements P (see FIG. 3) equipped with a data processing unit (not shown) and a memory (not shown) connected with the predetermined circuits on the board 151. On one side of the board 151, there is the connecting terminal 155 removably mounted on a connecting slot 118 of the printer 100. With the connection between the connecting terminal 155 and the connecting slot 118, the data processing unit (not shown) is connected with a printer control unit 120 (FIG. 4) of the printer 100 so as to mutually exchange signals.
Meanwhile, the bracket 153 is to fix the network interface devices 150 and 150′ to the printer 100, and with the connection between the connecting slot 118 and the connecting terminal 155, the bracket 153 is fixed to the printer 100 by fasteners S. The bracket 153 also has connecting ports 157 and 158, which connect the data processing unit (not shown) to the wired or wireless networks. The connecting port 157 for the wired network is connected with a connecting means such as a LAN cable for a wired network, while the connecting port 158 for a wireless network is connected with separate components such as an antenna A or a light receiving device (not shown) corresponding to the wireless signal transmission/reception mode. If a wireless network interface device having a built-in antenna such as PCMCIA therein is used, the connecting port 158 for a wireless network may be omitted.
The network interface devices 150 and 150′ constructed as described above are mainly characterized into two uses: 1) for use in a wireless network such as a wireless LAN and an IRDA; and 2) for use in a wired network such as Ethernet, which are respectively available on the market.
Accordingly, a plurality of connecting slots 118 also need to be prepared in the printer 100 for the mounting of the plurality of network interface devices 150 and 150′. As a result, the printer 100 usually becomes large-sized, and manufacturing costs also increase.
Additionally, in order for the electronic devices having the two types of network interface devices 150 and 150′ to be connected to the Internet, different Internet protocol (IP) addresses have to be allocated to the network interface devices 150 and 150′ and managed, respectively. As a plurality of IP addresses are allocated and managed for one electronic device, constructing a network costs considerably.
Still further, because the plurality of network interface devices 150 and 150′ each keep physical addresses, i.e., Media Access Control (MAC) addresses, it is difficult to manage the a plurality of IP addresses or the physical addresses when a plurality of network interface devices 150 and 150′ are installed together in a single electronic device.


A thresher for a combine harvester has a concave cage and a rotor disposed within the concave cage. The rotor carries material manipulators that extend outward from the rotor toward the cage to manipulate material in the concave cage as the rotor rotates. One or more air nozzles are provided that direct air outward from the rotor and toward the concave cage. A source of forced air circulates air through the one or more air nozzles.

Combine harvesters, or combines, are used to reap, thresh, and winnow or separate grain crops. In the threshing process, the grain is separated from the chaff, and in the separation process, the grain and chaff are separated into separate streams. In one common type of combine harvester, a rotor that carries devices to assist in separation, such as rasp bars and blades, sweep, etc., and rotates within a concave grating. The rasp bars help loosen and begin separating the grain from the chaff as it is pushed through the grating.
In order to increase capacity, rotary combines continue to add increasingly larger engines. However, there are limits to the ability to increase capacity in this way given the geometric shape of the machines due to road travel weight and size restrictions.


The present invention relates to a fan for an internal combustion engine. The fan has a locking device for a fluid friction clutch in the form of a pivoting hook that may be mounted subsequently at a fixed location using a holding device and may be triggered using an electromagnet. The electromagnet may be accommodated in the circuit of an ignition lock such that when the engine is started, the fan wheel is prevented from rotating unintentionally.

A fan arrangement of this type is known from DE 34 20 277 C3. There, the housing of the fluid friction clutch, said housing being equipped with the fan blades, was assigned either a mechanically actuated brake or a mechanically actuated retaining rod, in order to stop the fan wheel completely, for example during a cold start, and thereby prevent the cooling air generated by the co-rotating fan from delaying the heating of the cooling fluid of the internal combustion engine. Both the brake provided there and the positively acting retaining device are actuated via a memory element which changes its shape abruptly at a specific coolant temperature and, since the memory element provided there is a coil, frees the fan wheel to rotate from a specific coolant temperature, while below this coolant temperature, that is to say, for example, during a cold start, it retains the fan wheel. In devices of this type, the drive arrangement, in particular the fluid friction clutch, must be provided correspondingly with a brake or, as proposed there, with a hollow drive shaft, through which an axially displaceable retaining rod is guided. This is complicated and also does not permit subsequent refitting. The changeover operation can also be triggered solely by the coolant temperature, specifically irrespective of the air temperature which controls the supply or discharge of oil to or from the clutch and which is recorded via a bimetal.

