A timing and scorekeeping ring (10) designed to be worn on the finger (12) of an official's hand (14) for displaying information related to sporting events and games. The indicator ring (10) includes bands (24) for mounting the indicator ring (10) to the finger (12). An electronic display device (38) includes a rectangular window (40) for displaying downs and an adjacent seconds window (42) for displaying seconds. Actuation of a push button switch (52) controls the display of downs and a 25-second timer and a 60-timer displayed in the seconds window (42). Other timing and scorekeeping rings (60) and (62) are disclosed herein for use with basketball and baseball.

The sport's official, referred to as a "referee" in basketball and football and as an "umpire" in baseball, has a duty to administer the rules of a particular sport. Some of these rules require the official to keep track of time, and, more specifically, seconds. In addition, the sports official has other responsibilities, including monitoring the progress of a team, such as downs in football; outs, innings, and runs scored in baseball; and time limits, such as the amount of time a player can remain in a particular area on a basketball court.
As an example, in the rules of basketball, there is a 10-second back-court violation and several 5-second mid-court and front-court violations. These timed violations are counted and monitored by the referee. Traditionally, basketball referees count each second mentally. When electronic scoreboards were introduced, referees briefly tried to rely on the game clock to time the 5- or 10-second count. However, each time they looked away to observe the game clock, possible fouls or infractions were missed. Thus, it was determined that this method could not work. Rather, the referees returned to relying on their own mental count. To aid in keeping a continuous rhythm to their count, many referees adopted an arm or hand swinging motion.
In another example, in football the referee is responsible to count 25 seconds between plays. In high school games, the offensive team has 25 seconds to hike the ball after a previous play. Professional football permits 30 seconds to elapse before the ball must be hiked. At one time, football referees carried a stopwatch around their neck to time the seconds. Because it was too big and flopped around the chest area when running down the field, the referee attempted to hold the stopwatch stable with one hand while running. However, this made it difficult for the referee to run quickly. At the present time, football referees monitor the 25 seconds in one of three methods: (1) they mentally count the 25 seconds; (2) the referee will notice the time on the game clock and mentally deduct 25 seconds; and/or (3) the referee will carry a watch equipped with a second hand. Furthermore, the football referee is solely responsible for keeping track of the correct "downs." The referee is also responsible to make certain that the down marker on the sideline has the correct down displayed. According to the football referee's manual, a referee should never rely on the sideline down marker or assume that the chain and down marker people are correct. Rather, he or she must check the down marker after each play and correct it if necessary.
Referees have used a number of methods in attempting to keep track of downs. Typically, football referees use a conventional rubber band to keep track of downs. The rubber band is worn on the right wrist and, in turn, extends around each of the four fingers. If the rubber band is on the first finger, it is the first down; second finger is second down; third finger is third down; and fourth finger is fourth down. As the referee extends the rubber band, he will twist the rubber band once before putting it around his finger. This better secures the rubber band to that particular finger. After each play, the referee uses the fingers of his left hand to pick the stretched rubber band off the one finger and place it around the next finger on the right hand.
This particular method suffers from a number of disadvantages. First, it is often difficult to grab ahold of the rubber band with the fingers after each play. This is especially true during cold and rainy days when the referee wears gloves. In this case, the rubber band is simply too thin to easily grasp. Second, since the rubber band stretches across the top of the hand, it rubs and pulls hairs, causing discomfort and sometimes pain. This can be aggravated if the rubber band is too tight, which can also cut off blood circulation to the wrist and fingers. In addition, this method requires both hands to change from one finger to the next and results in a time delay as this is being accomplished. Furthermore, while the referee is changing the rubber band from one finger to the next, he is unable to hold, catch, or toss the football after a play. Finally, these rubber bands can easily break, many times causing pain to the referee, especially in cold weather, and causing confusion as to what the down was at the time the rubber band broke.
Recently, Honig's Officiating Supply Company located in Ann Arbor, Mich., began marketing an elastic down indicator that uses the same technique as the rubber band except that it is made out of a nylon material and is thicker than a rubber band. Although this may temporarily solve the disadvantages of cutting off the circulation and easy breaking, the remaining disadvantages discussed above still exist. This same company is also marketing a combination Finger Whistle/Down Indicator. This device is a combination whistle and down indicator that fits on a finger like a ring. It includes a small, non-electric, circular disk that is positioned behind the whistle. Because it is very small it is also difficult to see and read and it still takes two hands to update its information display.
For baseball, umpires currently use a plastic or metal hand-held indicator device. This device consists of round disks mounted in a plastic or metal casing. The disks have set numbers on them which appear in an opening on the casing. There are four openings across the casing, one each for balls, strikes, outs, and innings. The disks are slightly extended to the exterior of the side of the casing to enable the umpire to turn the disk. This method also suffers from a number of disadvantages. First, dirt and dust tend to get into the casing and rapidly scratch off the painted numbers, making them difficult to read. In addition, the device, being hand held, is easily dropped, causing dirt to be forced inside the casing and breakage to occur. Finally, the disks easily clog and become difficult to turn. Consequently, there is a need for a device that can concurrently monitor and display various types of information relating to sporting events and that is easily held and operated.


Disclosed is a machine for comminuting lawn refuse and having a refuse-receiving hopper with a hopper opening. An aspect of the invention involves a vacuum adapter attached to the hopper and substantially spanning the opening. The adapter has a collar for removably receiving a vacuum hose in air flow communication with the hopper. Preferably, the hose is a ribbed irrigation hose which is widely available at low cost. The hose is retained by a diaphgragm-like resilient member so that the hose readily pivots 360.degree. and is securely retained. Other aspects of the invention involve a closure for the branch feed tube, a novel engine mounting arrangement and a unique strut mount which substantially lessens the tendency of the machine to "walk" during operation.

Machines, often referred to as "chipper-shredders," have been in wide use for years for comminuting lawn and yard refuse. Owners of residential and commercial property use such machines to mulch grass clippings, small twigs and branches, leaves and the like. In the past, it had been common practice to place the comminuted refuse into bags and dispose of the bags and refuse in a landfill.
More recently, municipalities are becoming more concerned about the cost of procuring landfill space. A growing number of such municipalities prohibit many types of lawn refuse from being placed into a landfill. Consequently, chipper-shredder machines are increasing importance since they reduce lawn refuse to small particle and "piece" sizes entirely suitable for use as garden, lawn and tree mulch. Chipper-shredder machines play an important part in returning valuable natural organic material, pulverized lawn refuse, to the soil.
There are number of manufacturers of such chipper-shredder machines and the patent literature illustrates several different machine configurations. Examples of such machines are shown in U.S. Pat Nos. 5,156,345 (Baker); 5,102,056 (Ober); 4,824,034 (Baker); 4,544,104 (Carlsson); 3,817,462 (Hamlin) and others. While such machines have been generally satisfactory for their intended purpose, they are characterized by certain disadvantages.
Many chipper-shredder machines include the capability to attach a vacuum hose to the machine and clean up lawn refuse "fines" by vacuum. One disadvantage of certain known chipper-shredder machines involves the vacuum hose arrangement. The configurations shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,018,672 (Peck); 4,875,630 (Carlson) and 3,712,353 (Ferry) are typical in that all use a side-mounted vacuum hose.
Such side-mounting arrangements are thought to have little pivoting capability. And in any event, it is very clear that a substantial length of hose is required just to position the vacuum mouth to the side of the machine opposite the mounting opening. Further, the hose used for such purpose is often specially selected for such applications and is relatively expensive. Some hoses require tools for attachment and removal.
Chipper-shredders are usually equipped with "free-swinging" comminuting "hammers" or blades attached to a grinding rotor. Often, the blades are Y-shaped and the two arms of the "Y" are bent slightly in opposite directions away from the plane of the blade body. Examples of blade configurations of this general type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,211,566 (Fortney) and 1,975,406 (Reschke). A disadvantage of this blade type is that twigs and small branches tend to become wedged between the blades and carried around with the grinding rotor rather than being chopped.
Still another disadvantage of known chipper-shredders arises from the inclusion of a branch-receiving chute or tube. Small branches are thrust into the tube to be ground up by the rotor. Examples of such chutes are shown in the above-noted Ober and Baker '034 patents. Often, the tube is simply left open when not in use. If open, air flows down the tube while the vacuum hose is being used and reduces the vacuum hose "cleanup" capability of the machine. If the tube is closed when not in use, it is typical to employ a custom-fabricated closure for the purpose. One manufacturer uses a permanently-attached, spring-biased swinging plate.
Another disadvantage of known chipper-shredders is their tendency to "walk" or "dance" when in use. This annoying characteristic occurs when the machine rests on a hard surface, e.g., a concrete or asphalt driveway, and is especially typical of chipper-shredders powered by internal combustion engines and having a "cantilevered" drive shaft, i.e., a drive shaft with no outboard support bearing. Such engines inherently exhibit more vibration than electric motors and cantilevered drive shafts tend to whip slightly due to the almost inevitable imbalance in load.
Still another disadvantage of known chipper-shredders is that their prime mover, e.g., a gasoline engine or an electric drive motor, is mounted in such a way that the machine is very difficult to move from location to location. U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,376 (Litchenburg) shows a machine in which the gasoline engine is mounted well away from the wheel axle. Tipping or lifting the machine is thereby made unnecessarily difficult.
Yet another disadvantage of known chipper-shredders involves the manner of mounting the chipper knives which are preferably seated in some sort of pocket to help reduce the stress on the knife-securing bolts. In certain known products, the pocket is formed in the chipper plate by a milling operation which involves removing metal from the plate. Another known way to form a pocket is to grind it. And yet another known chipper-shredder does not use a pocket at all but, rather, welds a back-up bar onto the chipper plate to support the knife. These operations add significantly to the cost of manufacture.
An improved chipper-shredder which incorporates features addressing the above and other disadvantages would be an important advance in the art.


