A rotary indexing apparatus for positioning an external component secured thereto at one of a plurality of incrementally arranged detent positions. The apparatus includes a race ring having a race surface facing inwardly toward a central axis of the ring. The surface has alternating hills and valleys, each valley corresponding to a detent position. A detent wheel on a selection shaft is rotatable within the ring via the shaft. Two spring loaded, opposed race wheels on axles movably mounted within the detent wheel roll along the race surface while the shaft is being rotated. The race wheels roll into valleys upon a halting of the rotation. The apparatus facilitates positive positioning of the selection shaft while reducing friction.

The present invention relates generally to rotary selection devices and, more particularly, to a rotating indexing apparatus with positive positioning.
Indexing detent assemblies are found in a plurality of applications and are commonly used in rotary electronic switches. In such switches, considerable force frequently is needed to rotate the assembly. Detents commonly are engaged through use of bearings spring-mounted in a race configuration. Friction of the bearing assembly against the race frequently allows a selection shaft to stick between detents, where it fails to make an electrical connection. It would be desirable to provide a rotary detent indexing assembly that cannot be inadvertently left between detent positions. It also would be desirable to provide an indexing assembly in which friction is minimized.
In one preferred form, the present invention provides a rotary indexing apparatus for precisely positioning an external component secured thereto. The apparatus includes a race ring having a circumferential race surface facing inwardly toward an axial center of the race ring. The race surface includes a plurality of alternating hills and valleys, each valley configured to correspond to a detent position selectable by a user. The indexing apparatus also includes a selection shaft aligned with the axial center of the race ring. A detent wheel positioned on the selection shaft is rotatable within the ring by the user via the selection shaft. The detent wheel includes two spring loaded race wheels mounted in two substantially opposed recesses of the detent wheel, and two axles movably mounted within the recesses and upon which the race wheels are mounted. The race wheels are configured to roll along the race surface while the shaft is being rotated and to roll into valleys upon a halting of the rotation.
The above-described apparatus facilitates positive positioning of the selection shaft, and friction is reduced between the wheels and the race surface. The apparatus tends toward positive engagement in a detent, yet can be moved easily from one detent position to another. Implementing the above rotary indexing apparatus allows assembly time to be reduced and also eliminates or reduces need for replacement due to component failure. Utilizing the apparatus can make operation of operator-controlled devices more reliable and can lower maintenance costs.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Rotary indexing apparatus and related methods


An operation tool includes a mechanism sequentially moving the injector in a space of an outer cylinder among an initial position in which needles of a main body of the device are retracted inside the space, a first position in which the needles protrude to the outside by a first distance, and a second position in which needles protrude to the outside by a second distance shorter than the first distance. Fluid flows from the injector through the needles in the second position. The mechanism has a unit forcing the injector toward the initial position by a magnetic force, first and second stoppers which can be selectively extended/retracted with respect to the outer peripheral wall of the outer cylinder, and an engaging portion which is selectively engaged with these stoppers on the outer peripheral wall of the injector and selectively arranging the injector in the above three positions.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to an operation tool for a fluid injector using a multi-microneedle device.
Background Art
The fluid injector using the multi-microneedle device is known, for example, in a medical field. Such fluid injector in the medical field is known as a syringe.
The fluid injector includes a fluid holding cylinder (an injection cylinder in the syringe) having a long fluid holding space capable of holding a given amount of fluid (for example, liquid medicine in the medical field), a fluid outflow port arranged at one end of a longitudinal direction of the fluid holding space, from which the fluid in the fluid holding space can flow, and a fluid holding space inlet opening arranged at the other end of the longitudinal direction of the fluid holding space. The fluid injector further includes a piston member incorporated with the fluid holding space of the fluid holding cylinder so as to slide along the center line of the longitudinal direction through the fluid holding space inlet opening.

Operation tool for fluid injector using multi-microneedle device


A programmable output current source for use within an implantable tissue or nerve stimulator, e.g., an implantable cochlear stimulator or spinal cord stimulator, includes parallel-connected P-FET current source sets connected between a positive voltage rail and an electrode node, and parallel-connected N-FET current source sets connected between the electrode node and a negative voltage rail. The N-FET current source sets include n N-FET current sources, where n is an integer 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, . . . , and wherein each N-FET current source, when enabled, respectively sinks a current 2.sup.n I from the electrode node to the negative rail, where I is a selectable fixed current. Similarly, the P-FET current source sets include n P-FET current sources, where n=0, 1, 2, 3, . . . n, and wherein each P-FET current source, when enabled, respectively sources a current 2.sup.n I from the positive voltage rail to the electrode node. An individual current pulse is formed by selecting an electrode pair, and enabling a desired combination of P-FET current sources so that a desired total current is sourced to one of the electrodes of the selected electrode pair, and at the same time enabling a corresponding combination of N-FET current sources so that the same total current is sunk from the other electrode of the selected electrode pair. Sequences of current pulses, e.g., biphasic or multiphasic stimulation pulse pairs, are formed by combining individual current pulses having the desired polarity and timing relationship.

The present invention relates to implantable medical devices, and more particularly to the output stage of an implantable electrical stimulator. Even more particularly, the invention relates to a programmable output current source for use within an implantable tissue or nerve stimulator, e.g., an implantable cochlear stimulator.
In the implantable medical device field, a medical device, configured to perform a desired medical function, is implanted in the living tissue of a patient so that a desired function may be carried out as needed for the benefit of the patient. Numerous examples of implantable medical devices are known in the art, ranging, from implantable pacemakers, cochlear stimulators, spinal cord stimulators, muscle stimulators, glucose sensors, and the like.
Some implantable medical devices are configured to perform the stimulating function, i.e., to generate an electrical signal, typically a biphasic current pulse, that is applied to body tissue or to a nerve, for the purpose of causing a desired muscle contraction, or activating a desired nerve. Examples of medical devices that perform the stimulating function are shown, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,193,539 and 5,603,726, both of which patents are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention is directed to such implantable stimulating devices.
Other medical devices are configured to perform the sensing function, i.e., to sense a particular parameter, e.g., the amount of a specified substance in the blood or tissue of the patient, and to generate an electrical signal indicative of the quantity or concentration level of the substance sensed. An example of an implantable medical device that performs the sensing function is shown, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,288. Sometimes, sensing a desired parameter or other element, e.g., an evoked response, occurs through the same or similar electrodes through which stimulation is applied.
Some stimulating devices, e.g., cardiac pacemakers, and the microstimulators of the type disclosed in the above-referenced '539 patent, may always apply their stimulation pulses through the same electrodes. Other stimulating devices, e.g., cochlea stimulators of the type disclosed in the above-referenced '726 patent, however, apply the stimulus pulses, which are of varying amplitude and polarity, to different electrodes, or different electrode pairs, as a function of the sensed input signal. There is thus a need in the implantable stimulating device field to provide an output circuit for use with such devices that allows different electrode pairs to be selected through which stimulus currents having different amplitudes and polarities may be applied.
As medical devices have become more useful and numerous in recent years, there is a continual need to provide very low power sensors and stimulators that may be connected to, or incorporated within, such devices so that the desired function of the device can be carried out without the expenditure of large amounts of power (which power, for an implanted device, is usually limited). Moreover, there is a constant need and desire to make such implantable devices smaller and smaller.
To meet this need (smaller circuits, less power) within an implantable stimulating device, it has been common to design an output circuit for interfacing with the electrodes which selectively connects a single current source, or one of a plurality of current sources, to a selected electrode pair, rather than designing a separate current source for each electrode pair. In order to allow the polarity of the stimulus applied through the selected electrode pair to be changed without requiring an additional current source, which would tend to make the device larger and consume more power, it is also known to employ a switching matrix which selectively connects the selected electrode pair to either side of the current source, or which otherwise causes the current flow direction through the selected electrode pair to change. All such switching matrices, or equivalent schemes, require that the electrode nodes (those nodes connected directly to a given electrode) be physically or electrically switched from one circuit location to another. Disadvantageously, such "switching" requires additional circuitry which not only increases the impedance of the circuit connection path, but which also, during operation, takes time to complete, i.e., takes a finite time to switch the switching components from being biased ON (low impedance) or OFF (high impedance) so that the desired "connection" may be established or disconnected.
There is thus a need in the art for an output circuit useable within an implantable current stimulator that is small, operates at low power, and does not physically or electrically switch the electrode node from one circuit location to another as different and continually changing stimulus parameters (amplitude, polarity, electrode pairings) are needed.

