A flexible, pressure-openable dispensing valve has a mounting base and has an outwardly extending head having at least three peripheral walls that each projects forwardly from the base. The head also includes an end wall that extends between, and connects, the outer margins of the peripheral walls. The end wall has a dispensing orifice surrounded by a spreading surface.

There are a wide variety of packages which include (1) a container, (2) a dispensing system extending as a unitary part of, or as an attachment to, the container, and (3) a fluent substance product contained within the container. One type of such a package employs one or more dispensing valves for discharging one or more streams of product (which may be a gas, liquid, cream, powder, or particulate product). See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,531, U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,951, U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,940 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,575. Such valves are flexible and resilient, and have one or more self-sealing slits. Such valves can be mounted at one end of a bottle or container which typically has resiliently flexible side walls that can be squeezed to pressurize the container interior. The valve is normally closed and can withstand the weight of the product when the container is completely inverted, so that the product will not leak out unless the container is squeezed. When the container is squeezed and the interior is subjected to a sufficient increased pressure so that there is a predetermined minimum pressure differential across the valve, the valve opens. Such a valve can be designed so that it can also be opened merely by subjecting the exterior side of the valve to a sufficiently reduced pressure (e.g., as by sucking on the valve).
Such a type of valve can also be designed to stay open, at least until the pressure differential across the valve drops below a predetermined value. Such a valve can be designed to snap closed if the pressure differential across the open valve drops below a predetermined amount. The valve can also be designed to open inwardly to vent air into the container when the pressure within the container is less than the ambient external pressure, and this accommodates the return of the resilient container wall from an inwardly squeezed condition to the normal, unstressed condition.
Some other types of resilient, flexible, dispensing structures may instead have a small aperture that is always open at least a small amount (see, for example, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,808, column 4, lines 34-51 which describe a normally open orifice 24 with reference to FIG. 3 of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,808).


An optical communication device includes a substrate, a photoelectric element, a driver chip, a light waveguide unit, and a lens element. The substrate defines a receiving groove and a number of positioning holes around the receiving groove. The photoelectric element and the driver are electrically positioned on the substrate. The photoelectric element is configured for emitting/receiving optical signals, and the driver chip is configured for driving the photoelectric element to emit/receive optical signals. The light waveguide unit is configured for transmitting optical signals. The lens element includes a number of positioning portions corresponding to the positioning holes. The lens element is received in the receiving groove, and the positioning portions are received in the positioning holes.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to communication devices, and particularly to an optical communication device.
2. Description of Related Art
An optical communication device includes a photoelectric element for emitting/receiving optical signals, a driver chip for driving the photoelectric element, a light waveguide for transmitting optical signals, and a lens element for optically coupling the photoelectric element with the light waveguide. To ensure an optical transmitting efficiency of the optical communication device, the photoelectric element and the light waveguide need to be accurately aligned with the lens element. However, a complicated alignment mechanism and method is needed to align the photoelectric element and the light waveguide with the lens element, which increases a cost and assembling difficulty of the optical communication device.
Therefore, what is needed is an optical communication device addressing the limitations described.