In a receiver for a DBS (direct broadcasting satellite) system, a method of implementing multi-dwelling reception and normal reception. The method is implemented in receiver. The receiver of the present invention is capable of setting itself up for use with a DBS antenna unit and LNB without any intervention from the user. The present invention automatically configures itself for operation with either right-hand circular polarized signals or left-hand circular polarized signals as received from the antenna unit and LNB. The DBS system includes an antenna unit for receiving the DBS signal from the DBS satellite. The DBS signal is converted to a DBS IF (intermediate frequency) signal and is coupled to the receiver. The receiver receives the DBS IF signal and detects whether the IF signal is in a multi-dwelling format or a normal format by tuning to an upper band of the IF signal. If the multidwelling format is detected, the receiver configures itself for multi-dwelling reception. If the normal format is detected, the receiver configures itself for normal reception. The steps of receiving the DBS IF signal, detecting whether the IF signal is in a multi-dwelling format or a normal format, and configuring for multi-dwelling reception or normal reception are performed by the receiver automatically such that the receiver properly configures itself for operation without user intervention.

Digital broadcast satellite (DBS) services are among the most popular consumer audio/video services to ever enter the market. Many thousands of consumers have purchased DBS systems to receive DBS delivered programming. According to industry statistics, DBS systems are among the fastest growing consumer electronic product categories.
DBS programming is delivered via satellite. Generally, the programming is transmitted from a central ground station to a satellite orbiting 22,300 miles above the equator where it is processed and broadcast back to Earth in a very broad RF signal. Because the signal beamed down to the Earth is so widely dispersed, the signal is available across a very large geographic area, such as for example, residences from Seattle, Washington, to Key West, Florida. The broadcast DBS signal is received via a DBS antenna unit, essentially an 18-inch satellite reception dish. The received signals are subsequently coupled to a DBS receiver. The DBS receiver decompresses and translates the digital DBS signal into analog television signal for display on a user's television.
Prior art FIG. 1 shows a diagram depicting the operation of a typical DBS system 100. System 100 includes a broadcast center 110 which functions by gathering programming content (e.g., movies, sporting events, commercials, etc.), digitizing encrypting, and uplinking the content to a DBS satellite 101 in geosynchronous orbit via a 17 GHz uplink signal 115. The DBS satellite 101 immediately retransmits the signal back down to every earth-station, or in other words, every DBS antenna unit 103 at every subscribers' homes/businesses, via a 12 GHz downlink signal 102. A low noise down converter (LNB) 104 is coupled to the antenna unit 103 for down converting the received 12 GHz downlink signal 102 into an IF (intermediate frequency) signal suitable for processing by receiver 106. The IF signal is coupled to receiver 106 via a coaxial cable 105. Receiver 106 functions by separating each digital channel in the IF signal, and decompressing and translating the channels so television 107 can show the programming to a user. Upstream communication is provided via a telephone line 108 coupled from receiver 106 back to the broadcast center 110.
There exists a problem with system 100, however, in that the format of the IF signal provided by LNB 104 to receiver 106 via cable 105 is often in different formats. Subscriber equipment (e.g., antenna unit 103, LNB 104, receiver 106, etc.) typically varies among the large number of users. Different components 103-106 are often provided by different manufacturers. Due to the nature of downlink signal 102, subscriber equipment is typically configured to use either left-hand circular or right-hand circular polarization of the IF signal 105 (or, vertical and horizontal polarization). These types of polarization are in the same frequency band. Hence, older types of subscriber equipment require the use of two cables coupling LNB 104 to receiver 106 to separately conduct left-hand circular and right-hand circular polarized signals respectively. Newer types of subscriber equipment are able to convert one type of signal (e.g., left-hand circular polarized) to a higher frequency band with respect to the other type of signal (e.g., right-hand circular polarized) so that only one cable (e.g., cable 105) is required to couple LNB 104 to receiver 106. The types of subscriber equipment are not readily combined by a user.
Thus, even a prior art subscriber equipment setup capable of functioning in both a "multi-dwelling" manner (e.g., left-hand and right-hand circular polarization in a single cable) and a "normal" manner (e.g., left-hand and right-hand circular polarization in separate cables) requires manual configuration and initialization by the user. Unfortunately, this most often involves the user reading a manual to best understand how to set the subscriber equipment up such that it functions correctly. Manual configuration is error prone and inconvenient. If successful (e.g., the user turns, pushes, and otherwise manipulates the appropriate dials, switches, and/or jumpers on LNB 104 and receiver 106), system 100 functions as desired. However, if the configuration is incorrect, receiver 106 will not work and the user will be frustrated.

Self configuring multi-dwelling satellite receiver system


A modular unit for a shelving system includes a pair of tube connectors each made up of half-sections together having an outer transverse dimension slightly less than the inner transverse dimension of a tube to be connected thereto, a threaded fastener threaded through an opening in one half-section and abutting the other half-section to force apart the two half-sections and thereby to firmly clamp them to a tube, and a tie rod joining a half-section of one of the tube connectors to a half-section of the other tube connector.

The present invention relates to tube connectors for connecting tubes to each other or to other objects. The invention also relates to modular units and to modular shelving sytems including such tube connectors.
A wide variety of different types of tube connectors have been developed and are available for connecting tubes to each other or to other objects, such as plates. Examples of such known tube connectors are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,645,509, 3,620,558, 4,090,798, 4,574,552, 4,787,319, 4,859,109, 4,934,858, 4,958,953 and 5,102,254.
The invention of the present application is directed to a novel tube connector particularly useful as a modular unit for a modular shelving system to enable shelving systems of various configurations to be assembled in a simple and convenient manner as desired using only an Allen key.

Tube connector, modular units, and modular shelving systems including such connectors


Resolution of a mixture of organic materials by simulated moving bed chromatography using a weakly interacting adsorbent as a stationary phase can be routinely effected with a liquid mobile phase characterized by atypically low values of k' with recoveries of at least 95% and a purity of at least 95%. In particular, values in the range 0.1<k'<1.0 are recommended with a resulting savings in mobile phase consumption, inventory, and recovery.