Programmable current output stimulus stage for implantable device


A method and apparatus for use in or with a general-purpose computing environment employs particularly efficient exponential and logarithmic function generation in combination with a logarithmic data format, herein called an exponential/logarithmic (E/L) or exponential floating-point (E-FLP) computational system, to attain general-purpose exponential floating-point (E-FLP) numerical processing comparable in effectiveness to conventional floating-point (C-FLP) processing of similiar precision and dynamic range. An E/L (or E-FLP) quantity according to the invention has an exponential floating-point (E-FLP) value that is inferred from its logarithmic fixed-point (L-FXP) representation or "format" value which when employed with exponential and logarithmic transformations according to the invention yields rapid and precise computational results. [Direct combinatorial construction provides increased speed in microprogrammed embodiments and provides pipe-lined operation in embodiments routing operands in close sequence.] E-FLP computations and their associated L-FXP implementations are disclosed, including the elementary transcendental functions (exponential, logarithm, sine, cosine, tangent and their inverses, etc.). E-FLP computations are characterized by fast multiplication-oriented arithmetic and particularly fast logarithms, exponentials, powers and roots.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to which a claim of copyright protection is made. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but reserves all other rights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to numerical processing and more particularly to the field of floating-point number processing. More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for an exponential/logarithmic (E/L) general-purpose computational system based on particularly efficient fixed-point (FXP) generators of exponential and logarithmic functions in combination with a completely logarithmic data format. By comparison, a prior-art conventional floating-point (C-FLP) system is based on a FXP multiplier component and employs a partially or incompletely exponential/logarithmic data format.
2. Description of the State of the Art
There has been a paucity of actually working logarithmic data processors, and even fewer which have been used commercially, and virtually none for general-purpose use. Certain problems involved in the use or implementation of logarithmic processors are believed to have either not yet been recognized or not yet solved.
Prior art general-purpose logarithm evaluation, as compared with additions and subtractions and multiplications, have been inefficient and expensive--so much so that the inefficiency and expense are widely regarded as inevitable penalties on the logarithm operation itself. For example, a commercial C-FLP processor might execute logarithmic operations ten to twenty times slower than its relatively expensive multiplication operation.
Moreover, C-FLP systems seem to obey no recursive pattern for extending numerical precision. A popular conjecture among theorists holds that for arbitrarily high precision there is no fixed polynomial of the value of the first n digits of log x which can predict the value of the (n+1)-th digit with a probability greater than one half. Even if this conjecture is eventually proven, then the constraints which this would place on the construction of general-purpose logarithmic generators is more apparent than real for at least the following three important reasons: First, general-purpose logarithmic generators of even quite high fixed precision are, nevertheless, not of arbitrarily high precision. Second, limiting consideration to the first n digits of only the single function log x is a somewhat arbitrary and often unacknowledged restriction. Third, the polynomial form provides quiet compliance with the de facto dogma of C-FLP analysis whose tenets include: a) there is only one possible form of practical floating-point processor, b) the primitive economical operations of its "arithmetic" are restricted to the operations of addition, subtraction, and multiplication (with division not always quite included), and c) the multiplication operation is of a particular fixed degree of precision.
The conventional C-FLP multiplication operation is more expensive than the C-FLP addition or subtraction operations. Thus the minimax polynomial, which generally minimizes the required quantity of such multiplications, has become the mainstay of functional approximation for optimal C-FLP evaluation. To a certain extent, such polynomials also minimize the quantity of additions which is the more important consideration in E-FLP, as hereinafter explained.
A C-FLP computing environment usually contains such facilities as a library of scientific functions and a set of data conversions for interfacing with other data types. The appropriate correlatives of these facilities are also needed in an E-FLP computing environment, as hereinafter explained.
However, C-FLP computation was introduced almost four decades ago and met immediate and widespread acceptance. Designers of C-FLP processors made them easy to use. Confirmation of their skill can be found in the fact that entire generations of C-FLP users have been able to remain largely unaware of how a C-FLP processor actually works. The first such processors were implemented in software with multiplication speed suffering severely. The search for faster multiplication continued for decades. Hardware multipliers were investigated, but in many applications they were found to be too expensive to be of wide practical value.
The designers of the early processors were aware that so-called "logarithmic" arithmetic would be substantially equivalent to C-FLP arithmetic and that it would provide the ultimate in performance for floating-point multiplication: the floating-point multiplication would then be effected by the ultrarapid fixed-point addition. On the other hand, "logarithmic" addition and subtraction would correspond to intractable scientific library functions for which the impossibility of efficient generation was deemed obvious. Therefore, this development path was not pursued.
Many C-FLP processor designers since those early times have been of the opinion that the obstacles to efficient general-purpose "logarithmic" computation are inherent and unavoidable. This view is consistent with the fact that there has been no prior art account of any attempt to construct a processor capable of highly efficient general-purpose "logarithmic" computation.
In a specialized area of digital computation, N. G. Kingsbury and P. J. W. Rayner, in "Digital Filtering Using Logarithmic Arithmetic," Electronic Letters, Jan. 28, 1971, 56-58, proposed applying logarithmic arithmetic to digital filtering calculations. They proposed a processor using direct table look-up. Their processor necessarily had both its precision and its dynamic range severely restricted.
Exemplary early applications of logarithmic computation as are follows: A digital flow computer in U.S. Pat. No. 3,099,742 to Byrne, et al. in 1963; Calculating apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,285 to Wang in 1968; and Digital Log Computer in U.S. Pat. No. 3,436,533 to Moore, et al. in 1969.
More recently, in "Integrated-Circuit Logarithmic Arithmetic Units," IEEE Computer Transactions, May 5, 1985, 475-483, J. H. Lang et al. have constructed a hardware logarithmic processor using direct table look-up. This processor possesses the equivalent of only 3.844 range bits and only 5.156 bits of precision, i.e., only 4.156 bits of mantissa. Lang et al. also include a comprehensive bibliography of the investigations of logarithmic arithmetic from the time of Kingsbury and Rayner up to 1985. All such prior art processors are based on direct table look-up using look-up indices which are substantially as large as the corresponding data-format value. The associated comparatively large table expense prohibits their use in all but the most highly specialized applications allowing very small data formats. Even here, particularly attentive experts are required in order to rigorously justify the use of arithmetic possessing such meager levels of precision and dynamic range. Casual general-purpose use is entirely out of the question.
Still more recently, in "A 20-Bit Logarithmic Number Processor," IEEE Computer Transactions, February 1988, 190-200, F. J. Taylor et al. have designed a hardware logarithmic processor performing the six operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, square, and square root. The particular direct look-up of table values is modified only to the extent of selection among a few direct look-ups to tables having successively fewer bits of output but still with comparatively large numbers of bits of input which severely restricts precision and economy. The 12-bit mantissa with 7 bits of dynamic range provide levels of precision and dynamic range that would be adequate for a much wider range of practical applications if the processor also provided the logarithmic and exponential operations required for easy interface with C-FLP and FXP data associated with such equipment as analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog data converters. T. Stouraitis and F. J. Taylor analyze the error characteristics of this 20-bit processor in "Analysis of Logarithmic Number System Processors," Transactions on Circuits and Systems, May, 1988, 519-527.
Taylor et al. also make the fair observation that "The logarithmic number system, or LNS, has been studied for many years in a somewhat casual manner." In particular, none of these investigations has identified the specific equivalence of logarithmic computation to C-FLP computation. This equivalence has instead been denied. Moreover, there has been no prior-art processor capable of general-purpose exponential and logarithmic operations so efficient and economical that they are reasonably considered to be part of the processor's "arithmetic" along with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division rather than expensive, inefficient library functions. Even further, despite the continuing rapid technology advances which affect the economics of storing look-up tables, all of these prior-art processor designs provide levels of precision which are clearly inadequate for general-purpose use.
In contrast, known C-FLP processors are designed for more general-purpose computation. This has come to mean that at least 20-24 significant bits or the equivalent of 6-7 significant decimal digits of precision is provided together with enough dynamic range to make overflow and underflow easily avoidable. Applications requiring more than this level of precision are common with popular computer languages such as BASIC and FORTRAN regularly providing access to more than twice this precision. There are also numerous applications within control systems and many other kinds of instrumentation using 10-, 12-, and 14-bit analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters wherein about 15-17 significant bits is ample precision for the carefully designed calculations which are characteristic of such applications. This is about the least precision which can claim to be widely applicable to general-purpose use even in this restricted sense.
C-FLP systems based on software implementations of numerical functions are known. However, the known software C-FLP systems can seldom provide adequate mixes of performance, function, and economy in volume-manufactured realtime microprocessor-based controllers.
The present invention targets problems which have been thought unsolvable, problems which have not been recognized, and problems which are major obstacles to practical implementation of an E/L system. Major problems not recognized as such in the prior art include areas of analysis, notation, and terminology associated with such commonly used functions as the elementary logarithms and exponentials. These areas need to be extended in a number of distinctly fundamental directions.

Method and apparatus for exponential/logarithmic computation


Solids and a clear liquid phase are separated and recovered wherein the solids are suspended in high boiling liquids. The sludge phase is separated from the liquid phase. A separate liquid phase which has a higher density than the liquid content of the sludge phase is added to the dispersion to be separated or to the sludge phase and the resulting mixture is centrifuged to separate the solids from the liquid phase.