Optical communication device with photoelectric element and driver chip


A mode changing device for a camera employing a minimum number of actuating members to permit a user to change an operating mode and/or setting of the camera. A mode actuating member and a selector switch, used in conjunction with an LCD panel that indicates the mode and setting that has been selected by the user, permits the user to easily select and/or adjust the features of the camera, such as a photographing mode, a playback mode, an exposure mode, a white balance mode, a copy/monitor mode and a time/date mode. When the mode changing device is applied to a still video camera having a playback function, a change-over switch automatically changes the operating mode of the camera from a record mode to a playback mode when a monitoring adapter is connected to the camera, further reducing the number of actuating members that are needed to control the camera. In addition, the camera is designed to minimize the waste of electrical power by inhibiting the operation playback mode until the camera is instructed to begin operating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographic camera and, more particularly, to a still camera that is provided with at least one mode changing device, a time/date device or an exposure compensating device which can be used with the still video camera that is provided with a playback device or an audio recording/playback device.
2. Description of Background Information
Recently, multifunction type cameras, in which each function includes a plurality of changeable modes and a plurality of changeable settings have become popular. For example, still video cameras having the capability of operating in a SINGLE mode (to take one photograph at a time), a RUNNING (CONTINUOUS) mode (for taking a series of rapid sequence photographs) and a SELF-TIMER mode. In addition, such a camera usually includes a white balance function having an AUTO, CLOUDY, FINE, FLUORESCENT and INCANDESCENT setting mode; a recording function, including an IMAGE (PICTURE) RECORD mode and an AUDIO (VOICE) RECORD mode; a playback function for playing back a recorded audio or image signal; and a time/date function for displaying or recording the date and time.
Changing any of these modes has usually been carried out by actuating a plurality of switches located on the body of the camera. In this respect, a plurality of actuating members have been required to change the modes and functions of the camera. Thus, the number of actuating members on a camera have increased as the number of functions or modes have increased. In addition, various combinations of several actuating members have also been employed to effect changes to the modes and functions of the camera.
However, the large number of actuating members has created a problem, in that users cannot understand or remember which actuating member should be operated to achieve a desired result. Consequently, a desired picture can be missed or poor recording can result.
Still video cameras have also been developed that include the ability to record the date, time, and other type of information, with the photographic recording. Such prior art cameras include display means for such a date/time "stamping" function which is independent of the display means for the other camera functions, such as the above-mentioned PHOTOGRAPHING mode. These cameras employ additional actuating members for specifically switching between the date display and the time display and for adjusting the date or time. The increased number of actuating members found on these cameras are a serious burden to the photographer which needs to be overcome in order to improve the operability and compactness of the camera.
Photographic cameras have also been developed which include an automatic exposure means that has an exposure compensating device to allow an exposure value to be manually compensated. The expression "automatic exposure means", as used herein, should be understood to designate a camera component which measures the light intensity of an object to be photographed, calculates an exposure value from the measured value (brightness of the object to be photographed) and then sets an F-stop value and a shutter speed or, in the case of a still video camera, sets a charging time of a pick-up element on the basis of the exposure value so as to effect an exposure on the basis of the value thus set up.
Prior art exposure compensating devices can be classified as one of two types. The first type has a fixed exposure compensation value. The second type has an adjustable exposure compensation value which can be changed by the user. A camera employing the fixed exposure compensation value is convenient to operate, in that only a single actuating switch is needed. However, such a camera is inflexible in that it cannot be adapted to different light intensities in a photographic scene and it cannot obtain an optimum exposure to meet the requirements of certain photographic situations. The variable exposure compensation value type camera permits a photographer to change the exposure setting by operating an exposure adjusting switch. However, such a camera has a complicated procedure for changing and canceling exposure compensation values. Furthermore, providing an additional switch, exclusively for changing the compensation value, increases the total number of switches, reducing the operability and compactness of the camera.
Still video cameras have also been developed that can record and playback a video image or audio signal. In such a still video camera, an operator switches between the record mode and the playback mode by operating an externally operated switch. Accordingly, it has been necessary to add an additional switch to the camera body which is manipulated by the operator to manually switch between the record mode and the playback mode. This manual switching operation has further complicated the operating convenience of such a camera.
In addition, still video cameras which are capable of recording and playing back an image onto a recording medium, such as a magnetic disk, typically employ a spindle motor which is used to rotate the magnetic disk upon the selection of the playback mode so as to activate a magnetic head which is used to reproduce the information on the recording medium. However, such an arrangement forces the user to manually switch the mode of the camera from the record mode to the playback mode.
If the above-mentioned manual operation is omitted, the spindle motor will continue to rotate as long as the camera remains in the playback mode, even if the recorded information is not being viewed. Thus, the battery that powers the camera will be consumed, reducing the operating time of the camera. However, providing an additional switch for the exclusive purpose for controlling the start/stop operation, when the camera is in the playback mode, would increase the bulkiness of the camera.
Prior art cameras have also been developed which are adapted to output the recorded signals to an external apparatus when the camera is in the record mode for the purpose of monitoring the recording process. In such a camera, a RECORD/MONITOR switch is usually provided so that when a monitoring operation is taking place, the camera pick-up, recording and reproducing means are immediately activated. Unfortunately, the addition of this record/monitor switch further reduces the compactness of the camera.

Mode changing device for still video camera and still video camera used therewith