This application deals with the use of chromatography in commercial scale preparative separations. More particularly, our invention deals with the branch of simulated moving bed chromatography as applied to separations where the stationary phase interacts only weakly with adsorbed materials. Our contribution to such separations which is the subject of this application arises from the recognition that operating at low values of k', the capacity factor, is quite beneficial in such separations even though classical liquid chromatography theory teaches operation at high values of k' as one prerequisite to successful separations. To better understand our invention in the context of theory and conventional practice it will be helpful to briefly review some of the relevant principles of liquid chromatography.
One fundamental property in liquid chromatography is k', the capacity factor, which is defined as ##EQU1## where n.sub.s is the total moles of material being separated in the stationary phase and n.sub.m is the number of moles in the mobile phase. Where there are several components present, the capacity factor for the ith component is ##EQU2## The retention time, t.sub.r, for component i, t.sub.r (i), is related to the time it takes for the mobile phase to travel the length of the column, t.sub.0, by the distribution of component between the stationary and mobile phases according to the equation, ##EQU3## Thus, the capacity factor k' also is related to the relative retention time of the component in question.
For two components, the milo of their relative retention times, .alpha., is ##EQU4## where a.sub.ij is the selectivity factor between components i and j. Finally, the volume, V.sub.r, of the mobile phase required to elute a component as measured to the apex of the peak is related to the flow rate, F, of the mobile phase and retention time of the component by, EQU V.sub.r (i)=t.sub.r (i)F
from which it follows that EQU V.sub.r (i)=V.sub.0 [1+k'(i)] (4) EQU [V.sub.r (i)-V.sub.0 ]/V.sub.0 =k' (5) ##EQU5## Thus, classical liquid chromatography theory as supported by much experimental evidence leads to the conclusions that the retention volume of a particular component, relative to the retention volume of the pure mobile phase, depends only on the capacity factor for the component, although relative retention volumes and relative retention times for two components depend only on the ratio of the two capacity factors, and it is the ratio of the capacity factors which define selectivity.
One form of chromatography well adapted to continuous, commercial-size separation is simulated moving bed chromatography. In continuous moving bed chromatography the stationary phase moves relative to the feed and mobile phase inputs, and the extract and raffinate outputs. Because of the difficulty in implementing a moving stationary phase in chromatographic separations its simulation is favored in practice (hence the name simulated moving bed chromatography) where incremental positional changes of the input and output streams, relative to a static stationary phase, is effected at regular intervals. Although many of the relations developed above apply to simulated moving bed chromatography some additional nuances are applicable when the separations are effected by weakly interacting adsorbents.
One important observation from the foregoing review of some salient theoretical aspects of liquid chromatography is the effect of k' on the retention time and retention volume, EQU k'=t.sub.r -t.sub.0 =V.sub.r -V.sub.0
Whereas one normally seeks to maximize the difference in retention time between a component and the mobile phase in order to increase the difference in retention time between two components, this requires a large k' which has the ancillary undesirable effect of increasing the retention volume of the mobile phase for the components. Thus, the accepted practice in analytical chromatography and in batch mode preparative chromatography of operating at a high k', usually in the range 1<k'<10, has as a necessary consequence the usage of a large volume of mobile phase.
We have found the conditions in simulated moving bed chromatography can be significantly modified from those required for analytical and batch mode preparative chromatography. In particular, when weakly interacting adsorbents are used as the stationary phase, separations using simulated moving bed chromatography can be performed effectively at low values of k', thereby minimizing the amount of mobile phase which is needed. Specifically, such separations may be performed efficiently where k' is less than 1, and especially in the range 0.1<k'<1. Since an appreciable cost of the separation process is associated with the mobile phase and its recovery from the raffinate and extract streams, our process affords substantial cost savings accruing from a lower mobile phase inventory, lower utility costs in recovering the mobile phase, and other ancillary costs.
It needs to be mentioned that even though certain types of separation currently effected by simulated moving bed (SMB) processes operate at the equivalent of a low k' it is not obvious to extend this knowledge to separations using weakly interacting adsorbents as the stationary phase because the mechanism of adsorption is fundamentally different. Thus, the adsorbents used in traditional separations such as that of the xylene isomers are zeolites such as X faujasites that have a high ion exchange capacity. With zeolites, the primary mechanism for adsorption is electrostatic attraction. The heat of adsorption, which is a direct measure of strength of the bonding between the adsorbate and the surface, is high (typically ca. 20 kcal per mole). Consequently, a "strong" desorbent is required in these systems. Frequently, the desorbent is similar in polarity to that of the feed component. For example, xylenes are desorbed with alkyl aromatics such as p-diethylbenzene or toluene and chlorinated aromatic feedstocks are typical desorbed with chlorinated aromatic solvents. The strong adsorbate/adsorbent interaction and the high binding energies require the use of a strong desorbent.
The stationary phases which are the subject of this invention are weakly interacting adsorbents such as refractory inorganic oxides and related materials as exemplified by silica, alumina, titania, magnesia, layered double hydroxide as illustrated by hydrotalcite and related material, all of which are solids characterized by surfaces with free hydroxyl groups. The mechanism of adsorption for the latter materials is very different from that of zeolites in that weak van der Waals forces predominate. Using silica as an example, the adsorbate partitions between the hydroxyl-rich surface and molecules of the mobile phase. The binding energies between the weekly interacting adsorbent and the adsorbate may be less than 1 kcal per mole and the mobile phases are typically weak. Consequently, manipulation of the mobile phase composition and the use of "strong mobile phases" is unexpected for the very weak intermolecular interactions encountered with weakly interacting adsorbents as the stationary phase. We also shall see that solubility plays a more significant role in our invention than in prior SMB separations.

Separations by simulated moving bed chromatography operating at low K' values using weakly interating adsorbents as the stationary phase


A computer-implemented method includes executing one or more test programs on a computing device, where the computing device includes a Guarded Storage (GS) facility managing use of GS. Each test program of the one or more test programs comprises a respective GS event, and each respective GS event prompts execution of a respective garbage reclaim function associated with the GS. A memory storage is analyzed, by a computer processor, to verify expected operation of each of the one or more test programs. Test results of the one or more test programs are determined based on the analyzing the memory storage. A remedial action is performed in response to the test results of the one or more test programs.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to system testing and, more specifically, to testing a Guarded Storage facility.
During execution of a Java program, the Java runtime collects the program's garbage, which is made up of memory objects that are deemed to be no longer in use. If these unused memory objects are not freed and released for reuse, the program can continue consuming more and more resources unchecked. This can slow down the computer system on which the program runs, and can reduce resources available to the program and other applications running on the computer system.
Guarded Storage is a facility incorporated into the z System® of International Business Machines®. With Guarded Storage, memory objects that are no longer needed are periodically made available for reuse.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Techniques are described that provide for the collaborative co-existence of LTE-U base stations and access points associated with technologies, such as WiFi, that use unlicensed frequency spectrum. In one implementation, a LTE-U device may select a frequency block, in an unlicensed frequency spectrum, based on measured signal strengths and decoded Master Information Blocks (MIBs) that are broadcast in the unlicensed frequency spectrum. The LTE-U device may initiate communications via the selected frequency block by transmitting a MIB that includes a token identifier field that identifies the selected frequency block.

Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a standard for wireless communication of high-speed data for mobile phones and data terminals. It is based on the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)/Enhanced Data Rates for GSM (EDGE) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS)/High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network technologies, but increasing the capacity and speed using a different radio interface together with core network improvements.
LTE Advanced in unlicensed spectrum (LTE-U) refers to a proposal to deliver LTE with small cells using unlicensed (e.g., 5 GHz) spectrum. LTE-U devices may wirelessly transmit and receive data using unlicensed and/or licensed spectrum. By tapping into the spectrum resources of the unlicensed bands, network operators may potentially obtain greater throughput and user satisfaction.
Unlike the use of licensed spectrum, however, with the use of unlicensed spectrum, the unlicensed spectrum resources may need to be simultaneously shared with multiple network operators and with traditional network access points (e.g., WiFi APs) that use the unlicensed spectrum. For example, an LTE-U system that uses the 5 GHz unlicensed spectrum may need to coexist with LTE-U base stations associated with other carriers and with traditional WiFi access points.

Coexistence of LTE-U with WiFi and/or another LTE-U system in unlicensed spectrum


A rotor blade of an aerodynamic rotor of a wind turbine, comprising: at least a first and a second wing fence, with the first wing fence being arranged at the rotor blade in radial direction, in relation to an axis of rotation of the rotor, in a range between 25% and 40%, and the second wing fence being arranged at the rotor blade in radial direction, in relation to an axis of rotation of the rotor, in a range between 45% and 60%.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to a rotor blade of a wind turbine. The present invention moreover relates to a wind turbine.
Description of the Related Art
Wind turbines are a matter of common knowledge. The most common wind turbines nowadays are the so-called horizontal axis wind turbines, which are also the subject of the present application. Modern wind turbines are adapted to the wind conditions expected at their installation site. One can differentiate, in particular, between wind turbines for strong wind sites and wind turbines for weak wind sites. Further subcategorization is possible, if necessary.
As compared to wind turbines for sites with higher average wind speeds, wind turbines for weak wind sites feature longer rotor blades that are more delicate, at least section-wise. This way, such longer rotor blades can over-sweep a larger disk area and extract as much energy from the wind as possible, even in weak wind conditions. Heavy loads caused by strong wind are comparatively rare.
When building such rotor blades, one must make sure to design especially their central area narrow enough to make them as light as possible but provide them, at the same time, with sufficient load capacity for the blade. Especially in the area of the rotor blade that is central in relation to the radial direction of the rotor, it can be difficult to accommodate the described requirements on stability and load capacity of the rotor blade to the required aerodynamic design.
Sometimes, the scope for designing the aerodynamic profile may be so little that, although one will achieve an aerodynamic profile with good properties, slight deviations of this ideal aerodynamic profile may have a significant effect on the flow properties. Especially contamination of the rotor blade may cause an unwanted early stall that would not, or at least not to that extent, happen with a non-contaminated blade. Sometimes, even raindrops can cause a significant contamination of the blade.