Fan assembly with a fan locking device for an automotive fluid friction fan clutch

Magenta GmbH Systemlieferant Fuer Elektromagnetische Baugruppen

Bayerishce Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A dispenser for dispensing a repositionable adhesive note paper from a roll includes a housing defining an interior and a discharge opening. A drive system of the dispenser includes a roller rotatably mounted within the housing interior and a motor engaging the roller to rotate the roller with respect to the housing about a central axis of the roller. A pressure member is located within the housing and is preferably movable with between an engaged position where it urges the paper into contact with the roller and a disengaged position where it is separated from the roller to permit loading of paper.

Adhesive note paper, such as POST-IT® note paper by 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn., includes sheets of paper having a low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive on the back of each sheet. The pressure-sensitive adhesive allows a user to removably adhere the note paper to a surface, such as a document that the user wishes to associate a note without marking the document by writing directly on the document. The low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive allows for subsequent removal of the note paper from the surface without resulting damage to the surface. The sheets of adhesive note paper are provided in stacks from which individual sheets are removed.
It is also known, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,283 (Kanbar), to provide a roll of adhesive note paper. The note paper of the roll includes a band of low-tack adhesive on one side of the note paper. Kanbar also discloses a dispenser for dispensing the adhesive note paper from the roll. The note paper is directed from the roll, which is rotatably mounted on a shaft, onto a motor-driven conveyor belt such that the note paper adheres to the belt. A dispenser for dispensing an adhesive note paper from a roll having an endless conveyor belt onto which the paper is directed is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,875.


There is provided a logic circuit causing the same delay time as a conventional logic circuit and acting as a D flip-flop circuit with a data-selecting function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a logic circuit, or more particularly, to a logic circuit acting as a flip-flop circuit with a data-selecting function.
2. Description of the Related Art
For constructing a logic circuit that acts at a high speed, it is generally known to adopt a pipeline structure. The pipeline structure is such that: flip-flops are included in an combinational circuit; the combinational circuit is divided into a plurality of stages segmented with the flip-flops; and the stages are worked simultaneously in order to carry out processing. Adoption of the pipeline structure improves a throughput and speeds up the action of the whole logic circuit. Thus, the flip-flops serve as basic circuits required for realizing a logic circuit.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a flip-flop circuit employed conventionally. The flip-flop circuit consists of five inverters IV1 to IV5, two tristate inverters TIV1 and TIV2, and two transmission gates TG1 and TG2. The flip-flop circuit inputs a voltage of an input signal I1 developed with the rising of a clock signal CLK that is a reference signal based on which the circuit acts. The flip-flop circuit then outputs the signal through an output port O1 and retains the state thereof until the next rising of the clock signal CLK. FIG. 3 is a truth table indicating the action of the flip-flop circuit shown in FIG. 2.
When the flip-flop circuit shown in FIG. 2 is actually produced, it causes a propagation delay as indicated in the timing chart of FIG. 4. Therefore, a signal is developed at the output port O1 in a certain time (delay time td) after the rising of the clock signal CLK. Moreover, circuit elements causing a propagation delay are interposed between the input port I1 and a node n1 at which data is stored. For this reason, a signal to be applied to the input port I1 must be produced by a time, which is longer than the certain time (setup time ts), earlier than the rising of the clock signal CLK.
FIG. 5 shows an example of a pipeline circuit having a combinational circuit Comb interposed between flip-flop circuits F/F. In the pipeline circuit, a cycle time tcyc is determined with the sum of a delay time caused by the flip-flop circuits themselves (a delay time td plus a setup time ts) and a delay time occurring between the flip-flop circuits (that is, a delay time tcomb caused by the combinational circuit). Whether the delay times can be reduced as much as possible has a significant meaning in designing a pipeline circuit that acts at a high speed. The cycle time tcyc required by the pipeline circuit is expressed as follows:tcyc=ts+td+tcomb  (1)
For allowing a logic circuit to act at a high speed, the cycle time tcyc must be reduced. However, the combinational circuit Comb cannot be excluded in order to realize a large-scale integration (LSI) having an intended logic function. Moreover, a delay time caused by one circuit element is shorter than that caused by a flip-flop circuit F/F. Therefore, realizing a flip-clop circuit that acts at a high speed is essential to an increase in the speed at which a logic circuit acts.
Circuitry having a flip-flop circuit that includes a circuit element for realizing an added function is known as a means for speeding up the action of a logic circuit using a flip-flop circuit. The circuit has been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 7-231246 and 6-45879.
The Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-231246 describes circuitry having a latch circuit, which is a component of a flip-flop circuit, with a NAND function. When the latch circuit having the NAND function is used to construct a flip-flop circuit, an NAND element is substituted for the inverter IV3 or IV5 in the flip-flop circuit shown in FIG. 2. The substitution realizes a flip-flop circuit having the NAND function.
Moreover, the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-45879 describes circuitry having a flip-flop circuit with a data-selecting function. The circuitry is concerned with a flip-flop circuit having a master /slave structure. The flip-flop circuit with a data-selecting function is realized by adding to a master stage a feature for latching a plurality of data items and a feature for selecting one data from the data items and transferring the selected data to a slave stage.
However, in the flip-flop circuit with a data-selecting function disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-45879, three circuits must be included for holding data. This leads to a large area. Besides, the number of selectable data items is two.