A semiconductor device includes: a first memory; and a second memory. The first memory includes: a first memory cell array configured to be divided into a plurality of sectors, an erasure time setting register configured to hold a sector erasure assurance time to assure an erasure time for erasing data stored in one sector, and a first control circuit configured to execute a sector erasure test in which data stored in at least one selected sector selected from the plurality of sectors are erased within the sector erasure assurance time. The second memory includes: a second memory cell array configured to have a data storage system different from that of the first memory cell array, and a second control circuit configured to execute a data hold test with respect to the second memory cell array while the sector erasure test is executed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of testing the semiconductor device. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of testing a semiconductor device which has a plurality of memories using different data storage methods. This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese patent application No. 2007-028722 filed on Feb. 8, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
With sophistication and enhancement of functionality of systems in recent years, MCP (Multi-Chip-Package) has been put into practical use. The MCP has a plurality of memories using different data storage methods (having different configurations) in the same package. Accordingly, memory capacity has continuously increased. It is necessary to conduct a test of checking functions of these memories prior to shipment. However, as capacity and kind of the memories included in the same package is increased more, a test time necessary for conducting the test becomes longer. As a result, test cost is increased, causing a problem that the semiconductor device cannot be provided at a low price. For this reason, there is a demand for a semiconductor device and a method of testing the semiconductor device which can reduce test time and test cost.
A first related art of reducing test time and test cost is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P 2001-067895 A (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,522 (B1)). In the first related art, as shown in FIG. 1 of JP-P 2001-067895 A, a semiconductor device (31) includes memory circuits (32, 33) having different structures, an operation control scan chain (34), signal control circuits (35, 36), failure determination circuits (37, 38) and an OR circuit (39) as a signal synthesis circuit, which are provided to perform an operation test of these memory circuits. These elements are formed in single chip. In the first related art, by providing one test pattern data to the memory circuits (32, 33) simultaneously and conducting operation tests of the memory circuits (32, 33), test time is reduced.
A second related art of reducing test time and test cost is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P 2002-304898 A. In the second related art, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of JP-P 2002-304898 A, after predetermined data is written into each memory cell of a SRAM chip, power source voltage VDDS of the SRAM chip is set to be lower than ordinary level, signal level of a chip enable signal #CE of the SRAM chip is set to a high level "H" to set the SRAM chip to standby state. In this data holding time, various tests of the flash chip are conducted, resulting in reduction of test time.
A third related art of reducing test time and test cost is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P 2003-346499 A (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,101 (B2) In the third related art, as shown in FIG. 1 (first embodiment), FIG. 2 (first test pattern) and FIG. 3 (flow chart of a data writing test in FIG. 1) of JP-P 2003-346499 A, in a semiconductor device including a flash ROM (40) and a logic circuit (30), the logic circuit (30) is tested in a writing period of the flash ROM (waiting time when a test pattern need not be inputted). The semiconductor device has a switching means of selecting either of an input path for test of the logic circuit (30) and an input path for test of the flash ROM (40) on the basis of a mode selection signal "mode" inputted from a control external terminal (53-2).
The third related art will be specifically described. First, a program is run (step S1 in FIG. 3 of JP-P 2003-346499 A) and a pattern input period T1 for writing into the flash ROM (40) passes (FIG. 2, a step S2 in FIG. 3 of JP-P 2003-346499 A). At this time, according to the mode selection signal "mode", selectors (62-11, 62-12, 62-21, . . . ) are switched to the side of the logic circuit (30) and a test data path from external terminals (51-1, 51-2, . . . ) is switched from the side of the flash ROM (40) to the side of the logic circuit (30) (a step S3 in FIG. 3 of JP-P 2003-346499 A). Since the flash ROM (40) is in a wait state in the writing period T2 (200 μs) (FIG. 2 and step S4 in FIG. 3 of JP-P 2003-346499 A), during a logic pattern input period T3 which is equal to the writing period T2, a logic test pattern for testing the logic circuit (30) is inputted into the external terminals (51-1, 51-2, . . . ) at for 200 μs or less (FIG. 2 and a step S5 in FIG. 3 of JP-P 2003-346499 A). The logic test pattern inputted at the step S5 is sent to the logic circuit (30) through selectors (61-11, 61-12, 62-11, 62-1, 63-11, 63-12, . . . ). Then, a test operation is conducted at the logic circuit (30) and the test result is outputted from the external terminals (52-1, . . . ) through selectors (63-31, 62-21, 61-31, . . . ). The test result is tested by a tester to check whether or not the logic circuit (30) normally operates. Meanwhile, in the writing period T2 of the flash ROM (40), a memory test pattern of a first word is written into a memory cell for one word. When the time of 200 μs and the writing period T2 have passed, according to the mode selection signal "mode", selectors (62-11, 62-12, 62-21, . . . ) are switched to the side of the flash ROM (40) and a test data path is switched from the side of the logic circuit (30) to the side of the flash ROM (40) (step S6 in FIG. 3 of JP-P 2003-346499 A). It is determined whether or not writing of all bits to the flash ROM (40) is finished. In this case, since only one word is written (No at a step S7 in FIG. 3 of JP-P 2003-346499 A), the procedure returns to the step S2 and a memory test pattern of a second word is written into a memory cell for the second word in the flash ROM (40) in the above-mentioned manner. When the above-mentioned processing is repeated by the number of memory cells of the flash ROM (40) and all bits of memory test pattern are finished, execution of the program is terminated (YES at the step S7 in FIG. 3 and S8 of JP-P 2003-346499 A). When execution of the program is terminated, all bits of data are output from the external terminals (52-1, . . . ) through selectors (63-41, 62-21, 61-31, . . . ). The read data is tested by a tester to check whether or not the flash ROM normally operates.
A fourth related art which relates to the technique of reducing test time and test cost is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-A-Heisei 07-013954. In the fourth related art, as shown in FIG. 1 of JP-A-Heisei 07-013954, a microcomputer has an EEPROM (12) and a CPU (11) for controlling the whole of the microcomputer including the EEPROM (12) by a program. The microcomputer has a screening dedication test circuit (16) and a screening count register. The screening dedication test circuit (16) performs screening by writing and erasing data with respect to all or part of a storage area of the EEPROM (12), irrespective of a test conducted under control of the CPU (11) which is unrelated to the REPROM (12). At this time, the screening dedication test circuit (16) counts the number of times of screening on the basis of at least either of data writing or data erasure. The screening count register is formed of the EEPROM or another EEPROM and stores the count of the screening dedication test circuit (16) therein.
We have now discovered that the related arts have the following problems.
According to the first related art, one test pattern is supplied to a plurality of memory circuits simultaneously. For this reason, the first related art can be applied to a case where the plurality of memory circuits is the same memory type such as a RAM. However, there is a problem that memories using different data storage methods such as a RAM and a flash memory cannot be simultaneously tested due to difference between test conditions such as contents and speed.
The second related art fails to specifically describe the way to control the flash chip for conducting the test at the same time in the data holding period. For example, in a case where a memory capacity or the number of IO terminals of the SRAM chip is different from that of the flash memory chip, a method of controlling each of address terminals and IO terminals of the SRAM chip and the flash memory chip is unclear. Furthermore, according to the second related art, since the flash chip is tested in a state where a power source voltage VDDS of the SRAM chip is lowered, when power is supplied to the SRAM chip and the flash memory chip from the same power source, the SRAM chip and the flash memory chip cannot be tested at the same time.
According to the third related art, by conducting a test of another circuit (the logic circuit (30)) in the writing period of the flash ROM (40), test time is reduced. However, since the test of the another circuit is conducted by the unit of writing period for one word of the flash ROM (40), there is a problem that test having a long test time cannot be simultaneously conducted. That is, one attempts to apply the third related art to the flash ROM (40) and a DRAM and conduct a DRAM data holding test in the writing period of the flash ROM (40), the writing period for one word of the flash ROM (40) is generally a few μs to a few hundred of μs, while the DRAM data holding test generally requires test time of a few hundred of ms. Accordingly, in the third related art, contents of test that can simultaneously test the flash ROM (40) are limited and thus, the effect of reducing test time cannot be obtained. In addition, writing period of the flash ROM (40) is set to be longer than necessary to conduct the tests simultaneously, the specification of the writing period cannot be disadvantageously ensured.