Rotor blade of a wind turbine and wind turbine


A semiconductor memory device includes a sense amplifier, a pair of bit lines connected to the sense amplifier, first and second memory cell arrays connected to the bit lines, respectively, and including a plurality of memory cells each having a cell transistor and a ferroelectric capacitor, and first and second select transistors connected to the bit lines between the sense amplifier and the first and second memory cell arrays. The device further includes a first equalizing circuit connected to the bit lines closer to the first and second memory cell arrays than the first and second select transistors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. More specifically, the invention relates to a ferroelectric random access memory (hereinafter referred to as FeRAM) that uses a ferroelectric capacitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A FeRAM has recently been noted as one of semiconductor memory devices. The FeRAM is nonvolatile and has the advantages that the number of times of rewrite is 1012, the read and write time is almost equal to that of a dynamic RAM (DRAM), and the memory can operate at low voltage of 2.5 V to 5 V. With these advantages, the FeRAM may take the lion's share of the memory market. (See, for example, T. Sumi et al., "A 256 Kb Nonvolatile Ferroelectric Memory at 3 V and 100 ns," ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, February, 1994, pp. 268 and 269 and H. Koike et al., "A 60-ns 1-Mb Nonvolatile Ferroelectric Memory with a Nondriven Cell Plate Line Write/Read Scheme," IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuit, Vol. 30, No. 11, November, 1996, pp. 1625 to 1634).
In the prior art FeRAM, burst mode, page mode and static column mode are essential for achievement of high-speed access. A time period for keeping the potential of a plate line high in these modes becomes longer than that in random access mode. The prior art FeRAM has the problem that a great load is applied to the ferroelectric capacitor in high-speed access mode.

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device using ferroelectric capacitor


A structure for arranging a permanent magnet suitable for a rotor core having a thin, circular, hollow ring section and a structure for reducing the amount of the permanent magnet are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a rotor having an embedded permanent magnet, and more particularly, to a structure comprising a permanent magnet suitable for a rotor core preferably having a thin, circular, hollow section and a structure which suitably reduces the amount of permanent magnet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a synchronous motor using a permanent magnet (or a magnet) preferably includes a surface permanent magnet (SPM) type motor in which a permanent magnet is suitably attached onto the surface of a rotor, and an interior permanent magnet (IPM) type motor in which a permanent magnet is suitably embedded into a core of a rotor. The IPM type motor is generally used because the SPM type motor has a complicated structure for preventing the magnet from being scattered at fast rotation speeds whereas the IPM type motor has a relatively simple structure. Preferably, the IPM type motor is also used as a motor for driving a hybrid car.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-316241, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, discloses an example of an IPM motor in which a pole of a rotor is preferably composed of magnets having a two-stage, 3-divided, substantially U-shaped arrangement. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-88846, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, discloses another example of an IPM motor in which a pole of a rotor is preferably composed of magnets having a single-stage, 3-divided, substantially U-shaped arrangement. Preferably, the net torque for rotating an IPM motor is suitably expressed as the sum of attractive (or repulsive) magnetic torque between embedded magnets and an electromagnet of a coil as a pole of a stator and magneto-resistance torque generated, owing to a difference between dielectric coefficients of magnets and a metallic section such as a silicon steel plate in a pole of a rotor.
IPM motors as described in the art can obtain suitably high torque owing to a substantially U-shaped arrangement of the magnets, but the diameter of the rotor needs to be suitably increased making it difficult to make them compact.
Further, a motor for a hybrid car requires a structure for assembling a connection mechanism to a crank shaft or a transmission, i.e. an existing mass-produced driving system. Accordingly, the rotor core thereof has a circular hollow section with the center being largely empty and thus a conventional V or U shaped arrangement of permanent magnets cannot be suitably obtained. Therefore, an arrangement of magnets for high performance and efficiency is suitably required.
Further, since a rare metal such as niobium as a high coercive magnet is expensive, in order to reduce costs, a structure for reducing the amount of magnets to be used is also required.
The above information disclosed in this the Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


A mobile ad-hoc routing apparatus includes a first communication module and a second communication module configured to transmit and receive data through a first communication band and a second communication band, respectively, a memory configured to store a program for transmitting and receiving the data, and a processor configured to execute the program stored in the memory, wherein when the program is executed, the processor receives first control information broadcast by one or more neighboring nodes via the first communication module and stores the first control information in the memory, wherein the first control information includes current position and communication status information of the neighboring node, the processor updates information on the neighboring node on the basis of the first control information, generates packet forwarding information which includes information on a node which currently allows packet data to be transmitted based on the updated information on the neighboring node, and stores the generated packet forwarding information in the memory, and the processor determines a subsequent node which allows the packet data to be transmitted to a destination node on the basis of the packet forwarding information and transmits the packet data to the subsequent node via the second communication module.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile ad-hoc routing apparatus and method.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Various methods of providing communications in an environment where communication infrastructure is not available, for example, in a military base, disaster area, or an emergency rescue situation, have been studied, and technology of a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) has been introduced in the same context.
A MANET does not perform communication through established network infrastructure such as a conventional network and is a type of network capable of performing communication functions, such as data transmission and reception, through routing between nodes in the absence of communication infrastructure.
Thus, all communication nodes in a MANET environment perform data transmission and reception as terminal nodes and also perform router functions as intermediate nodes to forward data to a destination.
In order to transmit data in a MANET environment, an ad-hoc network is first established between moving nodes. Then, information on adjacent nodes is collected using a routing protocol, a multi-hop routing path to a destination is determined using the collected information, and data is transmitted.
However, in a routing protocol for a MANET according to a related art, a large amount of control information is generated to acquire information on adjacent nodes because locations of the nodes are continuously changed due to characteristics of the MANET. As a result, a large load is imposed on the network, and hence a problem arises in that it is difficult to smoothly transmit data between the communication nodes.
In addition, a MANET according to a related art is intended for communication in an environment free from obstacles, (e.g., mountains, fields, etc.) such as a military base, a disaster area, or an emergency rescue environment, and as such there are too many limitations in an application to a building environment with a complex structure.
Thus, it is necessary to develop a new type of mobile ad-hoc routing technology which can overcome problems in the related art, such as a problem of generating a large amount of control data in order to identify adjacent nodes in an environment where there is no communication infrastructure, for example, in the case of providing communication between firefighters extinguishing a fire in a complex building, and a problem of low data transmission rate in a harsh environment, such as a complex building, a fire scene, and the like.
Korean Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2006-0068440 (titled "Method for determining routing path in mobile ad hoc network and network apparatus thereof") discloses a method including sorting one or more routing paths through which a data packet can be transmitted to a destination node, selecting, from among the sorted routing paths, a routing path having a smallest sum of weights which are calculated based on a packet transmission rate of each node constituting the routing path, and transmitting the data packet through the selected routing path.

Mobile ad-hoc routing apparatus and method

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A semiconductor integrated circuit device has, in one embodiment, a pair of signal transmission lines formed over and insulated from a semiconductor substrate, a first circuit formed in the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with one end of the pair of signal transmission lines for sending an electric signal, and a second circuit formed in the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the other end of the pair of signal transmission lines for receiving the electric signal propagating over the transmission line pair. A control resistance is electrically connected between the pair of transmission lines at the above-mentioned other end for controlling a delay time of the signal propagating over the pair of signal transmission lines between the opposite ends of the pair of signal transmission lines.

This invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device in which signal transmission from one to another among circuit elements constituting the device is made through signal transmission lines which are formed over, and insulated from, a semiconductor substrate, and, more particularly, to a semiconductor integrated circuit device which performs high-speed signal transmission through transmission lines having a high electric resistance.
Due to increased lengths of transmission lines as a result of increased integration density and substrate area of recent semiconductor integrated circuit devices, increased signal propagation delay time within the device is an emerging problem. The problem is attributed to the fact that the signal transmission based on the near end termination technology (scheme) among circuit elements (internal logic gates) of an integrated circuit device has a signal propagation delay time which is proportional to the square of the line length. The near end termination scheme is to drive signal lines through termination resistors connected at the sending end of the lines. At present, this technology is widely used for the signal transmission among circuit elements in a semiconductor integrated circuit device for taking advantage of the fact that signals are free from voltage drop even on high-resistance lines.
There is a much faster signal transmission scheme as compared with the near end termination scheme, and this technology, called "far end termination" technology (scheme), is to connect termination resistors at the receiving end of signal lines. Although the far end termination scheme, in which the signal propagation delay time is proportional to the line length, is an effective transmission scheme, a constant current flowing on each line can incur a lowered signal level due to a voltage drop, which jeopardizes the normal logical operation, when high-resistance lines are used in the integrated circuit device.
As a technique for vitalizing the far end termination scheme even against a lowered signal level in the above-mentioned circumstance, there has been proposed a signal transmission scheme based on differential signals on a pair of transmission lines, as described in JP-A-60-134440 published on Jul. 17, 1985 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,889 issued on Dec. 2, 1986). This differential transmission scheme is designed to transmit complementary outputs consisting of an output and its inverted version from a logic gate over a pair of lines and to receive the signals with a differential circuit having the far end termination, so that the signal amplitude is doubled in effect thereby to counteract the reduction of signal amplitude which is inherent in the far end termination scheme.
Another technique intended to prevent the emergence of signal reflection due to unmatched impedances at the sending end and receiving end is the provision of termination resistors at both sending and receiving ends of a pair of lines, with series resistors being inserted between the terminating resistors and line ends, as described in JP-U-63-52322 published on Apr. 8, 1988.
Although the proposal in the patent publication JP-A-60-134440 does not mention the determination of the termination resistance for the far end termination, the matched termination having the termination resistance set equal to the characteristic impedance of the line is generally used with the intention of preventing the emergence of a reflection noise due to unmatched impedance at the receiving end.
However, signal lines running in an integrated circuit device have characteristic impedances ranging usually 20-30 ohms, and even if the line resistance is as high as twice to three times the characteristic impedance, the current to be supplied by a logic gate is as large as several times that of the case of near end termination, and consequently a logic gate which drives the line pair with far end termination is required to have a large current supply capacity comparable to a transistor. On this account, in fabricating a semiconductor device of a certain integration density, the differential far end termination scheme is advantageous over the near end termination scheme in regard to the signal transmission speed, while the former is disadvantageous against the latter in regard to the chip size and power consumption.
In making an attempt to overcome the problem of unmatched impedance, there is proposed the insertion of series resistors on the line pair, as described in JP-U-63-52322. However, the resistance of the series resistors at both line ends, in addition to the resistance of the line pair, may cause the signal voltage to fall at the receiving end more severely as compared with the technique proposed in the patent publication JP-A-60-134440.
Generally, for the propagation of a logical signal within an integrated circuit device, a signal received by a receiving logic gate needs to have the recovery of the nominal signal amplitude before it is directed to the following stage. However, the proposal described in the JP-U-63-52322 is not concerned about how to counteract the reduction of signal amplitude during the transmission inside the integrated circuit device.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device having a signal transmission line pair interconnected by propagation delay time control resistance