Abstract: A logic circuit having the circuitry shown in FIG. 6 will be described briefly. Two transmission gates TG10a (TG10b) and TG11 and two inverters IV10 and IV11 are used to define a data propagation path from an input port I1 (I2) to an output port O1. Thus, four logic gates are located along the path in the same manner as they are in a conventional D flip-flop circuit. The transmission gate TG10a (TG10b) is controlled using a NOR circuit 12a that inputs a clock CLK and a select signal /sel that is the reverse of a select signal sel (NOR circuit 12b that inputs the clock CLK and the select signal sel). The transmission gate TG11 is controlled with the clock CLK. Either of two input data items is selected based on the select signals, and then output.

Abstract: When a D flip-flop circuit with a data-selecting function that causes the same delay time as a conventional D flip-flop circuit is adapted to a pipeline circuit, the action of the pipeline circuit can be speeded up.


A high voltage generation circuit generates a stable high voltage signal by selectively changing a delay time according to a voltage level of an external power signal. In the high voltage generation circuit, a voltage pump unit increases a voltage level of an external power signal in response to a control signal. A level detection unit detects a voltage level of the high voltage signal and delays the high voltage signal for a predetermined delay time to generate a high voltage enable signal, wherein the predetermined delay time is determined according to a voltage level of the external power signal. An oscillation unit performs an oscillating operation in response to the high voltage enable signal and generating an oscillation signal. A control signal generation unit generates the control signal in response to the oscillation signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device for use in a semiconductor memory device; and, more particularly, to an apparatus for generating a stable high voltage signal by selectively changing a delay time according to a voltage level for an external power signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a typical semiconductor memory device, a high voltage signal is used for compensating a voltage loss caused due to threshold voltages of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors. The high voltage signal has a voltage level higher than an external power signal. A semiconductor device for generating the high voltage signal is called a high voltage generation circuit.
Since the high voltage signal can compensate for the voltage loss, the high voltage generation circuits are widely used in a word line drive circuit, a bit line isolation circuit, a data output buffer circuit, and the like.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional high voltage generation circuit.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional high voltage generation circuit includes a level detection unit 110, an oscillation unit 130, a control signal generation unit 150 and a voltage pump unit 170.
The level detection unit 110 detects a voltage level of a high voltage signal Vpp to generate a high voltage enable signal PPEN. The level detection unit 110 includes a high voltage level detector 111 and a delay unit 113. The high voltage level detector 111 detects the voltage level of the high voltage signal Vpp to generate a high voltage detection signal PPDET. Here, the high voltage detection signal PPDET is a signal that is activated when the high voltage signal Vpp becomes higher than a target voltage level. The delay unit 113 delays the high voltage detection signal PPDET for a predetermined time to generate the high voltage enable signal PPEN.
The oscillation unit 130 generates an oscillation signal OSC in response to the high voltage enable signal PPEN. That is, if the high voltage signal Vpp reaches the target voltage level, the high voltage enable signal PPEN is activated to a high level so that the oscillation unit 130 stops an oscillating operation. If the high voltage signal Vpp becomes less than the target voltage level, the high voltage enable signal PPEN is inactivated to a low level so that the oscillation unit 130 starts the oscillating operation.
The control signal generation unit 150 generates a control signal CTRL in response to the oscillation signal OSC.
The voltage pump unit 170 increases a voltage level of the external power signal Vext through a pumping operation in response to the control signal CTRL, to thereby generate the high voltage signal Vpp. Here, the high voltage signal Vpp is feedback to the level detection unit 110.
FIG. 2 is a timing chart for explaining an operation of a conventional high voltage generation circuit.
Referring to FIG. 2, if the external power signal Vext reaches the target voltage level, the high voltage detection signal is activated to a high level, and, after a predetermined delay time, the high voltage enable signal PPEN is activated to a high level. The oscillation signal OSC is disabled to a low level so that the voltage pump unit 170 stops the pumping operation. As a result, the voltage level of the high voltage signal Vpp gradually decreases.
Then, if the voltage level of the high voltage signal Vpp becomes less than the target voltage level, the high voltage enable signal PPEN is inactivated to a low level, thereby starting the oscillation unit 130. As a result, the voltage pump unit 170 performs the pumping operation so that the voltage level of the high voltage signal Vpp is gradually increased.
However, since the delay unit 113 has a fixed delay time, the voltage pump unit 170 increases the voltage level of the high voltage signal Vpp as much as a predetermined voltage level without any consideration of the voltage level of the external power signal Vext. Thus, even when the external power signal Vext has a relatively high level, the voltage pump unit 170 performs the pumping operation for a period corresponding to the delay time that is determined by the delay unit 113. As a result, the high voltage signal Vpp is increased to an extremely high voltage level. Therefore, a reliability of the semiconductor device is degraded and an erroneous operation may be caused.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for generating a stable high voltage signal by selectively changing a delay time according to a voltage level of an external power signal.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for generating a high voltage signal, comprising: a voltage pump means for increasing a voltage level of an external power signal in response to a control signal; a level detection means for detecting a voltage level of the high voltage signal and delaying the high voltage signal for a predetermined delay time to generate a high voltage enable signal, wherein the predetermined delay time is determined according to a voltage level of the external power signal; an oscillation means for performing an oscillating operation in response to the high voltage enable signal and generating an oscillation signal; and a control signal generation means for generating the control signal in response to the oscillation signal.
The level detection means includes: a high voltage level detection means for detecting the high voltage signal and generating a high voltage detection signal when the voltage level of the high voltage becomes higher than a predetermined target voltage level; an external power level detection means for detecting the external voltage signal and generating an external voltage detection signal when the voltage level of the external voltage level becomes less than a predetermined voltage level; and a delay means for delaying the high voltage detection signal for the predetermined delay time according to the external power detection signal.