This invention relates to a process of separating and recovering solids and a clear liquid phase from dispersions wherein the solids are suspended in high-boiling liquids, and in particular, to a process involving separation of the sludge phase from the liquid phase followed by processing of the separated phases.
In conjunction with heterogeneous catalytic processes carried out in the liquid phase and with the collection of dust from tar products formed by the gasification of coal, the dry distillation of coal, the hydrogenation of coal, the extraction of coal and others, it is desired to separate dispersed solids from high-boiling liquids with minimum losses in order to recover the solids and to clarify the liquid of all components which are apt to form sediments.
It is known to accomplish these objects by sedimentation, centrifugation or filtration or by means of hydrocyclones. Where substances having suitable properties are involved, electrostatic separation may be performed or may be combined with one of the preceding processes.
All these processes may be used to produce a more highly concentrated suspension of solids, which is referred to as a sludge phase or filter cake, and a liquid phase having a relatively low solids content. In most cases, the original liquid phase can be removed from the sludge phase by a substitution of the latter by the solvents employed.
In many cases, the substances involved have such properties, e.g., in respect of viscosity, density, etc., that the separation itself can be accomplished only when solvents are added. This is particularly applicable to natural sedimentation by gravity.
In commercial application, the known processes are not satisfactory for a substantially loss-free separation of suspended solids in high-boiling oils, tars and the like without using solvents in considerable amounts and loosing the liquid component.

Process and separating and recovering solids and clear liquid phase from dispersions


Finger mounting apparatus for a case loading grid is disclosed. Pyramidal shaped blocks are fixed to conventional bars in a packing grid, and a plate is selectively fixed to the bottom face of a block. The plate has an opening to hold a finger. The same block can mount two or more types of plate to carry two or more different types of finger. A single plate can be removed from a grid without removing the entire grid, so the grid can be serviced without removing the entire grid.

For a number of years, grids have been used in the loading of bottles and other containers into cases wherein the cases are divided by a plurality of partitions so that a discrete section is designed to receive one container. Conventionally, there is a plurality of bars extending parallel to one another and aligned with the direction of movement of the containers to be loaded into the cases. The bars are so spaced as to provide a bar over each of the partitions in the cases to be loaded. Thus, the conventional arrangement is that a plurality of containers to be loaded into the cases are urged by the conveyor means between the plurality of bars, and the bottles are held until the entire grid is loaded. At a predetermined time, the bottles are allowed to fall simultaneously, and fingers carried by the bars assist in directing the bottles into the sections of the case waiting below.
While the parallel bars separate the bottles in one direction, and the bars are aligned with the partitions extending in one direction across the case, there is no means for assuring that the bottles are properly spaced in the opposite direction, i.e., in the direction of movement. While the fingers carried by the parallel bars are designed to direct the individual bottles into the sections of the case, the means for holding these fingers to the bars have caused a number of difficulties. The finger mounting means normally has a relatively large flat area on the top thereof so that a bottle can hit the top of the finger mounting means and fail to drop at all, or drop in an improper location such as on one of the partitions of the case. Further, the pivots, spring returns and the like in the conventional finger mounting means are open so that debris can easily fall into the mechanism and jam the operation of the finger. It will be understood that bottles occasionally break in these packing grids, and that pieces of glass can easily lodge in the mechanism and cause improper operation. Further, when there is any problem with any one of the fingers, or mounting means, in conventional packing grids the entire grid must be removed for repair, and a new grid installed in order to continue operation. This is extremely time consuming, and expensive both from the standpoint of labor involved, and from the standpoint of down-time for the packing line.

Finger mounting apparatus for loading grid


There are provided an image processing apparatus and its method, in which a first image signal and a second image signal whose resolution is higher than that of the first image signal is selectively inputted, a low frequency component and a high frequency component are separated from the second image signal, the first image signal or an image signal of the separated low frequency component is encoded, and an image signal of the separated high frequency component is encoded.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image processing apparatus for high-efficiently encoding/decoding an image signal and a method for such an apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, owing to the advancement of digital signal processing techniques, a large amount of digital information such as motion image, still image, audio sound, or the like can be high-efficiently encoded, recorded to a small magnetic medium, and transmitted to a communication medium. Multimedia equipment which can mixedly handle a motion image and a still image and, further, a plurality of video images of different resolutions by using those techniques is being examined.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional constructional example of a high efficient coding apparatus which can mixedly record/reproduce a motion image of a low resolution and a still image of a high resolution.
In FIG. 1, either a low resolution video signal or a high resolution video signal is selectively inputted to a video signal input terminal 101 and supplied to a low resolution video coding circuit 102 and a high resolution video coding circuit 103. Each of the low resolution video coding circuit 102 and high resolution video coding circuit 103 performs processes such as orthogonal transformation, quantization, and variable length coding to the signal which is supplied, thereby high-efficiently encoding the signal and transmitting the encoded signal to a switching circuit 104.
The switching circuit 104 selects the signal supplied from the low resolution video coding circuit 102 when the input signal to the input terminal 101 is the low resolution video signal. The switching circuit 104 selects the signal supplied from the high resolution video coding circuit 103 when the input signal to the input terminal 101 is the high resolution video signal. The selected signal is recorded onto a recording medium 105.
An audio signal which is inputted to an audio signal input terminal 106 is encoded by an audio coding circuit 107 and recorded onto the recording medium 105. An additional information signal which is inputted to an additional information input terminal 108 is encoded by an additional information coding circuit 109 and recorded into a video recording area on the recording medium 105.
That is, in the apparatus, only either the low resolution video coding circuit 102 or the high resolution video coding circuit 103 is validated by the switching circuit 10-4 and only either one of their outputs is recorded onto the recording medium 105, hereby realizing the high efficient coding for the video signals of a plurality of resolutions.
FIG. 2 shows a constructional example of a conventional decoding apparatus.
In FIG. 2, a video code recorded on a recording medium 201 is supplied to a low resolution video decoding circuit 202 and a high resolution video decoding circuit 203. Each of the low resolution video decoding circuit 202 and high resolution video decoding circuit 203 performs processes such as variable length decoding, inverse quantization, and inverse orthogonal transformation to the supplied video code, thereby decoding it to the original video signal and transmitting the decoded signal to a switching circuit 204.
The switching circuit 204 selects the signal supplied from the low resolution video decoding circuit 202 when the video code supplied from the recording medium 201 is the low resolution video image. The switching circuit 204 selects the signal supplied from the high resolution video decoding circuit 203 when the video code supplied from the recording medium 201 is the high resolution video image. The selected signal is outputted to a video signal output terminal 205.
An audio code recorded on the recording medium 201 is decoded to an audio signal by an audio decoding circuit 206 and outputted from an audio signal output terminal 207. Similarly, an additional information code recorded on the recording medium 201 is decoded to the additional information signal by an additional information decoding circuit 208 and outputted from an additional information signal output terminal 209.
In the above conventional apparatus, when the motion image of the low resolution and the still image of the high resolution are mixedly processed, since the different coding/decoding circuits are used for the motion image of the low resolution and the still image of the high resolution, a very large circuit scale is required. Generally, in many cases, the MPEG1 system is used for the coding/decoding circuit of the motion image of the low resolution and the JPEG system is used for the coding/decoding circuit of the still image of the high resolution. Further, the recording medium on which the still image of the high resolution has been recorded by the above apparatus cannot be used at all in a conventional apparatus corresponding only to the motion image of the low resolution.
As a simpler conventional construction, an apparatus such that a still image of a high resolution is divided into a plurality of still images of a low resolution and a coding/decoding circuit of a low resolution is used in common has been proposed. However, since distortion, aliasing, and oscillation occur in the image due to the image division, reproducibility in case of reproducing an image by the conventional apparatus is low. Particularly, when still images are continuously reproduced in a manner similar to a motion image, such distortion, aliasing noise, and oscillation occur like noises.
In consideration of the circumstances as mentioned above, it is an object of the invention to provide an image processing apparatus which can mixedly perform high efficient coding/decoding processes to a low resolution image and a high resolution image by a small circuit scale while a high picture quality is maintained without losing compatibility with an apparatus corresponding only to the low resolution image and to provide a method for such an apparatus.
For this purpose, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus/method comprising the steps of: selectively inputting a first image signal and a second image signal whose resolution is higher than that of the first image signal; separating a low frequency component and a high frequency component from the second image signal; encoding the first image signal or the image signal of the separated low frequency component; and encoding the image signal of the separated high frequency component.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus/method comprising the steps of: separating a low frequency component and a high frequency component from a first image signal; converting a resolution of the image signal of the low frequency component and encoding the converted image signal; encoding the image signal of the high frequency component; and decoding the image signal of the low frequency component and the image signal of the high frequency component which were independently encoded, wherein the encoded image signal of the low frequency component is decoded, the encoded image signal of the high frequency component is decoded, and the decoded image signal of the low frequency component and the decoded image signal of the high frequency component are synthesized.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus/method for storing an encoded motion image signal constructed by (nxc3x97m) pixels into an image storage area on a recording medium, comprising the steps of: receiving an image signal constructed by (Nxc3x97M) pixels (N greater than n, M greater than m); extracting the image signal of (nxc3x97m) pixels corresponding to a low frequency component of the received image signal; encoding the extracted image signal of (nxc3x97m) pixels; storing the encoded image signal into the image storage area on the recording medium; extracting a high frequency component of the image signal constructed by (Nxc3x97M) pixels; encoding the extracted high frequency component; and storing the encoded high frequency component into a storage area different from the image storage area on the recording medium.
According to further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus/method comprising the steps of: inputting an image signal; extracting a low frequency component signal from the image signal; extracting a first high frequency component signal from the image signal; extracting a second high frequency component signal from the low frequency component signal; encoding the low frequency component signal; and encoding the first high frequency component signal and the second high frequency component signal.
According to further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus/method comprising the steps of: inputting encoded signals provided by separating a low frequency component and a high frequency component of an image and encoding the separated frequency components, respectively; decoding the encoded signal of the low frequency component, thereby forming a first low frequency component signal; extracting a second low frequency component signal from the first low frequency component signal; decoding the encoded signal of the high frequency component, thereby forming first and second high frequency component signals; and synthesizing the second low frequency component signal and the first and second high frequency component signals, thereby forming an image signal of a predetermined resolution.
According to further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus/method comprising the steps of: inputting first image data; dividing the first image data into first low frequency component data and first high frequency component data; encoding the first low frequency component data; encoding the first high frequency component data; extracting second high frequency component data from the first low frequency component data; and encoding the second high frequency component data in accordance with predetermined conditions.
According to further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus/method comprising the steps of: inputting encoded data provided by separating image data into first low frequency component data and first high frequency component data and encoding the separated frequency components respectively, and encoded data obtained by encoding a second high frequency component extracted from the first low frequency component data; decoding the encoded data of the first low frequency component; decoding the encoded data of the first and second high frequency components; synthesizing the decoded first low frequency component data and the decoded second high frequency component data and outputting synthetic data; and synthesizing the synthetic data and the decoded first high frequency component data.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