Semiconductor device and method of testing semiconductor device


A manipulator includes: a drive section which electrically drives a joint; an instruction input section which executes instruction input; a control section which generates a driving signal in response to the instruction input; a sensor which detects an operation status of the joint or the drive section in time series; a setting section which sets an allowable operation range of the drive section; a determination section which determines whether an operation status signal including a detection signal is within the allowable operation range; and a replacement section which, in a case when the operation status signal is determined as deviating from the allowable operation range, replaces the detection signal with a previous detection signal acquired just before the determination of deviance in order to generate a driving signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manipulator for driving a turnable joint.
2. Description of the Related Art
An endoscope which is capable of monitoring inside a body and performing appropriate treatments using treatment instruments where necessary has been used widely in the medical field. The endoscope usually has a bending section, configured as having a plurality of joints being connected in a turnable manner, at a distal end side of its insertion section in order to be able to be easily inserted into a flexural body.
One type of an endoscope would be a hand-operated type in which the bending section is bend-driven through manual operation (where operating force is required). An electromotive bending type endoscope has also been put to practical use. In the electromotive bending type endoscope, that is, a type that has a manipulator, electrical driving means such as a motor is used in bend-driving the bending section for the purpose of further enhancing operability.
With respect to a treatment instrument as well, some instruments have achieved further enhanced operability by adopting a manipulator which is configured to drive the bending section having a plurality of joints by driving means such as a motor through an instructing operation on a proximal side.
As one example in the prior art, for instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 10-315173 discloses a device having a secondary filter as being a modeled position control section as well as a position control model section where positional instruction is received; and malfunction detecting means configured as including the secondary filter, a comparator, an absolute value transforming section, and a subtractor, the malfunction detecting means functioning to compare an output signal from the position control model section with a position signal indicating an actual position of an electrical motor that drives a robot, and thus detect malfunction in the robot when a difference between the compared two signals becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
With this device, when a difference between a signal from an input system and an output signal at a time when the electrical motor is driven in response to the input signal from the input system is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that there is malfunction in the robot, whereby possible malfunction can be found in an early stage where further runaway of the robot can be stopped.

Manipulator and method of controlling manipulator


A filtration material comprising a blend of polypropylene and acrylic fibers of round, flat, dog bone, oval or kidney bean shape in any size from 0.08 to 3.3 Dtex. A preferred blend contains about 50 weight percent polypropylene fibers and about 50 weight percent acrylic fibers. The fibers can be blended ranging from 90:10 to 10:90 polypropylene to acrylic. The shape contains 25 weight percent round, flat, oval, dog bone and kidney bean shapes. The fiber blend contains 25 weight percent of at least one size between 0.08 and 3.3 Dtex. Electret fibers incorporated within these blends have 0.02 to 33 weight percent of a charge control agent. These fibers can be used in producing electret material by corona or triboelectric charging methods.