Apparatus for generating stable high voltage signal


A method for obtaining leg meat from poultry drumsticks and an apparatus for performing the method are described. Deriving from an apparatus by which, following the performance of an encircling cut in the region of the distal condyle (41) and the consequent severing of the tendons, skins and ligaments of the drumstick bone (44) under retention of the leg meat is pulled by means of a strip-off diaphraghm, an apparatus is described by which a pair of gripping elements (17 and 18) are provided, which can be brought into a position for gripping around the drumstick bone (44) and each of which is respectively provided with a recess (20) in this embracing region, which can be aligned laterally displaced with regard to the position of the drumstick bone (44), and by which apparatus a severing device (16) is integrated with the gripping elements (17 and 18), the cutting mechanism of which is effective immediately next to the recess (20). The object is to guide a severing cut which leaves the tendons (47) constituting the continuation of the splint bone toward the distal end uncut/intact with the effect that the splint bone is also pulled along with the drumstick bone (44).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for processing poultry legs for the purpose of gaining the meat therefrom, by which method the tendons and ligaments extending along the drumstick (lower leg bone) are severed at the distal end area thereof and subsequently the meat is stripped off by a relative movement between the bone and the meat, which relative movement is directed towards the proximal end of said bone, and to an apparatus for performing the method and comprising pincer- or tong-shaped gripping means for gripping the leg in the region of its distal condyle and holding means for embracing said condyle, when seen in the proximal direction, close to the tong-shaped gripping means, which holding means are arranged to be displaced in the longitudinal direction of said bone such as to reduce the distance relative to said gripping means, as well as severing device for severing the tendons and ligaments adjacent to the gripping position of said gripping means.
For deboning poultry legs by means of pulling the leg bone it is important that a visually attractive piece of leg meat is obtained with high yield. Thereby, visual quality is even more easily achievable when the meat is subjected to less wear and tear. The degree of wear is dependent upon the extent to which the tendency to pull the meat portions out along with the leg bone due to their adherence thereto can be reduced or prevented, i.e. to prevent the meat parts from being torn out of the leg meat.
2. Prior Art
It is known that this tendency can be diminished if the tendons and ligaments running through the said meat parts are severed in the distal end region of the leg bone prior to removal of the bone. This takes place e.g. according to DE 32 27 430 C2 when a poultry leg which has been fitted into or clamped by a bone gripping apparatus by means of gripping the leg bone on the distal end thereof is provided with a circumferential notch immediately next to the clamping position by means of a notching apparatus, the production of said circumferential notch causing the tendons and ligaments extending in this region to be severed. Then, by means of an embracing support cheek arrangement located in the proximal direction of the poultry leg adjacent to the circumferential notch, the leg meat is held back and, through removal of the bone gripping apparatus from the support cheek arrangement in the longitudinal direction of the leg bone, the meat is stripped off.
If the poultry legs to be processed concern the drumstick (lower leg), then this manner of proceeding shows that the splint bone forming a needle-shaped bone extending in the distal direction is loosened from the leg bone along with the leg meat relatively often, i.e. it remains in the leg meat. As a result, additional trim work is necessary and, consequently, such processing is also inacceptable from a cost standpoint.
An apparatus for processing poultry extremities containing bones is known from EP 402 647. The starting workpiece is the knee-joint including the whole leg consisting of the thigh (upper leg) and drumstick (lower leg). With this apparatus, the drumstick is retained on its distal end and the thigh is retained on its proximal end through placement in holding elements provided with receiving slots, an incision is produced around the drumstick bone in the vicinity of the clamping position of the said distal end, the knee joint is punched out and, finally, the bones are pulled out by embracing the condyle under retention of the meat.
With this apparatus also, it cannot be ensured that the splint bone is removed from the meat along with the drumstick bone.