An electrostatically enhanced separator (EES) provides mechanical and electrostatic separation of particles from gas stream to yield a compact and highly efficient separation system. The EES (10) may be incorporated in a collection system as well using a conventional collection device such as a cyclone collector (32), bag filter (37) or electrostatic precipitator (38). The EES (10) includes a cylindrical-walled separation chamber (12) with an inlet passage (13), a clean flow outlet (21), and a particle outlet passage (15). The inlet passage (13) and particle outlet passage (15) are both thin elongated slits which open tangentially to the cylindrical wall of the chamber for providing a substantially flush incoming flow path dispersed lengthwise along the wall.

Cyclones are commonly used devices for separating particles from gas streams, such as dust in stack emissions and the like. Cyclones typically admit the gas stream in such a manner that a vortex is created. As a result of centrifugal force, the entrained particles in the swirling gas stream are flung against the inner walls of the cyclone and are segregated out. The cleansed gas stream leaves the cyclone through the vortex finder while the particles are funneled into a hopper or the like.
Unfortunately, the collection efficiency of conventional cyclones is relatively low. This is especially true when there is a high percentage of fine particles in the gas stream because the resulting centrifugal forces are smaller and often insufficient to segregate the particles. Even heavier particles encounter flow turbulence and secondary flows which tend to bounce them off the cyclone walls, thereby causing re-entrainment.
Many variations in cyclone designs have been suggested to improve cyclone efficiency. These include the use of acoustic agglomeration to increase particle size, water injection to reduce particle bounce off the walls, electrostatics to increase the driving force of particles to the walls, and once-through cyclone designs to eliminate secondary re-entrainment. None of these previous refinements has achieved the performance needed to make cyclone collection efficiency comparable to baghouses, electrostatic precipitators, or other counterpart devices. On the other hand, the other devices are much larger and carry higher capital costs.
There have been efforts to enhance the mechanical separation of a cyclone with electrostatics. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,381,719 issued to McGee et al. and 2,360,595 issued to Thompson both disclose an electrostatically enhanced cyclone design. Several problems persist, however. Particles in these devices are initially distributed all over the device cross-sectional area between the discharge and collecting electrodes. In this case, fine particles situated closer to the separator core may not have enough time to reach the walls and, therefore, leave the separator together with the clean gas. Also, when the particles are quite small and their concentration in the feed stream is high, the device may experience the corona suppression problem.
Secondly, the existing electrostatically enhanced cyclones are employed as single-stage units, where ionizing and separating processes are accomplished in the same vessel. This does not allow the highest separation efficiencies and minimum power consumption to be achieved.
Third, the existing electrostatically enhanced cyclones can work as particulate collectors or separators. In the first case, secondary flows (strong toroidal vortices) significantly impair the collector performance. In the second case, the particles are extracted from the device together with some bleed flow, and complete gas/particle separation can be accomplished only if the bleed flow is treated additionally in the downstream collector. If the downstream collector efficiency is low, the efficiency of the system, which incorporates both the separator and downstream collector, is also low.
Fourth, particles on the collecting electrodes of the existing electrostatically enhanced cyclones may form an immovable particulate layer, and as a result the devices may experience back corona problems and re-entrainment of the particles in the clean stream.
It would be greatly advantageous to design an electrostatically enhanced separator without shortcomings of the existing state-of-the-art devices. This separator would be very compact and able to achieve the highest collection efficiency.

Electrostatically enhanced separator (EES)


The invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing a modifiable headspace for measuring a concentration of volatile releases from a sample. The invention includes a collapsible housing for containing the air sample and a plurality of spacers between the housing and the sample surface for separating them from one another. The plurality of spacers permit the distance between the housing and the sample to be adjustable.

The invention relates to a sampling system for monitoring volatile releases and, more particularly, a system that provides for a modifiable headspace used for measuring a concentration of volatiles emanating from a surface.
Measuring odors and bacteria plays an important role in the field of quality inspection, for example, when the freshness of perishable foods being shipped is to be evaluated. Other examples include control of fermentation and classification by grade of food, such as seaweed, coffee, alcoholic beverages or the like in accordance with volatile concentrations. For such quality inspections, it is generally important to measure individual volatiles as well as the total concentration of volatiles. Volatiles are airborne releases from a surface that indicate a level of spoilage and/or contamination. They are known to have an odor or be odorless. Multiple surfaces have volatile releases. Besides food surfaces, waste, perishables, and non-perishables alike emit volatiles.
Conventionally, the above-mentioned quality inspections have been carried out by odor organoleptic tests. For example, by human sense of smell. Such inspections are typically possible for those who have a keen sense of smell and taste and are well trained to perform such inspections. However, such training is generally time consuming. Further, the results of the inspections may differ depending upon the physical conditions of the inspector. Moreover, odorless volatiles would be undetected.
Devices for collecting air samples from a food""s surface for measuring concentrations of volatiles were developed to overcome the disadvantages of the human nose. These devices typically require the air samples to reach equilibrium, or have a consistent concentration of volatiles throughout the samples, in order to provide accurate and reproducible measurements. In order to reach equilibrium, one may wait a sufficient amount of time for the volatile releases to self disperse evenly throughout an air sample. Therefore, the response time for an air sample to be collected is typically dependent upon the size of the sample.
Known devices for collecting air samples typically include rigid containers and flexible bags. Overall, rigid containers were found to provide reproducible results because the headspace, the clearance between the surface of the sample and container was advantageously fixed. However, smaller samples of food generally had slow response times due to a large headspace whereas larger samples had quick response times. Hence, the containers did not provide consistent response times among varying samples.
Flexible bags overcame the disadvantage of rigid containers in that they generally captured air samples of varying volumes around odd-shaped samples quicker because the headspace may be advantageously adjusted to each sample size. Such odd-shaped samples of foods include chicken legs, fish fillets, ribs, and the like. However, bags do not have structural integrity and collapse and sometimes stick to the surfaces they are covering, thereby further reducing the air samples to those sample surfaces that are not stuck to a collapsed bag. Because the bag may stick to the sample in unpredictable and asymmetric locations, a larger, localized headspace may require a longer time to reach equilibrium than a smaller headspace on the same piece of sample. This disadvantageously affects reproducibility and results in inconsistent response times.
What is desired, therefore, is a device that minimizes air samples for measuring volatile releases from variably sized surfaces. What is also desired is a device having structural integrity and providing an adjustable headspace. What is further desired is a device for providing reproducible measurements of volatiles.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an adjustable housing for covering a surface of a sample.
It is another object of the invention to provide a housing that minimizes the headspace over the sample in order to provide an air sample of volatiles having the desired concentration of volatile releases in a shorter period of time.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a housing having at least one device for adjusting the headspace.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a housing for covering a localized area of the sample surface.
These and other objects of the invention are carried out by an apparatus having a modifiable headspace for measuring a concentration of volatile releases from a sample surface. The apparatus includes a collapsible housing for containing the air sample and a plurality of spacers between the housing and sample surface for separating them from one another. The plurality of spacers further provides an adjustable distance between the housing and the sample.
The plurality of spacers may be attached one at a time or, if clustered together in tandem or groups, attached several at a time. This permits optimum flexibility because one may adjust the distance between the housing and sample at any location on the sample surface. This adjustment is not readily available when the spacers are integrally formed with the housing at predetermined locations.
The apparatus further includes an outlet for permitting the air sample to be extracted from the housing and an inlet for permitting air to enter the housing, thereby facilitating the extraction.
To determine the quantity of volatile releases present in the headspace, a sensor or other handheld instrument for testing may be connected to the outlet.
The housing may be flexible and have no structural integrity, thereby requiring the plurality of spacers to prevent the housing from collapsing onto the sample surface. The housing may further be a flexible bag made of a leak proof material to prevent volatile releases from escaping.
In another embodiment, the plurality of spacers is integrally formed with the collapsible housing. This facilitates the application of the spacers because by merely covering the sample surface with the housing, the spacers are simultaneously applied as well.
In another embodiment, the housing covers the sample surface in a localized area as opposed to covering the entire surface. This embodiment is particularly useful where the sample cannot fit within the housing or when localized testing of the sample surface is desired. The housing for covering a localized area of sample may be a funnel or container.
In another embodiment, an air sampling kit is provided further including a tray. The tray is for holding and handling the sample and for further transporting the kit from one location to another.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for measuring a concentration of volatile releases is provided. The method includes covering a sample with a housing, attaching a plurality spacers to the sample for separating the housing from the surface, adjusting the headspace or volume of air between the sample and housing, and extracting an air sample for testing.