Methods and apparatus for making environmental measurements are described. In some embodiments different devices are used to capture environmental information at different times, rates and/or resolutions. Environmental information, e.g., depth information, from multiples sources captured using a variety of devices is processed and combined. Some environmental information is captured during an event. Such information is combined, in some embodiments, with environmental information that was captured prior to the event. Environmental depth model is generated in some embodiments by combining, e.g., reconciling, depth information from at least two different sources including: i) depth information obtained from a static map, ii) depth information obtained from images captured by light field cameras, and iii) depth information obtained from images captured by stereoscopic camera pairs. The reconciliation process may involve a variety of information weighting operations taking into consideration the advantages of different depth information sources and the availability of such information.

Accurate representation of a 3D environment often requires reliable models of the environment. Such models, when available, can be used to during image playback so that object captured in images of a scene appear to the viewer to be the correct size. Environmental maps can also be used in stitching together different pieces of an image and to facilitate alignment of images captured by different cameras.
While environment maps, when available, can facilitate a much more realistic viewing experience than when a simple spherical model of an environment is assumed, there are numerous difficulties associated with obtaining accurate environmental information during an event which may be filmed for later playback. For example, while LIDAR measurement technique may be used to make environmental measurement of distances relative to a camera position prior to deployment of one or more camera, e.g., stereoscopic cameras or other cameras, to capture an event, the laser(s) used for LIDAR measurements may be a distraction or unsuitable for use during an actual event while people trying to view a concert, game or other activity. In addition, the placement of the camera rig used to capture an event may preclude a LIDAR device being placed at the same location during the event.
Thus it should be appreciated that while LIDAR may be used to make accurate measurements of a stadium or other event location prior to an event, because of the use of LASER light as well as the time associated with making LIDAR measurements of an area, LIDAR is not well suited for making measurements of an environment from the location of a camera position during an event which is to be captured by one or more cameras placed and operated from the camera position during an ongoing event.
While LIDAR can be used to make highly accurate distance measurements, for the above discussed reasons it is normally used when a stadium or other event area does not have an ongoing event, e.g., used prior to actual event. As a result, the LIDAR distance measurement normally measure an empty stadium or event area without people present. In addition, since the LIDAR measurements are normally made before any modification or display set ups for a particular event, the static environmental map provided by a LIDAR or other measurement system, while in many cases highly accurate with regard to the environment at the time of measurement, often does not accurately reflect the state and shape of an environment during an event such as a sports game, concert or fashion show.
In view of the above discussion it should be appreciated that there is a need for new and improved methods of making environmental measurement and, in particular, measuring the shape of an environment during an event. While not necessary for all embodiments, it would be desirable if an environment could be accurately measured during an event with regard to a camera position from which stereoscopic images are captured for later playback as part of simulating the 3D environment of the event.

Methods and apparatus for making environmental measurements and/or using such measurements


A receiver, and associated process, for tracking a GNSS positioning signal comprising a carrier modulated by a subcarrier and a spreading code, the receiver comprising:                at least one tracking loop configured to calculate a first pseudo range from said GNSS positioning signal,        a first discrimination circuit (521) configured to calculate an ambiguous discriminator value from the subcarrier and the spreading code of said GNSS positioning signal,        a calculation circuit (522) configured to calculate a value representative of a tracking error of said tracking loop,        a second discrimination circuit (530) configured to select one of said ambiguous discriminator value and said value calculated by the calculation circuit, and to generate a first non-ambiguous discriminator value, an amplitude of which is based on an amplitude of the selected value, and a sign of which is a sign of said value calculated by the calculation circuit.

There are two Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) which have been fully deployed for a number of years (the US Global Positioning System, the Russian GLONASS) and two more which are under deployment (the Chinese Beidou Navigation Satellite System and the European Galileo system). These systems rely on the same principles: microwave radio signals are broadcast from a number of satellites which orbit in a non-geostationary orbit; the signals carry a PRN (Pseudo Random Noise) code which is correlated with a local replica in a receiver configured to receive the broadcast signals; when a receiver is capable of acquiring and tracking signals from a satellite, its processing capabilities demodulate the code signal using the correlation process, and calculate a pseudo-range, which is the distance between the receiver and the satellite. This pseudo-range is taken in combination with pseudo-range acquired from other satellites (generally three) to determine a position, velocity and time (PVT).
Some of the radio navigation signals transmitted by the satellites are known as BOC signals (Binary Offset Carrier modulation), where a carrier wave is first modulated by a PRN code, and then by a subcarrier. The resulting signal has a spectrum having two main lobes located on either side of the carrier frequency, thus allowing cohabitation with other signals using the same carrier frequency. BOC signals are referred to as BOC(m, n), where the chip rate of the code signal is n*1.023 Mcps (Mega Chips per second), and the subcarrier frequency is m*1.023 MHz. These signals are selected for GNSS positioning instead of the traditional BPSK modulated signals because they show a better precision. Different variants of the BOC signal are used by Galileo and Beidou and will be used by the GPS 3 system.
The tracking of BOC signals has proven to offer more precise and robust positioning information than tracking of BPSK signals, mainly thanks to the sharper slope of the autocorrelation function peak, and its larger bandwidth. However, unlike BPSK signals, BOC signals autocorrelation function shows multiple side peaks which compete with the main peak, and show magnitudes comparable to the magnitude of the main peak.
In presence of error sources like noise or interferers, tracking of BOC signals may result in synchronizing on one of the side peaks of the BOC intercorrelation function. The tracking loop may therefore get locked at the right position, on the main peak of the intercorrelation, or at a wrong position, on a side peak of the intercorrelation, which creates a ranging error which can be higher than 9.7 m (case of BOC(15, 2.5)).
Positioning signals can also be affected by multipath, due to reflections on the environment occurring during the signal propagation. These multipath reflections are particularly present when operating in an urban or indoor environment. The reception of multipath signals creates artifacts in the composite intercorrelation function of a composite signal, multipath peaks being shifted from the original peaks by a distance corresponding to the delay between the main path and the multipath.
A number of state of the art techniques are dealing with the issue of synchronizing the tracking on the main peak of a BOC signal, but these techniques do not sufficiently consider propagation in a multipath environment.
Among these techniques, the Double-Discriminator technique, described in European Patent EP 2 382 484 B1, involves the parallel calculation of two discriminators, based on the spreading code and the subcarrier component of the BOC signal. The first discriminator calculation, called a non-ambiguous discriminator calculation, leads to a non-ambiguous determination of a tracking position, unlike the second discriminator calculation, which is ambiguous. However, the second discriminator calculation is more precise and less sensitive to noise and multipath reflections than the first one. In the Double Discriminator technique, a selection unit is configured to compare the value of the first discriminator with a threshold, and to select the discriminator value used in the tracking loop depending on the result of this comparison. If this technique is known to be very accurate in a Gaussian propagation environment, the performances deteriorate when the propagation environment show multipath reflections. The main reason for these deteriorations comes from the fact that multipath reflections particularly affect the shape of the non-ambiguous discriminator. Thus, the comparison of this discriminator value with a threshold shows a significant number of false alarms and non detections.

GNSS receiver calculating a non-ambiguous discriminator to resolve subcarrier tracking ambiguities


An assembly for removing wash water for washing filters containing granular filter material, which are washed simultaneously with water and air, such as those employed especially in water treatment, and recovering the particles of granular filter material entrained by the water during the washing which includes a collecting member having calibrated holes for collecting and removing dirty water, internal and external partitions placed on each side of the collecting member, defining a water recovering zone inside the internal partitions and between the internal and external partitions, tranquil flow zones promoting the separation, by downward concurrent settling of the particles of granular material and of the dirty water to be removed, and a baffle intended to avoid disturbing the preceding zones by the water/air/granular material three-phase mixture formed during the washing, placed under said zones and directing the three phase mixture towards an external degassing zone where the air is removed before the resulting two-phase mixture enters the tranquil settling zones.