Method for deboning poultry legs and apparatus for performing the method

Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH & Co. KG


A pitch change system (30) for varying the pitch of the blades (16) of a multi-bladed propulsor (10) comprises a pitch change actuation assembly (40) and a pitch change drive assembly (70) for selectively actuating the pitch change actuation assembly (70) whenever it is desired to change blade pitch. The pitch change actuation assembly (40) comprises a ballscrew (42), a ballscrew nut (44) threadably mounted to the ballscrew (42), and a pitch stop assembly (100) having a retractable feather stop (135) which in its normal position prevents the ballscrew (42) from driving the ballscrew nut (44) to move the blades (16) beyond the coarse pitch setting corresponding to blade feather, but in its retracted position permits the ballscrew (42) to drive the ballscrew nut (44) to move the blades (16) through feather to a desired reverse pitch setting.

In typical variable blade pitch propulsor systems for aircraft engines, whether of the propeller, propfan or unducted or ducted fan type, a plurality of propulsor blades, each pivotally mounted for movement about its longitudinal axis to a rotary hub driven by the aircraft engine, are operatively connected to a blade pitch change actuator system disposed in an interior chamber defined within the hub. One type of pitch change system, commonly referred to as a rotary actuation system, is disclosed, for example, in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,876,334; 3,893,789; 3,895,884; 3,902,822, 3,904,315, 3,964,839 and 4,021,142. Another type of pitch change system, commonly referred to as a linear actuation system, is disclosed, for example, in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,753,572 and 4,936,746. In such linear systems, rotation of ballscrew actuator causes a nut threaded thereabout to translate either forwardly or rearwardly along the ballscrew depending upon the direction of rotation of the ballscrew. The ballscrew nut is integral to a surrounding yoke which is operatively connected to each of the blades through a plurality of articulating links, each of which connects to a rotatable trunnion in which a blade is mounted, such that translation of the yoke is converted to a rotation of each blade about its longitudinal axis. In both of these types of pitch change systems, the pitch change actuator has been driven by selectively activating a hydraulic or electric drive mechanism which serves to rotate the pitch change actuator relative to the rotating hub so as to effect a rotation of each the blades within its hub socket about its longitudinal axis, thereby changing the pitch setting of the blade.
As is well recognized by those skilled in the art, it is desirable in such blade pitch change actuation systems to provide a low pitch stop to limit movement in flight to a fine blade pitch below a preselected minimum, for example as might otherwise occur in the event of a malfunction in the system, and also a feather stop to prevent the blades from inadvertently passing through feather. Also, it is necessary that the pitch change system be capable of reversing blade pitch. In conventional systems, blade pitch reversal has customarily been accomplished by passing the blades through flat blade pitch. Accordingly, such conventional systems are unsuitable for use on a propulsor wherein blade pitch reversal is to be accomplished by passing the blades through feather, rather than flat pitch, such as now desired on variable pitch propulsors having a large number of blades, such as advanced ducted propulsors being considered for use on turbine driven aircraft.

Pitch stop assembly for variable pitch propulsor


A diffuser for dispersing gas bubbles into a liquid is formed of gas permeable material having a high surface tension at an interface with the liquid and a low surface tension in a region inward from the interface. The upstream region with the low surface tension resists liquid backflow, and the high surface tension of the interface keeps the bubbles small as they depart from the diffuser and enter the liquid.