The present invention relates to a sealing device for closing an introduction aperture, the sealing device comprising a fixed support and a shutter mounted movably in translation relative to the support between an extended position and a final retracted position, wherein the sealing device is in a final retracted configuration and wherein the shutter closes introduction aperture. The device includes locking means for preventing any movement of the shutter when it is in the final retracted position. The sealing device further comprises an intermediate retracted configuration, wherein the shutter is at least partly retracted. The sealing device also comprises motion guiding means for guiding the movement of the shutter and designed so that the extension of the shutter is required to move the shutter from the intermediate retracted position to the final retracted position.

Advanced biotechnology research is nowadays focusing on multiplexed biological assays, which require high reproducibility and reliability. Recently, a cartridge for automated medical diagnostics, as described in WO 2007/004103, has proved to be a promising yet simple and practical solution. Such a cartridge usually contains all necessary equipment and reagents to run said diagnostic assays on a biological sample. The equipment in particular comprises various reagent compartments and a preparation chamber wherein a sample to be analyzed can be introduced and contacted with said reagents contained in the compartments. To allow the introduction of the biological sample in the preparation chamber, the latter usually comprises an introduction aperture through which the biological sample can be introduced by the user via a swab.
Preferably, the introduction aperture must be sealed once the biological sample has been introduced in the preparation chamber in order to avoid leakages and/or contaminations. Usually, a closure device is designated to insure a tamper-proof sealing of the preparation chamber during and/or after the diagnostic assays, meaning that the preparation chamber cannot be reopened by the user under normal use conditions. Thus, this prevents any direct contamination of the user or of the biological material contained in the preparation chamber and vice-versa. A cartridge that is sealed in such a tamper-proof manner will also ensure that the introduction opening will not be untimely reopened while the assay is running, which would invalidate the result of the biological assays due to possible contaminations of the preparation chamber.
A typical closure device existing in the art comprises a support and a closure element mounted movably in translation relative to the support between an extended position and a retracted position wherein the closure device is in a retracted configuration and wherein the closure element closes said aperture. The typical closure device further includes locking means for preventing movement of, the closure element once the latter is placed in the retracted position.
A cartridge equipped with this closure device presents however disadvantages:
The classical closure device may close untimely before the introduction of a biological sample which could render the cartridge unusable. One will understand that a user may easily and inadvertently close the introduction aperture by simply pushing the closure element prior to introducing the biological sample. The untimely closure may also occur during the packaging and/or transport of the cartridge.
The present invention aims to remedy all or part of the disadvantages mentioned above.

Sealing device for use in a cartridge for medical diagnostics


A charge-based charge pump with wide output voltage range is provided. In the charge-based charge pump, the digital logic circuit is configured to receive an up pulse signal and a down pulse signal and output a plurality of switching signals for controlling the first NMOS, the positive hold subcircuit, the first dynamic body-bias generator, the positive charge transfer subcircuit, the first static body-bias generator, the first PMOS, the negative hold subcircuit, the second dynamic body-bias generator, the negative charge transfer subcircuit and the second static body-bias generator electrically connected therewith, so as to allow the output voltage to range from −0.84·VDD to 1.82·VDD. The charge-based charge pump is triggered by the up or down pulse signal or works in a default state, and the top plate and the bottom plate of the pump capacitor are electrically connected to different node and terminal according to the plurality of switching signals.

Conventionally, the charge pump used within a frequency synthesizer (PLL), includes a pair of current mirror device, which is in response to a trigger input by the incoming up or down pulse signal, source or sink a fixed magnitude of current into the loop filter. This charge pump is widely employed in all analog PLL implementations due to its linear characteristics and low noise performance. However, the performance of this charge pump is affected by a wide range of inherent nonlinearities, such as up-down current mismatch, charge injection, clock feedthrough, and require intricate layout to suppress the random mismatches between the large current mirror devices. In addition, the useable linear output voltage range is a subset of the total available range from ground (0V) to the supply potential (VDD) and is typically less than 70% of the VDD. Moreover, the cascoding implemented within the constant current branches further restricts the output voltage range and the minimum supply voltage that can be utilized.
Further to this, in a PLL environment, the current (or charge) mismatch arising from the charge pump (hereinafter referred to as "CP") directly translates into a reference spur at the PLL output spectrum. Therefore, the conventional current mirror CP commonly employs a high-gain auxiliary feedback loop to obtain precise matching of the UP-DN current magnitude. An example of such implementation is shown in FIG. 1 (Prior Art-1). As seen from FIG. 1, this implementation requires a rail-to-rail input/output range amplifier and comprises of replica bias paths that remain turned on, even when CP is in idle state (no UP or DN pulse input provided to the CP). Therefore, the state-of-the-art current-mirror CP implementation results in significantly increased complexity, power and area utilization.
In order to effectively suppress CP nonlinearities, a charge-based charge pump is proposed in Schober et al. [U.S. Pat. No. 8,525,564B2]. As indicated in FIG. 2 (Prior Art-2), the charge from pump capacitor, nominally charged to VDD, is shared to the load capacitor, following the trigger input by the incoming UP/DN pulse inputs. This capacitive charge re-distribution scheme results in improved matching performance and lower power consumption. However, due to the involved capacitive charge-sharing the useable linear range is even lower than the former case.
In this patent a novel charge-based charge pump architecture is proposed. The proposed CP retains all the merits of earlier charge-based charge pump, while extending the output voltage range from −0.84·VDD to 1.82·VDD. The approximated linear output voltage range also extends from ˜−0.7·VDD to ˜1.4·VDD. Such wide output voltage range can be utilized for wide tuning-range voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)/PLL implementations. In addition, the steady-state ripple magnitude is less than 0.03% of its saturated output at −0.84·VDD/1.82·VDD, and the CP response is free from any memory effect. Thus, the proposed design can be employed for multiple applications, such as RF-Antenna switches, that can exploit the negative or higher-than-supply positive potential output from the CP.

Charge-based charge pump with wide output voltage range

DELTA ELECTRONICS INT'L (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD


pK-matched buffers, each containing two effective buffering components: one weak base and one weak acid which have similar pKa at 25xc2x0 C. (within 0.3 pK units On agarose gels, the buffers in various concentrations were tested for separation of double-stranded DNA fragments with various DNA markers, agarose gel concentrations, and field strengths. Mobility was inversely proportional to the logarithm of molecular weight. The buffers provided high resolution without smearing at more dilute concentration than is possible with standard TAE (Tris/Acetate, pH 8.0) or TBE (Tris/Borate, pH 8.3) buffers. The buffers were also tested in 7M urea denaturing LongRanger(trademark) sequencing gels and in non-denaturing polyacrylamide SSCP gels. The pK-matched buffers provide good separation and high resolution, at a broad range of potential pH values. In comparison to TAE and TBE, pK-matched buffers provide higher voltage and current stability, lower working concentration, more concentrated stock solutions, and lower current per unit voltage, resulting in less heat generation.