The invention relates to electrostatic filtration media for gas filtration, and more particularly to various combinations of synthetic fiber media of different cross-sectional shapes with and without charge control agents, and methods of making fibers.
It is known in the filtration art that various kinds of fibers can be formed into a web or other nonwoven structure having tortuous paths between the fibers through which a gas stream, such as air, is passed to remove particulate matter from the gas stream. The particulate matter in the gas flowing through the paths in the web is retained on the upstream side of the web, or within the tortuous paths of the web due to the size of the particles relative to the paths' diameters.
Synthetic fibers come in various cross-sectional shapes including, but not limited to, round, flat, trilobal, kidney bean, dog-bone, bowtie, ribbon, 4DG (multiple grooves along a fiber's length), hollow, sheath core, side by side, pie wedge, eccentric sheath core, islands and three island. It is known to charge various blends of fibers electrostatically to further retain particulate matter through electrostatic attraction between the fibers and the particles. Such blends and other filtration improvements are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,788 to Auger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,850 to Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,485 to Morweiser, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,242 to Haskett, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Electrostatic ("electret") filter media have increased efficiency without necessarily increasing the amount of force it takes to push the air though the filtration media. The "pressure drop" of media is the decrease in pressure from the upstream side of the media to the downstream side. The more difficult it is to force air through the media, the greater the pressure drop, and the greater use of energy to force air through the media. Therefore, it is generally advantageous to decrease pressure drop.
Electrostatically charged media is used in many different applications and in many different filters. The electrostatic charge is applied either by oxidatively treating the fibers, such as by passing the fibers through a corona, or by triboelectric charging, which is a type of contact electrification in which certain materials become electrically charged after they come into contact with a dissimilar material (such as through rubbing) and are then separated. The polarity and strength of the produced charges differ according to the materials, surface roughness, temperature, strain, and other properties. Such electrostatic charges tend to dissipate over time, and this leads to reduced efficiency in removing particles from the air stream. In particular, the efficiency of removing small particles (below 10 microns) is reduced as charges dissipate.
Currently, passive electrostatic filter media works mainly on the principle of friction from air passing over fibers and inherent static electricity in the polymer itself. Static electrification is not caused merely by air flow impacting a solid surface. In many cases a polypropylene honey-combed netting, typically with woven monofilament approximately 0.01 inches in diameter, is used in different layers or in conjunction with a urethane foam or a high loft polyester which also has inherent static charges. In the more efficiently static charged fiber filters, each fiber has both positive and negative charges. Such fibers are 1 to 30 denier in size, or approximately 0.00049 to 0.00268 inches in diameter. Generally these types of filters are more expensive than a disposable type, lasting about three months in a residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit. The efficiencies of such electret filters are known to be very good, with approximately 34% to 40% dust spot efficiency.
Charge control agents have been used to control static charges in imaging applications, such as photostatic and Xerographic (electrophotographic) processes. Positive and negative charge-control agents, charge directors, charge additives, charge adjuvants, zwitterionic materials, polar additives, dielectric substance and electroconductivity-providing agents, (ECPA's), all are referred to as charge control agents (CCA's) and are known for use in the following applications with some CCA's on some materials: powder toner, powder coating or powder electrophotographic toner, liquid toner, liquid developer, chargeable toner, electrophotographic recording, powder paint, developing toner, electrostatic copying, electret fiber material, electrophoretic image display, impulse ink jet printing, sprayable powder coating and electrostatic image developer.
The prior art filtration materials provide sufficient filtration for many environments. However, where the electrostatic charge must be retained for long periods or where the penetration through the filtration material must be below a particular percentage, the prior art does not suffice, or is prohibitively expensive to manufacture. Therefore, the need exists for a filtration material that provides the needed performance at a feasible cost to manufacture.

Filtration materials using fiber blends that contain strategically shaped fibers and/or charge control agents


An address setting method of a wireless communication system includes the steps of generating an address by each of a HEMS controller and a HEMS terminal based on an address prefix included in a router advertisement of a smart meter, and setting, by the HEMS terminal, a route of a packet sent to a HEMS server to a route by way of the HEMS controller. The HEMS controller performs NAT setting by replacing an address prefix of a source address of the packet sent to the HEMS server with an address prefix of the HEMS controller.

There is known a non-patent document as described below as a standard of 6LoWPAN (IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks). The 6LoWPAN allows IPv6 to be used over IEEE 802.15.4.
Home area networks using the 6LoWPAN have been recently considered. Here, users' houses are sometimes equipped with a plurality of networks such as a home energy management system (HEMS) and a smart meter. When a plurality of networks are equipped, a plurality of wireless devices serving as edge routers are also present. For example, in a case where a HEMS is introduced into a house preliminarily equipped with a smart meter, the house is to be installed with two wireless devices, which are the smart meter and a HEMS controller, each serving as an edge router.
When a plurality of wireless devices each serving as an edge router are equipped as described above, HEMS terminals such as an air conditioner and a heat pump composing the HEMS are each assigned with a plurality of IPv6 addresses.

Wireless communication system, wireless devices, and method for setting addresses of same

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A method and apparatus for exerting force on a first bone with respect to a fulcrum, which may be a second bone. A pedicle screw with a central threaded socket is inserted into the first bone, and a threaded closure top is driven into the central threaded socket of the pedicle screw. A base structure, mechanically coupled to the fulcrum, is coupled to the closure top so that a force may be exerted by the base structure, acting against the fulcrum, in at least one of axial and transverse directions with respect to the pedicle screw. Coupling between the base structure and the pedicle screw may be by means on an integral assembly that allows both vertical and horizontal forces to be exerted on the bone. The base structure may also support a retractor in a manner local to the immediate region of surgery.