Washing of filters containing granular filter material, which becomes necessary after a certain, variably long period of operation of the filter is conventionally carried out by reverse flow of washing fluids. A number of methods of washing are known, namely reversing the flow of water by itself or stirring the filter mass with air by itself and flushing with water without air, or combined washing with air and water which are injected simultaneously into the mass. This latter type of washing is particularly advantageous because it uses greater stirring energies and requires shorter washing periods. It has been employed for a long time for washing sand filters. Today its efficiency no longer needs to be demonstrated. However, until now, combined washing with air and water (or hydropneumatic washing) could not easily be applied to the washing of filters containing lightweight materials or multilayer filters. In fact, lightweight materials, such as anthracite, have a low density of the order of 1500 kg/m.sup.3. A phenomenon of flotation of the particles of filter material is then produced during the stage of unblocking with air and water; when the level of the air/water emulsion reaches the spillway of the wash-water collection gutter, a large proportion of the filter mass is then entrained in the gutter.
To avoid this, a known technique consists in raising considerably the level of the spillway of the wash-water collection member so that the entrained material has time to settle before spilling into the gutter. This solution has the immediate disadvantages of considerably increasing the height of the structures as well as the time and water volumes which are necessary.
Various solutions have already been proposed to the very general problem of the backwash water collection member and removal of water which has been used for washing granular filter material on filters of the kind in question, whatever their type, in particular when the filter mass consists of material of low density, without the collection and the removal of this water being accompanied by an untimely entrainment of the material.
One of these solutions (U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,880) consists in equipping the wash-water collection gutters with systems which divert the rising air and water streams. The streams which are thus diverted arrive opposite plates comprising a perforated horizontal part and an inclined part.
Above the perforated plates, the entrained material separates from the air bubbles to which it is attached and settles towards the filter bed in the region bounded by the inclined part of the plate.
This solution has many disadvantages, the chief of which are the following:
The air diverted in the first step rises along the inclined plates and passes through the perforated plate, causing damming of the flow towards the spillway of the gutter and preventing the material from settling towards the filter bed. The so-called settling zone then becomes turbulent and the settling action of the material becomes impossible. On the contrary, the particles of material separated from the air are once again entrained in this turbulence towards the spillway.
Another known solution (U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,726) consists of a device consisting of a horizontal plate placed opposite the spillway of a wash-water collection gutter. In these conditions, the rising water and air are diverted by the plate in line with the spillway. The material detaches itself from the air bubbles at the end of the plate and then settles onto its horizontal part and returns inside the filter by means of a space provided in line with the spillway.
The greatest disadvantages of such a device are the following:
as in the preceding solution, the air which is removed at the end of the plate causes damming of the flow towards the spillway and, above all, a high turbulence in the region where settling of the particles of material should take place, tending to resuspend them;
in addition, the horizontal plate defines a settling zone which must be very large because the settling rates of the filter materials employed are low and the particles are entrained by the overspill flow. For settling to take place, the plate must be very large in size;
the air accumulated under the plate can no longer be removed. This quantity of air, which becomes increasingly larger in the course of the washing, prevents the recirculation of the particles of material towards the filter bed. An accumulation of material is then produced opposite the spillway and the material is then entrained into the spillway and from there to the gutter;
when the air and water washing is stopped a large quantity of material remains on the plate without any possible return towards the filter mass. This material can then be removed only by the additional fitting of complicated or costly flushing or sweeping devices.
Yet another solution (U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,625) consists of a device fitted to the wash-water collection gutters, in the form of symmetrical baffles serving as deflectors of the water and air flow.
While, by virtue of this device, no accumulation of granular material takes place, this device nevertheless presents a major disadvantage during the flushing stage. In fact, the flushing water intended to remove out of the filter the result of the unblocking with air and water is itself also diverted by the baffles. The flow can take place only between the baffles, to spill over into the water collection gutter. The quantity of flushing water accumulated during the unblocking between the devices fitted to each gutter represents a large volume of water which cannot be flushed or which at least will be flushed at the cost of a very long flushing period. In addition, the flow in the space provided between the baffles acting as deflectors is countercurrent to the fluid and the material. The sizing of these deflecting members results in bulky devices which require very great heights of water above the material.
Finally, such a system cannot be fitted to filters with a single lengthwise spillway.
A possible known recent solution (French Patent 85/05,986) relates to a device employing a plurality of vertical plates, or dishes, at uniform intervals, which are arranged in a quincunx pattern and are situated upstream of a settling zone.
The particles of material separated from the air bubbles as they pass between the dishes settle in a "tranquil"zone and return towards the filter bed by means of a calibrated space provided under the dishes.
The washing water then spills over into a collection gutter after the settling zone.
This solution is applicable to materials with a density of the order of 1,700 kg/m.sup.3. However, in the case of materials with a density of the order of, or lower than, 1,500 kg/m.sup.3 and whose settling rate is of the order of 50 m/h, the settling zone to be provided would have to be very large in size, thus adding a penalty to the cost of the structure.

Assembly for removing water for washing filters


Systems and methods for locating a wireless device in a “noisy environment” is provided. Embodiments relate to locating and wirelessly transmitting signals to a fitness device located proximate to other electronic devices is disclosed. In one embodiment, advertisement tokens and RSSI can be used for signal strength indication and then transmit a specific signal to the device. Examples include imprinting the fitness device to have a unique wireless identifier.

Certain devices, such as many modern fitness devices, are limited in terms of their on-board UIs. Indeed, with the miniaturization of fitness devices, display devices and/or other feedback mechanisms, such as LEDs or tactile input/output devices have been eliminated or made to be more rudimentary than prior models or earlier fitness devices. For example, earlier fitness devices may have included an appendage worn device that was comparable to a bulky wrist-worn watch, however, bracelets, arm bands and other less bulky or obtrusive devices may have minimal UIs and/or feedback mechanisms in terms of one or more of size, quantity, and/or complexity.
Often times, mobile devices, which may be wirelessly linked with said fitness devices may serve as a UI or feedback mechanism. Unfortunately, many users often do not want to have physical possession of their mobile devices while participating in athletic activities, and if so, accessing and utilizing an "app" or other remote software implementations can be time-consuming and burdensome during the athletic activity.

Transmitting athletic data using non-connected state of discovery signal


A thermal barrier coating for nickel based superalloy articles such as turbine engine vanes and blades that are exposed to high temperature gas is disclosed. The coating includes a columnar grained ceramic layer applied to a platinum modified Ni3Al gamma prime phase bond coat having a high purity alumina scale. The preferred composition of the bond coat is 5 to 16% by weight of aluminum, 5 to 25% by weight of platinum with the balance, at least 50% by weight, nickel. A method for making the bond coat is also disclosed.

This invention relates generally to thermal barrier coatings for superalloy substrates and to a method of applying such coatings.
As gas turbine engine technology advances and engines are required to be more efficient, gas temperatures within the engines continue to rise. However, the ability to operate at these increasing temperatures is limited by the ability of the superalloy turbine blades and vanes to maintain their mechanical strength when exposed to the heat, oxidation, and corrosive effects of the impinging gas. One approach to this problem has been to apply a protective thermal barrier coating which insulates the blades and vanes and inhibits oxidation and hot gas corrosion.
Typically, thermal barrier coatings are applied to a superalloy substrate and include a bond coat overlayed by a ceramic top layer. The bond coat anchors both the top layer and itself to the substrate. The ceramic top layer is commonly zirconia stabilized with yttria and is applied either by the process of plasma spraying or by the process of electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD). Use of the EB-PVD process results in the outer ceramic layer having a columnar grained microstructure. Gaps between the individual columns allow the columnar grains to expand and contract without developing stresses that could cause spalling. Strangman, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,321,311, 4,401,697, and 4,405,659 disclose thermal barrier coatings for superalloy substrates that contain a MCrAlY bond coat where M is selected from a group of cobalt, nickel, and iron. The MCrAlY bond coat is deposited by EB-PVD or vacuum plasma spaying. A more cost effective thermal barrier coating system is disclosed in Strangman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,482, which uses a diffusion aluminide bond coat. This bond coat is applied by electroplating platinum and diffusion aluminizing by pack cementation.
In commercially available thermal barrier coatings, the bond coat, whether MCrAlY or diffusion aluminide, is typically 1 to 5 mils thick and has a very low strength in comparison to the strength of the superalloy substrate. As a result, for design purposes the bond coats are considered to be non-load bearing.
At the high rotational speeds and temperatures typically encountered in today""s gas turbine engines, these bond coats have a difficult time in supporting the weight of the thermal barrier coating. In at least one instance, the Applicants have observed evidence that bond coating creep deformation permitted the zirconia thermal barrier coating to creep off the tips of turbine blades during high speed and high temperature operation.
One proposed solution to this problem, is to deposit the ceramic layer directly onto the oxide scale on the substrate. The disadvantage to this approach is that it requires additional air cooling to reduce the superalloy substrate metal temperature in order to achieve a satisfactory oxidation life.
Accordingly, there is a need for a thin, high strength bond coat that minimizes coating weight without incurring a creep strength penalty while inhibiting substrate oxidation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a superalloy article having a thin, high strength bond coat.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermal barrier coating system having a thin, high strength bond coat.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for applying such a bond coat.
The present invention achieves these objects by providing a thermal barrier coating for nickel based superalloy articles such as turbine engine vanes and blades that are exposed to high temperature gas. The coating includes a columnar grained ceramic layer applied to a platinum modified Ni3Al gamma prime phase bond coat having a high purity alumina scale. The preferred composition of the bond coat is 5 to 16% by weight of aluminum, 5 to 25% by weight of platinum with the balance, at least 50% by weight, nickel. The preferred thickness of the bond coating is 10 to 30 microns. A method for making the bond coat is also disclosed.