Since Tiselius pioneered electrophoretic separation of human serum albumin, xcex1-, xcex2- and xcex3- globulin in 1937, electrophoresis of biological molecules has been critical to biomedical research (1). Electrophoretic analysis has become more sophisticated, specialized and useful as new types of electrophoresis are developed (2,3). McDonell et al. and Southern offered detailed descriptions of standard agarose gel electrophoresis and its use for DNA analysis (4,5). Pulsed-field agarose gel electrophoresis is an alternative for separation of very large DNA fragments up to 2000 kb (6). Another important application is polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for separation of small DNA segments, such as dideoxy sequencing analysis (7,8) and SSCP analysis (9-11).
Electrophoresis of nucleic acids in agarose and polyacrylamide gels is generally performed with TAE or TBE buffers. These buffers perform well in many applications, but certain limitations exist. A key limitation is buffering capacity which determines the working concentration and, in turn, determines the rate at which electrophoresis can occur without distortions due to heating. Limiting buffer capacity may require a change of buffer when long electrophoresis times are required, e.g., in mutation scanning using restriction endonuclease fingerprinting or SSCP. TAE buffer cannot be used for sequencing gels because of its low buffering capacity and TAE has a relatively low solubility, such that the maximal stock solution is 20X (2,3). Typically, laboratories that perform sequencing or SSCP-type mutation scanning prepare large volumes of stock solution.
This invention provides pK-matched buffers comprising a mixture of a weak acid and a weak base which have pKa values at 25xc2x0 C. within about 0.3 units of one another. The buffers are useful as running buffers for gel electrophoresis of nucleic acids or polypeptides. These pK-matched buffers have the following advantages relative to standard TBE and TAE electrophoresis buffers: 1) high resolution, 2) high electrophoretic stability, 3) low working concentration, and 4) a wide range of pH values for selection.
The invention includes an improved gel electrophoresis method of separating nucleic acids or polypeptides. The improvement comprises running the electrophoresis in a pK-matched buffer of the invention.

pK-matched running buffers for gel electrophoresis


An improved apparatus and method is provided for accurately dispensing a preselected volume of liquid. A flowmeter is provided to generate signals proportional to the flow of liquid through a faucet. A programmed microcomputer receives the flowmeter signals and controls the faucet. The residual volume of liquid (spill), which was dispensed after the faucet was last commanded to close, is stored and averaged with additional, previously stored spill amounts by the microcomputer. The average spill volume is used to anticipate the spill for the forthcoming pour. When the cumulative volume of liquid dispensed is equal to the preselected volume less the anticipated spill volume, the microcomputer signals the faucet to close, resulting in an accurate pour. In a another aspect, an improved beer dispensing head is provided. A spring-loaded conventional tap handle activates a sensor means in the head. A remote microcomputer receives a signal from the sensor and produces a controlling signal to activate a remote electro-pneumatic valve. The valve actuates a double-acting cylinder located in the head, which in turn actuates the faucet, dispensing beer.

There are a number of liquid dispensing systems on the market. Beer taps are a common application of such dispensing systems which attempt to accurately dispense predetermined quantities of beer. The dispensing of a predetermined quantity of beer is referred to as a pour. Generally these systems comprise the following characteristics:
a user interface means which is used to preselect a quantity of beer, as desired; PA1 a user activated means which initiates the pour; PA1 a faucet means which controls the flow of beer from a pressurized source; PA1 an actuator which is connected to the faucet means for opening and closing of the faucet means; PA1 a flowmeter which is located in-line between the faucet means and the beer source to provide a measure indicative of the quantity of beer which passes through the faucet means; and PA1 a programmable controller means which calculates the cumulative volume of beer dispensed, and produces a signal for closing of the faucet means, when a quantity of beer equal to the preselected quantity has been dispensed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,557 issued to Turner, a typical programmable controller, electromechanical beer dispensing system is disclosed. In Turner's system, conventional mechanically activated handle and faucet have been replaced with electronic switch means to achieve precise control of the dispensing action. The quantity of beer is cumulatively calculated during a pour using a flow metering means. The quantity of beer is continually compared against a look-up table of desired dispensed quantities by a programmable controller and a signal is generated to terminate the flow of beer when the desired quantity has been dispensed. A solenoid, associated with the faucet, receives the signal and acts to close off the flow of beer.
Turner does not necessarily achieve an accurately dispensed quantity of beer. There are physical and process aspects of the dispensing system which introduce variability in the quantities ultimately dispensed. Physical limitations of the faucet and the actuating means result in a delay in their response. After having received a command to close, the faucet permits a residual spilled quantity of beer to be discharged as it closes. An attempt to offset the look-up table value by the amount of the spill fails to compensate reliably. Changes in the physical condition and response of the faucet, and process variability, such as the pressure of the beer source, dynamically affect the quantity of the spill.
In another aspect, Turner does not permit an operator to repeatedly interrupt and re-start the flow of liquid without losing track of the cumulative quantity of beer dispensed. Beer dispensed prior to an interruption is designated as waste. Particularly with respect to dispensing beer, foaming can occur which can be controlled somewhat by temporarily interrupting the flow. The apparatus of Turner comprises an actuating electrical solenoid associated with the faucet which tends to warm the exiting beer, further exacerbating foaming.
When the liquid being dispensed, such as beer, has a significant commercial value, and is dispensed frequently in small quantities, the effect of the residual spill quantity can be economically significant and detrimental.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide means for accurately dispensing a preselected quantity of liquid in spite of repeated interruption and re-starting of the liquid flow, having accounted for variable spill quantity.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a beer dispensing system which uses a traditional beer tap handle to activate the system and yet still achieve an accurate pour.


According to an aspect of the embodiment, an area control unit refers to usage information of an area management table based on a determined type of an extracted failure information, determines whether the extracted failure information can be stored in a identified lower storage areas, determines a storage location for the extracted failure information in the identified lower storage areas when the extracted failure information can be stored in the identified lower storage areas, and determines a storage location for the extracted failure information in the upper storage areas other than an upper storage area including the identified lower storage areas based on the area management table when the extracted failure information cannot be stored in the identified lower storage areas.

Failure information is stored in a memory, and is read and then analyzed to analyze a failure of a computer or a server. There are various types of failure information can be generated. Therefore, it is desirable that a method for storing the failure information in the memory is simplified as much as possible to deal with any type of failure information.
To simplify the method for storing the failure information in a memory, a storage area for storing the failure information in the memory is divided into a plurality of areas of the same size. In this case, the failure information overflows a certain storage area, new failure information is stored in another storage area. Therefore, there is a possibility that the failure information, which has higher important level and is stored in the above another storage area, is lost by overwriting with the new failure information having lower important level.
Then, when the highly important failure information is overwritten, it becomes hard to analyze a highly important failure, such as identifying a failed component. As a result, it is caused that quick maintenance of a component related to such failure that leads to a significant reduction in the computer performance or a system shutdown.
In an input buffer control apparatus and a logical buffer size determination method of the ATM switch system, an input buffer control apparatus for improving the cell loss in the ATM switch is known, and an algorithm for determining the logical buffer size is known.
A memory management apparatus and a memory management method are known which can obtain and release a memory area at high speed regardless of the size of a requested memory area.
A dynamic memory management method, an apparatus, and an electronic device using the method and the apparatus are known which can effectively prevent the fragmentation of memory.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-17708    Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-236249    Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-34556

Failure information monitoring apparatus and failure information monitoring method


A method and installation for forming and maintaining a slurry are disclosed. The method withdraws a slurry from a reservoir and directs it at a heap of solid material from which the slurry is drained into the reservoir, the slurry containing additional solid material from the heap to increase its specific gravity. The volume of slurry in the reservoir and its specific gravity are controlled. The installation comprises a support having a support surface which slopes to permit slurry to drain therefrom A reservoir receives slurry draining from the support and has a liquid feed. A pump withdraws the slurry from the reservoir and pumps it to a spray nozzle for spraying slurry at a heap of material on the support.