Fusion of lumbar vertebrae is performed under circumstances including those in which degenerative disk disease, scoliosis, or other deformity indicates that stopping motion between adjacent vertebral segments is desirable. The fusion procedure entails inserting a bone graft between vertebral elements thereby inducing bone growth that ultimately fuses the adjoining vertebral elements. In order to accomplish the fusion of lumbar vertebrae in a minimally invasive manner, procedures, such as those performed in accordance with the Pathfinder™ System of Abbott Spine of Austin, Tex., provide for insertion and retention of a stabilizing rod between pedicle screws, one of which is anchored into each of the adjoining vertebrae, so as to maintain them at a fixed relative displacement after the graft has been inserted and until the biological response completes the fusion process.
It should be noted that lumbar fusion surgery may require relative positioning of adjacent vertebrae in various planes, whether by relative distraction or compression of the inter-vertebral space, or by reduction, i.e., displacement of a vertebra in a plane transverse to the axis of the spine, i.e., in a direction that will be referred to herein as 'vertical,' as referred to a prone patient.
Using minimally invasive surgical procedures, lumbar fusion surgery is begun as now described with reference to FIG. 1. A first incision 10 is performed in the patient's back 12, parallel to the spine 14 and to one side. Though this incision, pedicle screws 16 and 18 are inserted, by known procedures, into the pedicles of adjoining vertebrae 20 and 22, such as lumbar vertebrae L4 and L5. Rod 24 is inserted through slotted guides in each of pedicle screws 16 and 18 and secured with respect to each of the pedicle screws by closure tops that are threaded for retention in a corresponding helical thread of the pedicle screws. The rest of the procedure proceeds via a second incision 26 made parallel to the first incision 10 and laterally opposite to the first incision on the other side of the spine. Edges of the second incision are held apart by a retractor 28 so that a graft 30 may be inserted between vertebrae 20 and 22. Retractor 28 is typically tethered, via flexible arm 32, to a mounting 34 fixed with respect to the operating table. This method of mounting retractor 28 is unwieldy and not as convenient for the surgeon's unfettered access to the surgical site as might be desired.
It is desirable for reasons both of convenience and sterility that a method and apparatus be provided whereby forces may be applied to a bone, such as a vertebra, with respect to a local fulcrum, and also that a method and apparatus be provided for supporting a retractor 28 locally to the region of the surgery.

Surgical base unit and retractor support mechanism


Systems for increasing the power productivity of two bladed teetering hinge, yaw controlled wind turbines by varying rotor shaft restraining torque and yaw angle.

Most three-bladed and two-bladed turbines are equipped with a yaw system to be able to change the orientation of the rotor axis in order to follow the wind direction and ensure that the rotor faces into the wind, thereby maximizing power production. Most three-bladed and two-bladed turbines modulate the pitch of the rotor blades to control the speed of the turbine and hence the power output of the turbine, as well as for shutdown. In most instances, wind turbines work at partial or whole variable rotor speed between the cut-in and the rated wind speed, while after the rated wind speed, the controller keeps the power and the running speed constant.
In two-bladed wind turbines, it is possible to yaw the turbine into or out of the wind also to control the speed of the turbine, and hence the power output of the turbine, without any need of pitch control. This is possible where the two-bladed turbine uses a teetering hinge (or "see-saw" hinge) to attach the turbine blades to the drive train of the turbine. The teetering hinge gives the rotor an additional degree of freedom, allowing the turbine to overcome gyroscopic forces, and to modulate the yaw angle sufficiently quickly to control the rotor speed of the turbine. By controlling the rotor speed of the turbine other than the rotor torque, it is possible to optimize power also when the wind speed is greater than the rated wind speed (i.e., the wind speed at which the turbine produces the max possible power when the turbine is facing into the wind (at zero yaw angle)).
At lower than rated wind speed, yaw control is used to keep the turbine facing into the wind, while the shaft torque is modulated to get the rotor work at its max aerodynamic efficiency irrespectively of the variations of the wind speed. In other words, when the wind speed is lower than the rated speed, the turbine is kept facing into the wind and the power, which is produced at highest efficiency, rises and falls with wind speed.


A PZT fiber is formed by using a titanium wire or a heat-resistant metal wire made of platinum or the like, as a core wire, and overlaying PZT crystals on a surface of the wire. A smart board utilizing the PZT fiber is formed by embedding the PZT fiber into a conductive composite material layer made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic or the like. An actuator utilizing the smart board is constituted by applying a voltage between the PZT fiber and the conductive composite layer of the smart board.

In recent years, research and development of the smart board, which is composed by integration of a sensor and an actuator with a structure, have attracted much attention from various industries. Smart boards have been regarded as the targeted forms for research and development of various structural materials. Among the structural materials, a piezoelectric material has two effects: a positive piezoelectric effect, that converts mechanical input into electrical output, and a reverse piezoelectric effect, that converts electrical input into mechanical output. Research into embedding the piezoelectric material into a structure as a sensor or an actuator has been actively conducted. Research into embedding a piezoelectric material in a fibrous form into a composite material has been continued mainly at MIT in US, and also in Japan and other countries. This has been already utilized for skis and tennis rackets.
However, it is necessary to form an inter-digital electrode to drive a conventionally usable ceramic fiber, which disadvantageously increases cost. Further, if a conventional PZT-based piezoelectric material is used for the structure, the structure is disadvantageously hard and tends to crack, because of the properties in characteristic of ceramics. Although a structure that utilizes a polymer-type piezoelectric material is hardly confronted with the problem of cracking, the structure has a disadvantage in that the performance of the structure itself is inferior to that utilizing a PZT-based piezoelectric material.