Thermal barrier coating having a thin, high strength bond coat


A search expertise level system and method for determining a search expertise level of a search engine user and then using that information to improve the searcher's experience. The search expertise level system and method identifies the search expertise level of the searcher based on query behavior, post-query browsing behavior, and other behaviors of the searcher. One simple and important behavior that indicates a skilled searcher is the use of advanced query syntax and operators in the query. Once the search expertise level of a searcher is known, the search engine user interface can be modified and tailored to the needs of both skilled and novice searchers. The search expertise level also can be used to rank search results, such that search results for a novice searcher are ranked differently than those for a skilled searcher. The search expertise level also can be used in advertising and marketing.

It is subjectively clear that some users are "better" than others at searching the Web. Different people have more experience with computers and have greater expertise at searching the Web. Being good at Web searching is independent of a searcher's domain-specific knowledge, and does not mean that the searcher knows a lot about the material for which he is searching. A user's general skill level at searching the Web dictates whether the searcher is a good searcher. For example, certain searchers are better at search tasks such as formulating search queries, quickly evaluating search results, and integrating information from multiple search systems.
While it may be subjectively clear whether a particular user is a skilled searcher, the standard search engine user interface does not distinguish between novice and expert searchers. To date, no system attempts to automatically evaluate a searcher's expertise level and tailor various aspects of the search system accordingly. Current search engines do not care about or take into account a searcher's level of experience searching the Web. The search engine user interface seen by a skillful searcher who has searched the Web 100 times per day for ten years is the same as that seen by a novice who has only searched the Web once or twice.
Some search engine user interfaces include a button that the searcher can click for advanced search features (usually called "advanced search"). This button takes the searcher to a menu that allows the searcher more options, such as Boolean operators. This advanced search option does not change the way the results are presented to the searcher, however, it merely provides the searcher with additional options. Ironically, a skilled searcher typically does not need more options as he will just use advanced search techniques (such as Boolean operators) in the standard query box. The user interface of standard search engines, however, does not attempt to behave differently according to differing searcher expertise levels.

Identification and use of web searcher expertise


A food or beverage preparation machine, including a control panel, an actuator for setting at least one food or beverage preparation parameter to a predetermined value and a controlling unit, a pressure sensor electronically connected to the controlling unit for controlling the functioning of the food or beverage preparation machine, the actuator being pressure-sensitive and having a first end with a first deformable surface which is configured to receive a press action (F) from a user, a second end with a second deformable surface which is in physical contact with the pressure sensor, and an elongate portion connecting the first end and the second end the elongate portion being configured to transfer to the second end a pressure that has been generated at the first end, to set the at least one food or beverage preparation parameter.

Liquid food or beverage preparation machines are well known in the food science and consumer goods areas. Such machines allow a consumer to prepare at home a given type of food or beverage, for instance a coffee-based beverage, such as espresso or filter coffee.
Today, many beverage preparation machines for in-home use comprise a system which can accommodate portioned beverage ingredients. Such portions may be contained typically in pods, sachets or capsules.
The machine comprises a receptacle or cavity for accommodating said portioned beverage ingredients and a fluid injection system for injecting a fluid, such as water, under pressure into the pod or capsule. Thus the fluid, for example hot or cold water, passes through the capsule or pod and delivers a liquid food or beverage.
The beverage preparation machine usually comprises a machine head where the receptacle for accommodating said portioned beverage ingredients is situated, and a machine body containing other functional components of the machine, such as a water pump, a water heater and a controlling unit which manage the functional components of the machine in order to prepare a beverage. The beverage is prepared taking into account beverage preparation parameters of the machine. The values of certain beverage preparation parameters are set by a user of the beverage preparation machine by means of a Human-Machine Interface (HMI).
The Human-Machine Interface comprises a control panel comprising actuators which allow the user to select and/or to set the values of certain beverage preparation parameters. For example, the control panel of current beverage preparation machines may comprise push buttons or tactile touch screen areas by means of which a user may select a recipe from among a plurality of recipes, a fluid volume, a fluid temperature, a pressure or an infusion time. According to the selections made by the user, certain beverage preparation parameters are set to predetermined values.
The Human-Machine Interface also contains electronic circuits and electric/electronic connexions between push buttons and/or tactile touch screen areas of the control panel and the electronic circuits. The user's selections are electronically treated and transmitted to the controlling unit which takes them into account in preparing the beverage.
The Human-Machine Interface is positioned in the machine head, close to the receptacle or cavity for accommodating the portioned beverage ingredients and where the fluid, such as water, is injected.
Therefore, due to the proximity of the Human-Machine Interface and the receptacle where fluid is injected, fluid flows close to the Human-Machine Interface. Even if beverage preparation machines are designed to avoid fluid leakage, in the event of leakage, electrical components may be in contact with the fluid which could lead to a short circuit that damages the beverage preparation machines.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a food or beverage preparation machine which resolves at least some of the above difficulties making it possible to improve in the prevention of short circuits and thus to provide additional safety for users manipulating the interface system of the food or beverage preparation machine.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention provides for measuring and analyzing AC currents and preferably relatively large AC currents, such as those that are conventionally delivered to an electric arc furnace, as an indication of the current carrying capability or condition of one or, preferably, several cables, e.g. electric arc furnace conductors, carrying such AC currents. The invention monitors such AC currents for a period of time, stores the monitored information, and permits subsequent read-out of the stored information.

In electric arc furnaces, such as those used in the manufacturing of steel, multiple phase alternating current electrical power is generally used to create thermal energy. In one example, three phase alternating current power is supplied to the furnace, with each electrode thereof receiving a respective one of the three phases. The alternating current electrical power of each respective phase is generally delivered from the power source to an electrode via a group, i.e. a plurality, of multiple conductor electrical cables, each of which may be a flexible water-cooled cable. In the event that one of the cables of a given group supplying the alternating current electrical power of a given phase were to deteriorate, for example with age or due to overheating, such that it carries less than its intended amount of current, one or more of the other cables in the group then may be required to carry excessive current that would damage the same. It is, accordingly, desirable to determine when a cable of such a group of cables, for example, has deteriorated to the point of near complete failure or has reached a point where it is causing overloading of the other cables in the group carrying the given phase of current, thereby causing increased deterioration of such other cables.
At present a principal reliable and practical procedure to check the condition of such cables includes the shut-down of the furnace, removal of each cable from the furnace, and the measuring of the resistance of each cable with a low range ohmmeter. This technique, however, is extremely time consuming and, additionally, requires the shut-down and subsequent restart of the furnace, thus reducing the operational efficiency of the latter.
According to another technique a separate current transformer is positioned about each of the cables of a group carrying a given phase of electrical power to the furnace. A separate voltmeter is attached to each such current transformer to indicate output information representative of the electrical current carried by the respective cables. This technique, however, also suffers from a number of disadvantages, including, for example, fluctuations in the output information with respect to frequently occurring fluctuations in the currents carried by the respective cables, the need for separate meters, the short, nearly instantaneous, life of the output information displayed by the meters, and so on. Often it is difficult or impossible to take such instantaneous readings using conventional metering equipment primarily because of the very large and frequently occurring fluctuations in current flow to an electric furnace.