THIS INVENTION relates to slurries. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and to an installation for forming and maintaining, for consumption, a stock of slurry.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming and maintaining for consumption a stock of slurry derived from a liquid and from a particulate solid material, the method including the steps of:
withdrawing a slurry of the liquid and the solid material from a stock of the slurry in a reservoir;
directing a stream of the liquid or of the withdrawn slurry at a bulk supply of the solid material in the form of a heap of the solid material, and on to the solid material of the heap;
allowing the stream directed at the heap to drain under gravity from the heap into the reservoir, the stream, while draining from the heap, entraining therein solid material from the heap to increase the specific gravity of the stream and to carry solid material from the heap into the stock of slurry in the reservoir to increase the specific gravity thereof; and
feeding liquid to the reservoir to maintain the volume of the slurry in the reservoir, the method including controlling both the volume of slurry in the reservoir and the specific gravity of the slurry in the reservoir, the feeding of the liquid into the reservoir being initiated, or having its feed rate increased, in response to decreases in the volume of the slurry in the reservoir associated with withdrawal of slurry from the reservoir for consumption thereof, and the directing of the stream at the heap of solid material being initiated, or having its flow rate increased, in response to decreases in the specific gravity of the slurry in the reservoir associated with feeding the liquid to the reservoir, thereby both to maintain the volume of slurry in the reservoir at a desired value, and to maintain the specific gravity of the slurry in the reservoir at a desired value, the feeding of liquid to the reservoir being reduced in rate or discontinued when the desired slurry volume is regained, and the directing of the stream at the heap being reduced in rate or discontinued when the desired specific gravity value is regained.
It will be appreciated that increases and decreases to the specific gravity of the slurry are associated respectively with increases and decreases to the solids content thereof.
While it is in principle possible to carry out the method by directing a stream of the liquid at and on to the solid material of the heap, to form a slurry having a solids content and specific gravity greater than the solids content and specific gravity respectively of the slurry in the reservoir, to permit drainage of a slurry from the heap into the reservoir which increases the solids content and specific gravity of the slurry in the reservoir, it is preferable to employ slurry withdrawn from the reservoir for this purpose. The stream directed at the heap may thus be a stream of the slurry withdrawn from the reservoir.
The method of the invention contemplates that withdrawal of slurry from the reservoir for consumption thereof may be continuous or intermittent, and that the liquid feed to the reservoir, which may be continuous or intermittent, will be at a rate such that the volume of slurry in the reservoir is maintained at the desired value when slurry is withdrawn for consumption at any rate up to the maximum intended rate. Similarly, the withdrawal of the stream of slurry from the reservoir to direct at the heap, which withdrawal may also be continuous or intermittent, will in turn be at a rate such that the specific gravity of the slurry in the reservoir is maintained at the desired value when the slurry is withdrawn for consumption at any rate up to the maximum intended withdrawal rate for consumption. Thus, the desired volume of the slurry, at least on average and with no more than acceptable departures from the desired value, can be maintained in the reservoir while the specific gravity, ie the density or solids content, of the slurry is likewise maintained, at least on average and with no more than acceptable departures from the desired value. In a particular embodiment of the invention, when the stream directed at the heap is a stream of slurry withdrawn from the reservoir, the liquid feed to the reservoir may be intermittent, being at a fixed rate no less than the maximum rate at which the slurry is withdrawn from the reservoir for consumption, the stream directed at the heap being withdrawn from the reservoir intermittently and at a fixed rate.
In a further particular embodiment of the invention the liquid may be water, the solid material being particulate or powdered limestone, or possibly dolomite. In other words, the liquid may be water, the solid material being selected from the group consisting of limestone, dolomite and mixtures thereof.
The controlling of the volume of slurry in the reservoir may be automatic, being by controlling the depth of slurry in the reservoir by means of a valve, the valve being selected from the group consisting of ultra-violet (UV)-controlled valves and, preferably, float-controlled valves and the valve controlling the liquid feed to the reservoir. Similarly, controlling the specific gravity of the slurry in the reservoir may be automatic, for example by using one or more load cells on which the reservoir is supported, to measure the mass of the reservoir, or by using one or more pressure cells in the interior of the reservoir to measure the static pressure in the reservoir, said cell or cells controlling the withdrawal of the stream of liquid from the reservoir which is directed at the heap. In other words, the controlling of the specific gravity of the slurry in the reservoir may be automatic, being by using a cell selected from load cells which measure the mass of the reservoir and pressure cells which measure static pressure in the reservoir, to control the directing of the stream at the heap. The liquid feed to the reservoir or the slurry stream withdrawal from the reservoir may be provided with on/off flow control, and/or they may incorporate variation of their flow rates in response to the magnitude of any departure of the slurry volume or specific gravity from the respective desired values thereof.
Indeed, instead of using load cells or pressure cells, the reservoir can in principle float in a body of water, the depth at which the reservoir floats in the body of water being related to the mass of the reservoir and hence to the specific gravity of the slurry therein, changes in this depth being used to control the directing of the stream at the heap, although it is expected that use of load cells or pressure cells will be preferred.
The method may involve agitation of the slurry in the reservoir to promote maintenance of the solid material in suspension in the liquid and to resist its settling out from the liquid, and the method may include replenishing the bulk supply of particulate material in the heap, as and when required, e.g. intermittently by means of vehicles loaded therewith Withdrawal of slurry from the reservoir, either as a stream to be directed at the heap, or for consumption thereof, may be by pumping it, and directing the stream of slurry at the heap may be by spraying it, e.g. from one or more spray nozzles at the ends of respective hoses, which may be hand-held. In particular, the method may include the step of agitating the slurry to promote maintenance of the solid in suspension in the liquid, withdrawal of slurry from the reservoir being by pumping, directing the stream at the heap being by spraying it from one or more hand-held nozzles, and feeding the liquid to the reservoir being by directing it at the heap.
If desired, the method may make provision for the removal of stones and/or grit from the slurry, between the reservoir and the hose or hoses, e.g. by passing the slurry upwardly through an inverted-conical tank, the slurry from the reservoir being fed into the tank at a low level where its diameter is small, and the slurry issuing from the tank at a high level where its diameter is large, the tank shape and size and the slurry flow rate being selected to promote retention of stones and grit in the tank, while an overflow from the tank takes the place of slurry containing particles of acceptably small size, and stones and grit are removed, e.g. intermittently from the lower parts of the tank; and slurry can, if desired, be recirculated from the top of the tank to its bottom, to achieve upward flow rates in the tank which keep small slurry particles in suspension.
The feeding of the liquid to the reservoir to maintain the volume of slurry in the reservoir may be directly from a liquid supply into the reservoir, or it may be indirect, the liquid being fed from the liquid supply into the stream of slurry which is directed at the bulk supply, so that the liquid enters the reservoir as part of the slurry draining into the reservoir
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an installation for forming and maintaining, for consumption, a stock of slurry derived from a liquid and from a bulk supply of particulate solid material, the installation including;
a support having an upwardly facing support surface for supporting a heap of particulate solid material, the support surface sloping so that it is inclined to the horizontal to permit a slurry of liquid and particulate solid material to drain under gravity therefrom;
a reservoir arranged to receive slurry draining under gravity from the support surface of the support and to hold a stock of slurry;
a liquid feed for feeding liquid to the reservoir;
a slurry withdrawal device for withdrawing slurry from a stock of slurry in the reservoir;
a spray device for spraying a liquid or slurry at a heap of particulate material supported on the support and on to the particulate material of the heap;
a volume control device for controlling the volume of the stock of slurry in the reservoir and operative, in response to a decrease in said volume below a desired value, to initiate, or increase the rate of, the feeding of liquid by the liquid feed to the reservoir; and
a specific gravity control device for controlling the specific gravity of the stock of slurry in the reservoir and operative, in response to a decrease in said specific gravity below a desired value, to initiate, or increase the rate of, the spraying of the liquid or slurry at the heap,
the volume control device being operative to discontinue, or to reduce the rate of feeding of, liquid to the reservoir, when the desired volume is regained and the specific gravity control device being operative to discontinue, or to reduce the rate of spraying of, the liquid or slurry at the heap, when the desired specific gravity is regained.
The support may be a cementitious, e.g. concrete, slab resting on the ground and having a shaped support surface for supporting the heap, the support surface having, for example, two flat portions which slope and converge downwardly to meet at a line of intersection therebetween, which line in turn slopes downwardly towards a drainage point where the support surface drains into the reservoir. The slab may have a pair of ramps, respectively sloping upwardly from ground level to peripheral edges of the flat portions of the support surface, to facilitate the tipping of particulate material from load vehicles on to the support surface. In a particular embodiment of the installation, the support may thus be a slab of cementitious material having a shaped support surface for supporting the heap, the support surface sloping downwardly to a drainage point and the slab being provided with a vehicle ramp leading upwardly from ground level to a peripheral edge of the slab, which edge is raised above ground level, the reservoir being a completely mixed tank located below the level of the drainage point and provided with a stirrer in its interior.
The reservoir may in turn be in the form of an open-topped completely mixed tank, located in a pit below ground level, at a position where the support surface can drain under gravity into the open top of the tank, and having a stirrer in its interior.
The slurry withdrawal device may be a pump. The pump for withdrawal of slurry for consumption may simply feed into a pipe or similar flow line; and there may be a further similar pump for withdrawal of a stream of slurry to be directed at the heap, which further pump may feed Into one or more hoses, each optionally provided with a spray nozzle at its free end. Thus, the spray device may comprise one or more hoses, each of which has a free end provided with a spray nozzle.
The volume control device may be in the form of a liquid level control means and may thus be an ultra-violet (UV)-controlled valve or preferably a float-controlled valve controlling feeding of liquid from the liquid feed, which may be a pipe, into the reservoir, the valve conveniently being a shut-off or on-off valve arranged to open fully and permit feeding of liquid at a fixed rate into the reservoir if the level of slurry in the reservoir decreases below a desired value, equivalent to the desired slurry volume in the tank, and to shut off liquid flow from the pipe when said desired level is regained. Accordingly, the volume control device may be a shut-off valve selected from the group consisting of ultra-violet (UV)-controlled valves and float-controlled valves, the shut-off valve being arranged to open if the level of slurry in the reservoir decreases below a desired value and to close when said desired value is regained.
The specific gravity control device may be one or more load cells on which the tank is supported in the pit, arranged to control withdrawal of the stream of slurry from the tank by automatically starting the associated pump, or increasing its pumping rate, when the mass of the tank and the desired volume of slurry in the tank contents decreases below a predetermined value corresponding to the desired specific gravity, and arranged automatically to discontinue the pumping, or reduce its rate, when the predetermined value is regained Thus, generally, the specific gravity control device may comprise at least one cell selected from the group consisting of load cells on which the reservoir is supported for sensing the mass of the reservoir, and pressure cells in the interior of the reservoir for sensing static pressure in the reservoir, the cell being operatively connected to a shut-off valve for supplying liquid or slurry to the spray device.
In this regard it will be appreciated that spraying slurry on to the heap and allowing it to drain under gravity into the tank while entraining particulate solid material from the heap, will increase the concentration of solid material in the slurry in the tank and hence will increase the mass of the slurry and hence will increase the total mass of the tank and its contents when filled with the desired volume of slurry. Correspondingly, feeding liquid into the tank will dilute the slurry and reduce the mass of the slurry and hence reduce the total mass of the tank and its contents when filled with slurry to the desired volume or level. Withdrawal of slurry from the tank for consumption leads to feeding liquid into the tank and to a decrease in specific gravity of the slurry, which in turn leads to spraying of slurry on to the heap and washing solid material from the heap into the tank, thereby causing a compensatory increase in specific gravity. Thus, both the volume or level of slurry in the tank, and its specific gravity, can automatically be maintained.
Instead of comprising one or more load cells, the specific gravity control device may comprise one or more pressure cells in the tank, e.g. at or near its bottom, arranged to control the withdrawal of the stream of slurry from the tank by automatically starting the associated pump, or increasing its pumping rate, when the pressure sensed by the pressure cells decreases below a predetermined value corresponding to the desired specific gravity, the pressure cells being arranged automatically to discontinue the pumping, or to reduce its rate, when the sensed pressure regains its predetermined value. In this regard it will be appreciated that the pressure exerted by the slurry, at a particular depth, is directly related to the specific gravity of the slurry which in turn is, directly related to the solids concentration in the slurry. The pressure cell or cells are thus functionally equivalent to the load cell or cells, the cell or cells in question in each case being, for example, electrically connected to a switch or pump flow control means for switching the associated pump on or off or for controlling its pumping rate, which pump is thus conveniently electrically driven. In particular, the specific gravity control device may comprise at least one cell selected from the group consisting of load cells on which the reservoir is supported for sensing the mass of the reservoir, and pressure cells in the interior of the reservoir for sensing static pressure in the reservoir, the cell being operatively connected to a shut-off valve for supplying liquid or slurry to the spray device.
The pump for withdrawing the slurry stream from the tank, and the pump for withdrawing slurry for consumption from the tank, may each be submersible pumps suspended in slurry in the tank, or, conveniently, may each be outside the tank having inlet pipes projecting downwardly into the slurry in the tank, in each case extending downwardly via the open top of the tank into the slurry, so that the mass of or pressure in the tank is essentially unaffected thereby, there being no direct physical connection between said pumps (or the their inlet pipes), and the tank walls of floor, particularly when load cells are employed. If desired, the inlet pipes to the pumps which project downwardly from the pipes into the slurry, may be replaced by flexible pipes or hoses connected to the tank, in which case it may be preferable to replace the load cells with pressure cells which function as described above.
If desired, the installation may be in the form of a portable apparatus. Thus, the reservoir and the associated slurry withdrawal means, volume control means and separate gravity control means may be of a size which permits them to be taken from site to site, where they are installed, on a vehicle such as a truck or lorry, and the support may, instead of being a concrete slab, be a container, such as a portable shipping container, having an open top to permit loading thereof, for example, with particulate material by means of a front end loader, and having a closeable slot at an end thereof from which drainage of slurry can take place if the container is mounted at an angle with the slot lowermost.