Many processes require that a gas be bubbled into a liquid via a diffuser, and many forms of diffusers exist for this purpose. In general, smaller gas bubbles from the diffuser speed up the dissolving of the gas into a liquid, but a diffuser that forms smaller gas bubbles generally offers greater resistance to the gas flow and thus requires more energy. I prefer a diffuser that consumes as little energy as possible so that a low pressure is adequate to force the gas through the diffuser and disperse it into the liquid as fine bubbles. I also prefer that a fine bubble diffuser stay clean and unclogged, even if operated intermittently.
Commercially available diffusers generally do not meet these requirements. Ceramic diffusers, for example, can make fine bubbles but require a substantial gas pressure to do this. Also, if such diffusers are operated intermittently, as required for some processes, then liquid can enter and clog pores of the diffuser. Once liquid has seeped into the diffuser pores, forcing gas back through the diffuser to reestablish bubbling requires even more pressure, because driving liquid rather than gas through the diffuser pores takes more energy. Liquids seeping into diffuser pores can also carry contaminates such as particles or dissolved solids into the pores where they clog the diffuser.
In an effort to make a more efficient diffuser that consumes less energy and produces very fine bubbles, I investigated many possible materials. This led to a discovery of materials and requirements that perform very well as a diffuser, keeping the bubbles fine, consuming little energy, and keeping pores substantially clear of liquid or clogging material. The diffusers I prefer also resist: liquid backflow so that a separate valve for this purpose is not required.

Diffuser and diffusing method using dual surface tensions


A load securement block includes a rectangular central block and two (2) rhomboid side blocks integral to opposite lengthwise sides of the central block and positioned in mirror image to each other. The block is made of closed cell high density foam. The block is configured to provide a protective and deformable barrier between a cargo strap and a cargo load being secured in place by the cargo strap. Alternate embodiments having different geometries are also disclosed.

There are countless tractor-trailer trucks that crisscross our country every day. These large vehicles bring just about every object we touch in our daily lives to use. One (1) type of trailer commonly used with large or bulky objects such as PVC pipe, metal pipe, large tubing, and the like is the flatbed trailer. Such a trailer does not only a great job of transporting such bulky loads, but allows access to all three (3) sides of the trailer for loading and unloading purposes. Such trailers and loads often use load straps with a ratcheting mechanism to hold such loads during transit.
While these straps are fastened securely during the initial loading process, shifting loads during transit, especially with loads such as pipe, cause the straps to loosen, and the loads to shift. In severe cases, the load can even fall from the flatbed trailer. Other types of loads can be easily damaged by the high forces of the securing straps placed upon them especially at corners or sharp edges. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which load straps used on irregular shaped loads can be properly and safely secured without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the load securing device fulfills this need.


A magnetic disc drive motor contains a frame; a fixed shaft mounted on the frame; a lower bearing member mounted on a lower portion of the fixed shaft, the lower bearing member being provided with a roller ring rotating about the fixed shaft, the lower bearing member being provided with a loading portion defined at one end of the roller ring; an upper bearing member mounted on the upper portion of the fixed shaft, the upper bearing member being provided with a cylindrical roller ring; and a motor including: a rotor fixed under a loading surface portion of the loading portion of the lower bearing member; and a stator disposed inside the rotor and fixed to a frame, wherein each of the roller rings is fitted in the center hole of a magnetic disc and an inner peripheral portion of the magnetic discs are loaded on the loading portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic disc drive motor, and particularly relates to a rotating support device for rotatably supporting a magnetic disc.
2. Related Art
The conventional magnetic disc motors built into hard disc drive devices are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In the magnetic disc drive motor shown in FIG. 5, a shaft 2 is mounted in a frame 1, and ball bearings 3, 3 are fixedly mounted on the shaft 2. A hub 4 is mounted on the ball bearings 3, 3. The central portion of the hub 4 is cylindrical-shaped. The cylindrical central portion is open at its upper and lower ends, and magnetic discs 5 are mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical central portion. A seal cover 6 covers the opening at the upper end of the hub 4 and is fixed in position there by an adhesive 7.
An armature core 8 is mounted on the frame 1, and a drive magnet 9 is fixed on the inner surface of the cylindrical peripheral portion of the hub 4. The armature core 8 has a number of salient poles, and a coil 10 is wound around each of the salient poles. The outer surface of the armature core 8 faces the inner surface of the drive magnet 9 across a radial gap. When the armature core 8 is excited with an electric current it causes the drive magnet 9 to rotate, and the hub 4 rotates integrally with the drive magnet 9.
In the magnetic disc drive motor shown in FIG. 6, in order to make the device smaller and thinner, the motor is housed inside the hub on which the magnetic discs are loaded. A cylindrical support 12 is formed in the central part of a frame 11, and ball bearings 13, 13 are mounted on the inner surface of this support 12. A shaft portion 15, integral with the hub 14, is rotatably mounted in the bearings 13, 13. Magnetic discs 5 are mounted on the outside of the hub 14.
An armature core 16 is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the support 12 of the frame 11, a drive magnet 17 is fixed on the inner surface of the hub 14, the armature core 16 and the drive magnet 17 and other parts make up a motor, this motor rotates the drive magnet 17 so as to rotate the hub 14 together with the drive magnet 17.
In the conventional magnetic disc drive motors described above, because they incorporate the hub 4 for mounting the magnetic discs 5, the precision of coupling the hub 4 with the ball bearings 3 and the precision of machining the hub 4 directly affect the precision of the rotation of the magnetic discs 5, and the precision of the magnetic discs 5 rotation is therefore impaired. Also, because the diametral thickness of the hub 4 has to be accommodated, there is the problem that it is difficult to reduce the size of the motor, and, in particular, when high density magnetic discs 5 which are both of small diameter and capable of high density recording are used, because the diameters of the shaft 2 and the ball bearings 3 have to be made small, problems such as shaft deflection occur, and the practical application of these high performance discs is difficult.