Lead zirconate titanate fiber, smart board using lead zirconate titanate fiber, actuator utilizing smart board, and sensor utilizing smart board

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes receiving, utilizing a processor, textual data associated with a conversation between a first participant and a second participant, receiving, utilizing the processor, an objective of the first participant for the conversation between the first participant and the second participant, receiving, utilizing the processor, a proposed dialog act to be entered in the conversation from the first participant, determining, utilizing the processor, an impact of the proposed dialog act on the objective of the first participant, utilizing a model, and performing, utilizing the processor, one or more actions based on the impact of the proposed dialog act.

The present invention relates to textual data analysis, and more specifically, this invention relates to analyzing proposed textual communications and determining an impact of those textual communications.
Communication between two or more participants is an integral part of modern society. For example, many entities rely on effective communication between their representatives and other users in order to resolve issues. However, current prediction analytics do not implement measures to optimize a probability of a particular outcome occurring for a participant in the conversation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Determining an impact of a proposed dialog act using model-based textual analysis

International Business Machines Corporation


Sub-raster registration errors are compensated for through non-redundant overwriting. Data from adjacent rasters is written to a particular output raster so that the adjacent rasters share an influence at a point actually written to by a rendering device, thereby compensating for a sub-raster component of a registration error associated with writing to the particular point. If two writing passes per raster are used and the writing passes have equal influence (e.g., are written with equal power), then writing data from a first raster during a first pass and writing data from a second raster adjacent to the first raster during a second pass compensates for a sub-raster registration error of half a raster spacing. If two writing passes are associated with different influence (e.g., are written with ⅓ and ⅔ power respectively) and/or if additional writing passes are used, then addition sub-raster positions can be compensated for or emulated.

The systems and methods disclosed herein are related to the art of image rendering devices such as printers and displays. Embodiments will be described in terms of laser-based electro-photographic marking engines such as are used in printers, photocopiers and facsimile machines. However, embodiments are applicable to other rendering devices, such as rendering devices that present image data in raster lines, such as display devices and other kinds of printers.
In electro-photographic marking engines, an imaging member, such as, for example, a belt or a drum, is made to carry an electrostatic charge. Portions of the imaging member are then exposed to light. The light discharges the selected portions. For example, the selected portions of the imaging member are exposed to light from a scanning laser beam or to light from one or more light-emitting diodes. For instance, light pulses from a laser are reflected off a set of mirrors that are arranged in a polygonal ring and driven to spin, thereby causing the reflected beam to scan across a portion of the imaging member. Often, the design of the marking engine is such that the reflected laser beam strikes the imaging member at an angle (as opposed to orthogonally). This geometry can mean that the reflected beam sweeps out an arc across the surface of the imaging member instead of the ideal straight line. Such an arc is a source of registration error. This kind of registration error is often referred to as bow.
For example, referring to FIG. 1, image data 106 associated with, and intended for, a target output line or raster 110 of an output image 114 can be misregistered and placed or written to locations in the output image 114 other than the intended locations 118 along the target output line or raster 110.
Another kind of registration error, often referred to as skew, can be caused by imperfections in the mounting and/or alignment of the light source or laser, scanning device or mirror relative to the imaging member. An imaging device or marking engine that includes imperfections related to skew will tend to generate images that appear to be crooked or at an unintended angle relative to the display screen or print media.
Accordingly, whatever the source of registration errors, in at least some instances, without compensation, a pixel from or associated with a target or nth raster (e.g., 110) can be written to a physical location (e.g., 122, 126, 130) on the display, imaging member and/or print medium that one would ideally expect to find data from or associated with, for example, raster number n−1 (134) or n−2 (138) and so on.
Accordingly, systems designers attempt to develop rendering devices that include as few sources of registration error as practicable. Additionally, designers try to minimize the amplitude of registration errors generated by those sources that cannot be eliminated. However, sources of noticeable registration error remain in many imaging systems. As improvements are made in other system parameters, such as, for example, resolution, remaining registration errors become more noticeable. Accordingly, attempts have been made to compensate for registration error sources through image path data manipulation. For example, contone image data is manipulated to pre-warp and/or pre-skew image data in a direction opposite and in an amplitude equal to known registration errors of a particular system. However, such contone image manipulation techniques require increased processing power or processing time and either increase the cost of systems or reduce system throughput.
Other compensation techniques work with binary or marking decision data. For example, instead of driving a laser with data from or associated with the ideal or target raster, these techniques attempt to compensate for, for example, bow or skew registration error by driving the light source (e.g., laser) with data from, for example, raster number n−1 when the laser beam is predicted to be at a point in the arc that is associated with the physical location on the imaging member that one would ideally expect to find data from raster n−1 and driving the laser with data from raster n−2 when the laser is at a point in the arc that is associated with the physical location on the imaging member that one would ideally expect to find data from raster n−2. However, these systems do not adequately address registration errors associated with sub-raster (e.g., 142, 146, 148, 152, 156, 160, 164) positioning errors or displacements, wherein positions between ideal raster positions are exposed to the light source or other imaging element. Images rendered through these sorts of compensation methods can include visually displeasing distortions.