Cable condition analyzing system for electric arc furnace conductors


A low-cost tamper-resistant product package is provided. The package comprises a substantially flat thermoplastic sheet forming a package backing, and a molded plastic cover sealed to the backing. The backing and cover are preferably formed of a plastic, such as polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene, that is difficult to puncture, cut or tear. The seal between the backing and cover is preferably difficult to compromise, so that human hands have great difficulty separating the backing and cover. RF welding and ultrasonic welding are preferred methods of sealing the package. The plastic backing is adapted to be printed upon directly. The cover preferably includes a ridge around its perimeter to inhibit bending of the package and assist in package display. The cover also preferably includes at least one bulge, forming therein a hollow recess for housing a product.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to retail product packaging. More specifically, the present invention provides a retail product display package that is not only resistant to theft and tampering, but also inexpensive to manufacture.
2. Description of the Related Art
Theft is a problem that has long plagued retail establishments. High-margin goods, which are attractive to thieves because of their high price or high resale value, are of special concern to store owners who wish to avoid being driven out of business by shoplifters. Often, retail stores place these high-margin goods behind a glass counter for safekeeping. That way, store personnel do not have to occupy themselves with watching over customers to make sure they are not pilfering goods.
This solution is effective at preventing theft, but has the undesirable side effect of lowering sales. For a variety of reasons, many customers are uncomfortable asking a sales clerk to help them. Other customers are simply too impatient to wait for a busy clerk to get to them. No matter what the reason, if a customer cannot quickly and easily gain access to an item, he or she will not purchase it.
As an alternative to placing the goods in a protective case, many stores instead place high-margin items inside oversized packaging that will not fit within even the largest of pockets, and then place the packaging on shelves where customers can easily access the goods. The packaging is preferably tamper-resistant to prevent shoplifters from tearing, puncturing, cutting, or folding the packaging and concealing the item on their person before exiting the store.
Three basic types of oversized packaging are currently in use. The first, skin packs, consist of shrink wrap and cardboard. The product is placed within a cardboard frame, and then the unit is covered with shrink wrap to bind the product to the cardboard. The cardboard is usually covered with printing, such as product information or advertising, which is visible through the transparent shrink wrap. Product information printed directly on the packaging increases the chances that a customer will buy the product by informing him or her of its novel features and advantages over other similar products, while brightly colored advertising increases the product""s visibility on the shelf.
Skin packs have long been a favorite of retailers because of their low cost. By keeping the cost of the packaging low, the price of the packaged item remains low, thus increasing sales. Shoplifters, however, easily tamper with skin packs. Their flimsy construction, with cardboard and shrink wrap, makes them susceptible to being easily torn open. Once the packaging is compromised, the item within is easily pocketed and stolen. As a result, skin packs are not suitable for packaging high-price items.
A second type of oversized packaging, blister packs, consist of thermoformed plastic shells with cardboard. An example of this type of package is shown in U.S. Design Patent No. D438,104. The cardboard backing may be printed on directly and then secured to the transparent plastic clamshell by gluing, stapling or other convenient means.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,321 to Kayser discloses a blister pack display card with reusable container. The reusable plastic container is mounted to the display card in a tamper-resistant manner. The reusable container has a tray and a lid with the tray having frangible flanges thereon which are sealed to a presentation side of the display card. The lid has a deep channel which is received frictionally into the tray for securely closing the reusable container. Both the lid and the tray have enlarged finger engageable pull tabs for ease of opening the reusable container. Since the tray is heat sealed to the presentation side of the display card, any attempt to remove the tray from the display card will be evident, as the surface of the display card will be damaged.
Like skin packs, blister packs are also not strong enough theft deterrents to be suitable for packaging high-margin goods. A thief may discreetly tear the flimsy cardboard backing, enabling him or her to remove the product inside.
Another type of packaging that is more resistant to tampering than the blister pack is the clamshell. Clamshells consist of two molded pieces of transparent plastic, PVC, or other material that is difficult for human hands to tear. The pieces are sometimes mirror images of one another, with the edges of one half designed to mate or fit within the edges of the other.
To assemble the clamshell package the product is placed between the two halves, which are then brought together. The product placement and closing steps are difficult to automate, and so these steps are usually performed by a human. Once the package is closed, the edges are secured to each other with glue, heat or other means suitable to prevent the edges from being easily separated. Because the plastic is generally not suitable for accepting print, a colorful cardboard insert is usually placed between the two plastic halves in order to provide advertising or product information. This insert also must be positioned by human hands.
An example of a clamshell is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,062 to Chase et al., which discloses an anti-theft container for a compact digital audio disc. The container includes a fold-over album having an outer flat sheet of die cut, thin, soft PVC material, and an inner shell of thin, rigid, vacuum-formed PVC material. The inner shell has first and second square portions, each having a rib formed therein for engagement with one another when the album is folded over. A middle insert of advertising literature is sealed between the inner shell and the outer sheet. A fold-over protector member encloses the inner and outer shells. The protector member has a vacuum-formed, clear, rigid PVC shell, a rib, an extending flap, and a hinge therebetween for folding the protector member. The front of the protector member temporarily engages the first portion of the inner shell via the complementary ribs, whereas the flap of the protector member folds over the outer sheet of the album. The side edges of the protector member extend beyond the side edges of the inner shell and the outer sheet to provide an area for sealing the shell of the protector member to the flap of the protector member, without being sealed directly to the album. The protector member, when sealed, prevents the album from being folded and shoplifted.
A slightly different type of clamshell is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,218 to Brauckmann, which discloses a self-service package for containing small parts. The package includes a bottom part having a perimeter wall, thereby forming a cup shape. A lid, also having a perimeter wall that forms a cup shape, overlaps the perimeter wall of the bottom part to close the container. An adhesive label spans the boundary between the two halves to seal them together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,888 to Lundeen discloses a standard audio cassette display and storage holder. The holder consists of a rigid back panel with a cassette holding area and a separate larger graphics area. The panel has a flange that carries cassette identification information and it also seals the open part of the cassette. The rigid back panel and cassette can be over-packaged for marketing with thin film shrink wrap.
Clamshells such as those just described are effective at deterring theft because they are difficult to fold, nearly impossible to tear open, and difficult to cut open without attracting attention. They are, however, quite expensive to manufacture. First, the plastic used to make them is usually quite thick, so material costs are high. Second, since the steps of placing the product and insert inside the packaging and closing the packaging are difficult to automate, labor costs are high. The high cost of the clamshell packaging raises the overall price that consumers must pay for products housed in such packaging. The higher the price, the lower the sales volume.
Two other types of packaging that are not necessarily designed to prevent theft, but that include two plastic members sealed to one another, are currently available. The first, a packaging for a COLGATE(copyright) toothbrush, comprises an open box made of rigid plastic and having a flexible plastic cover adhered to a rim of the box. The plastic cover includes printing. A tab on the corner of the cover enables a consumer to easily tear off the cover in order to access the product inside. The second packaging, a container for a roll of postage stamps, comprises a rigid plastic shell shaped either as a hollow cylinder with one open end, or as a U. The open end of the shell is covered with a flexible plastic seal that contains printing. The seal is easily peeled from the shell to access the stamps.
Therefore, an oversized product package that is difficult to deform or quietly tear open, is capable of displaying informative product information, and can be cheaply manufactured, would be of great benefit to the retail sales industry.
The printed-thermoplastic tamper-resistant package of this invention has several features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed by the claims that follow, its more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled xe2x80x9cDetailed Description of the Drawings,xe2x80x9d one will understand how the features of this invention provide advantages, which include excellent resistance to tearing and folding, low cost of manufacture and ability to display informative product information.
The invention includes a flat sheet of thermoplastic, preferably PVC, PET, or other material that is resistant to puncture and tearing. Product information or advertising is printed directly upon one or both sides of the plastic. The plastic sheet is preferably permanently adhered to, and forms a backing for, a transparent molded-plastic cover.


An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is provided. The OLED display includes: a substrate; a first electrode on the substrate; a first pixel defining layer exposing at least a portion of the first electrode; a medium layer on the first pixel defining layer and the first electrode, the medium layer including a first region and a second region; a second pixel defining layer overlapping the first pixel defining layer with the first region therebetween; a light emission layer overlapping the first electrode with the first region therebetween; and a second electrode covering the second pixel defining layer and the light emission layer.

1. Field
Aspects of embodiments of the present invention relate to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An OLED display is a self-emissive display device that displays images by exciting an emissive organic material to emit light. The OLED display includes an anode (i.e., a hole injection electrode), a cathode (i.e., an electron injection electrode), and an organic light emission layer interposed therebetween. When the holes and the electrons are injected into the light emission layer, they recombine to form excitons, which emit light when they change from an excited state to a ground state.
The organic light emission layer is disposed at each pixel of the OLED display. The organic light emission layer in each pixel is spatially separated by a pixel defining layer. The pixel defining layer may be formed to have a larger thickness than the organic light emission layer. A surface of the pixel defining layer may protrude more than a surface of the organic light emission layer.
The thickness of the pixel defining layer is associated with pixel protection. For example, when an encapsulating substrate is pressed toward pixels in a structure having the encapsulating substrate provided on the organic light emission layer, if the thickness of the pixel defining layer is too small, the pixels may be pressed (for example directly pressed), causing dark spots. In addition, if the thickness of the pixel defining layer is small, it may cause unwanted capacitance between lines under the pixel defining layer and electrodes over the pixel defining layer.

Organic light emitting diode display and method of fabricating the same