Magnetic disc drive motor including a fixed shaft having mounted thereon a lower bearing member with a portion for mounting a rotor


A very small and thin transformer to be used as incorporated in an electronic device for the civil life. In this transformer, a coil is wound on a coil bobbin in which core sheets are incorporated as laminated. This laminated core is provided with an insulating cover for insulation. However, when a gap is produced between the core sheets, an adverse influence will be produced on the electric characteristics of the transformer. Therefore, in case the insulating cover is applied to cover the laminated core, the insulating cover having a resiliency will press the core sheets in the laminating direction to prevent a gap from being produced between the core laminations.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to very small and thin transformers for communication to be used as incorporated in such electronic devices as,for example, miniature facsimiles, modems and miniature terminal devices having modem functions and more particularly to a miniature transformer provided with an insulating cover having a function of pressing in the laminating direction a core incorporated as laminated in a coil bobbin.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In a transformer in the prior art, a laminated core is incorporated and is provided with an insulating cover which has been used in order to secure a surface and spatial distance solely among a primary coil, secondary coil and core.
This thin transformer is so small as to be, for example, 13 cm long vertically, 16 cm long horizontally and 3 cm thick and the number of laminations to be incorporated into the core is so few as to be about 4 to 14 sheets in case the core sheet is 0.15 mm thick and to be about 3 to 8 sheets in case it is 0.20 mm thick. When a gap is produced between the laminations incorporated in the core, such transmission characteristics as impedance characteristics and frequency characteristics in the case of a transmission transformer will be deteriorated, the transmission waveform will be deteriorated and such adverse influences will be produced on the electric characteristics of the transformer. Therefore, it is necessary to intimately bond the core laminations without a gap between them.

Miniature transformer having compressed laminations


A device utilizable with an endoscope to promote sterility comprises a substantially thin-walled elongate tubular sheath made of a flexible material such as rubber, the sheath having a use configuration with an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of an insertion member of the endoscope, whereby the sheath may be removably disposed about such insertion member to substantially surround same prior to insertion of the insertion member into a patient. The device further comprises a transparent cap member and an element or elements for attaching the cap member in a fluid tight seal to a distal end of the sheath so that the cap member covers a distal end of the insertion member of the endoscope. Biopsy channels, some of which are expandable from collapsed configurations to receive endoscopic surgical instruments during an operation, are provided on or in the sheath.

This invention relates to endoscopes and endoscopic surgical procedures. More particularly, this invention relates to a device and an associated method for enhancing sterility in endoscopic surgery. Even more particularly, this invention relates to a sheath member for an endoscope and an associated surgical technique.
Endoscopes are surgical instruments which enable a relatively non-intrusive visual inspection of and surgery on internal body tissues, particularly body tissues located within the digestive tract. An endoscope includes a long flexible tubular member which is inserted into the colon through the anus or into the esophagus through the mouth or the nose.
The tubular insertion member of an endoscope generally includes optical fibers for carrying light energy into the patient and for carrying organized visual information out of the patient. The insertion member also includes an elongate cylindrical channel for inserting a surgical instrument into the patient.
The operating tip of a surgical instrument which is inserted through the ancillary, biopsy, channel of an endoscope is controlled by a surgeon who manipulates an actuator at the proximal end of the endoscope. The operation is visually monitored via the visual feedback information provided by the endoscope. Larger endoscopes, particularly for use in the colon, may contain several ancillary channels, e.g., for applying suction and for feeding water and/or air to the distal end of the endoscope's insertion member.
Because endoscopes are expensive instruments, they are used on multiple patients and must accordingly be sterilized after each procedure. Sterilization generally entails soaking at least the distal end of the endoscope's insertion member in a antibacterial and antiviral solution. In addition, the operating channels of the insertion member must be flushed, preferably with a sterilizing solution.
Such sterilization procedures require substantial amounts of time. Costs are increased, not only because of the hospital personnel time involved, but also because the endoscopes are out of use for that additional time.
Moreover, there is always the risk that sterilization is inadequate and that renegade bacteria or viruses remain in the endoscope and may be subsequently transferred to a patient. This risk cannot be ignored in the present environment of AIDS and other dreaded diseases.
It is of further note that a major difficulty in performing endoscopic surgery is that the size of the endoscope's insertion member and consequently the number of instrument or operating channels therein is severely limited by the internal anatomy of the patient. The smaller passages in the gastrointestinal tract form blocks which in some cases must be forcibly dilated to enable passage of the endoscope. Such forcible entry causes trauma or pain to patient.