Method and installation for forming and maintaining a slurry


A flash attachment for a hand held camera having a flash head pivotally mounted on an extendable member. A main unit together with a plurality of modular auxiliary units which may be used to construct the attachment are shown. One embodiment shows a plurality of flash heads and means for firing them rapidly and sequentially while recharging in the same sequence.

Since the second World War there has occurred in this country and throughout the world a widespread increase in the public's awareness of the art of photograhy. In more recent years there has been a great proliferation of sales of inexpensive cameras using film cartridges as well as an increased sales of higher quality 35 mm cameras. The proliferation of cameras has spawned a proliferation of flash devices for taking pictures in otherwise insufficient lighting conditions. These flash devices have included both those using expendable flashbulbs and those using reusable flash tubes.
Conventional flash tube flash attachments use a charged capacitor as the power source to drive the flash tube upon ignition. Conventionally, a charging circuit will operate from a low voltage battery which drives an oscillator which in turn drives a transformer to raise the voltage which is then rectified and used to charge the firing capacitor.
Conventional flash attachments using reusable flash tubes comprises a means for attaching, both physically and electrically, the attachment to the camera in question; a body which includes the circuitry for charging the firing capacitor; and a flash head which houses the flash tube and an appropriate reflector.
As is known to those skilled in the art of photography the taking of a picture with a conventional flash light source creates certain problems which must be compromised when a flash is to be used with a portable hand held camera.
In order to minimize the effects of shadows it is desirable to have multiple flashes aimed at the subject from different directions so that the centers of the illuminated areas tend to intersect near the subject. Conventionally this is possible only with equipment in a fixed location such as that in a photograph's studio.
In the use of portable hand held cameras with a flash attachment mounted directly on the camera, it has been possible to hold the camera steady using both hands, but this has necessitated rather direct lighting which causes problems with both shadows in the picture and eye redness of human and animal subjects. As is known to those skilled in the art of photography the problem of eye redness from a direct flash occurs when light from the flash is reflected directly off of the retina of the subject and back into the camera lens.
It has been known to provide a flash attachment which includes a rotatable flash head for using "bounce flash" techniques but this requires surfaces close to the subject of relatively high reflectivity.
As a compromise in the use of flash equipment with hand held cameras, it has been known in the art to provide a detachable flash which is electrically connected to the camera body via a cord that may be held in one hand while the camera proper is held in the other. This compromise tends to eliminate the problem of eye redness and to diminish the problem of shadows from direct illumination but makes it much more difficult for the user to steadily hold the camera since only one handis available for this task.


A device and associated system for threading, cutting, and reaming pipe ends. The device and system utilize a brushless DC electric motor. The devices also include on-board electronics and operator interface(s) to provide sophisticated control and information as to the various operations. Methods of operating the devices and several different modes for performing various operations.

Threads are used on a wide array of mechanical components, piping, and conduit for engaging components together and/or to provide a sealing connection between components. Numerous thread sizes and thread configurations are known, such as tapered threads and non-tapered or "straight" threads. Within each class, a variety of different thread forms have been developed and used depending upon the application, type of workpiece, customs of the locale, and preferences of the user.
Devices for forming threads on pipe ends are well known in the art. Such devices use one or more dies that form a helical thread extending from one region of the pipe to another region. The die is orbited about the axis of the pipe and/or the pipe is rotated while the die is engaged with a select region of the pipe to form the thread.
When assembling piping systems or when forming custom piping layouts, sections of pipe are typically cut and threaded at a construction or assembly site. As a result, portable or semi-portable pipe threading devices have been developed which can be used at the job site to prepare threaded pipe ends. Many of these devices are powered by electric motors and include one or more accessories for performing other operations typically associated with threading, such as cutting and reaming operations. As far as is known, these previous threading devices were relatively inefficient in terms of power consumption and limited in the extent of control features. As a result, relatively low productivity levels were associated with previously known devices. Additionally, previously known threading devices had relatively low durability as a result of the use of components susceptible to wear, i.e. brushes.
Although most currently available threading devices are satisfactory, it would be desirable to provide an improved device. Specifically, it would be beneficial to provide a threading device which operated with greater efficiency than currently known devices. It would also be desirable to provide a threading device that would enable gains in productivity. And, it would be desirable to provide a device that exhibits a high level of durability.

Systems and devices for performing powered threading operations