A method and device for adapting a signal is provided. The signal includes a number of recurring samples of data. In one example embodiment, the method receives recurring samples of data. Each of the samples of data includes a first number of elements. A second number of elements are selected from at least one of the recurring samples. The second number of elements is approximately less than the first number of elements. The selected second number of elements are substituted with respective phase altered elements. The subject matter also provides a method and device for identifying a signal property(ies) and a computer system for implementing these methods.

Error free and reliable reception of communicated data is desirable features in a communication system. The communication system transmits data in chunks ("packets") of encoded frames. Each of the encoded frames includes a preamble and a data section. The preamble may include information for allowing a receiver to synchronize the received frame and other information relating to the data being transmitted. Typically, the preamble includes samples of recurring data. These samples of recurring data are correlated to obtain correlation values at the receiver. The boundary of the preamble is identified by the obtained correlation values.
The samples in a preamble are chosen such that when recurring samples of data is correlated with a subsequent recurring samples of data, the value obtained by such correlation is expected to cross a threshold value. However, when a sample is correlated with a sample which is not the same (i.e. not recurring), then the value obtained by such correlation can fall sufficiently below the threshold value. In such a case, the boundary of the preamble is considered to be the sample for which the obtained correlation value is below the threshold for the first time. Since samples are recurring in nature but after the boundary it is assumed that the recurring nature of the samples diminished and a sharp fall in the obtained correlation value is observed.
The systems operating according to the above description may work fine for white Gaussian noise under mild delay spread channel conditions. However, at high delay spread channel the correlation based threshold detection performance deteriorates as the spread of the channel can affect the threshold detection.


To facilitate sorting sheets of paper for recycling, a MFP includes an image data accepting portion to accept image data output from an image reader, a recycling information determining portion to determine recycling information corresponding to the image data, and an image forming portion to form an image of the image data together with the determined recycling information on a sheet of paper.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and a method and a program product to add recycling information. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and a method and a program product to add recycling information, which are particularly applicable to recycling sheets of paper having images formed thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, for the purpose of environmental protection, there is an ongoing trend of seeking the effective use of various types of resources. In particular, for the paper resource, the recycling system seems to have been almost established. To improve the quality of recycled paper, paper materials should be sorted before they are provided to the recycling process. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-311753 discloses an image forming apparatus which has a feature of printing the type of paper on transfer paper together with toner images. Because the type of paper is printed on transfer paper in the image forming apparatus, the operator of the apparatus can sort the sheets of transfer paper by visually inspecting the printed paper type.
Quality of the recycled paper, however, is largely affected by the amount of extra components, such as ink, toner or the like, which are included in the paper materials. If the paper materials contain less extra components other than paper component, the resulting recycled paper will have a higher quality. Therefore, it is desired to sort the paper materials according to the amount of extra components other than paper component. The criteria for sorting the sheets of paper can be determined quantitatively, but the amount of extra components has to be judged by human senses because the sorting job presently relies on manpower.
The problem of sorting the sheets of paper by humans is the disability to quantitatively measure the extra components other than paper component, which may cause erroneous sorting, such as sorting some sheets of paper into the group of low extra component content, although those sheets should have been sorted into the group of higher extra component content.
In the meantime, to aim for the effective use of paper resource, images may be formed on both sides of the sheet of paper. Also, it may be desired to use the sheet of paper having the image previously formed on one side thereof and that image being unnecessary (hereinafter referred to as "back paper") to form a new image on the other side thereof. To sort out such sheets of paper having images formed on both sides thereof, the operator must determine the amount of extra components through the visual inspection of the images, which may impede accurate sorting.

Image forming apparatus suitable for recycling sheets of paper with images formed thereon, and method and program product for adding recycling information

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.