Sub-raster registration using non-redundant overwriting


A droplet impact sampler based upon the stain technique for measuring airborne droplets comprises a magnesium oxide coated, graphite target located within a cylindrical sampler head below a pneumatically operated shutter. The shutter is opened for a predetermined time period to expose the target to the specimen droplets which stain the target upon contact. Droplet size is determined by measuring the stain diameters and compensating for a flattening effect of the droplet that occurs upon impact as a function of several parameters, such as contact angle, water density and surface tension. Rate of deposition is determined by correlating the number of stains counted on the target with the operating speed of the shutter.

The present invention relates generally to methods of and apparatus for measuring characteristics of airborne droplets such as size and concentration distributions, and more particularly, toward a stain type droplet sampling method and apparatus using a pneumatically operated shutter to control exposure time, wherein droplet size error caused by impact flattening is compensated and droplet deposition rate is measured as a function of stain count and shutter speed.
Knowledge of drop velocity and especially drop size concentration distribution is important in such fields as the scavenging of airborne particles by raindrops, the elimination of drop carry-over from cooling towers and dust suppression by water sprays. In a belt transfer station or other mining environment, for example, once drop size distribution, concentration and velocity are known, the spray nozzle for optimum dust suppression due to impact coverage can be selected based upon geometry, desired degree of coverage and local line pressure.
Although drop velocity for droplets of several hundred microns in diameter can be estimated in many applications, most nozzle manufacturers do not provide adequate information on droplet size and concentration to enable proper selection. Laboratory methods for measuring these parameters are available, but are complex and expensive. One form of portable droplet sampler is formed of a magnesium oxide coated, glass slide that is exposed for a predetermined time duration to airborne droplets and receives a permanent impression or stain from each droplet impacting the surface of the slide. The stains are counted and diameters measured for correlation with drop size and concentration distribution.
Because there is a "flattening effect" of a droplet in air deviating from its ideal spherical shape upon impact with a target, the stain imparted to the magnesium oxide layer will typically be larger than the actual droplet size. The effect of impact velocity of incident droplets on a target has not been previously fully understood. Drops, always heterogeneous in size, impact a solid surface at different fractions of terminal velocities, especially when the droplets fall from a limited height. Accurate measurement of droplet size by the stain technique requires a method of correcting the stain diameters to the true diameter of the incident droplet.
Engelmann, for example (see Engelmann, R. J., The Hartford Raindrop Sampler and Selected Spectra, A.E.C. Resource and Development Report, H.W. -73119, 1962), has developed a calibration curve that relates stain and drop diameters to each other. The incident drop must impact the target surface at a known velocity (usually the terminal velocity). In practice, however, physical constraints often limit the sampler location to be less than that required for the droplet to acquire terminal velocity. For example, a 0.60 millimeter diameter droplet requires a falling height of 200 centimeters to attain a fully developed terminal velocity whereas a 20 millimeter diameter droplet attains only 78% of its terminal velocity at the same height and requires 1,400 centimeters to reach its terminal velocity. Neglect of the non-terminal velocity effect for the 2.0 millimeter diameter droplet would lead to an apparent drop diameter that is 25% larger than the true diameter.
Equations have been developed that relate stain diameter to actual droplet diameter at droplet velocities that are less than terminal velocity, as set forth in Cheng, Environmental Science Technology, 11, 192 (February, 1977). In order to apply these equations to determine actual droplet size of droplets at impact velocities less than terminal velocity, it is necessary to provide a magnesium oxide layered planchet to obtain accurate stains caused by droplet impact. We have found, however, that prior art stain type droplet sampler devices are incapable of obtaining highly accurate droplet size and distribution readings.
In May, "The Measurement of Airborne Droplets by the Magnesium Oxide Method", Journal of Scientific Instruments, Volume 27, 1950, there is described a stain type droplet target using a thick magnesium oxide coating which retains stains when impacted by airborne droplets. The magnesium coating is deposited on a glass substrate at a thickness of 40-500 microns and at least 90% coverage of the target surface. We have found that the thick coating of magnesium oxide tends to acquire rough stain edges which cause inaccuracy in measurement of stain diameters. Also, due to limited dispersion of the magnesium oxide granules, the thick layer fails to distinguish whether a given stain is a result of one or more incident droplets.
Another deficiency of the prior art stain type droplet samplers has been that exposure time to ambient droplets is not accurately controlled and the exposure time is not easily varied. In Grantham, A Journal of Applied Meteorology, Volume 4, page 1293, 1975, for example, a thick magnesium oxide layer stain device is exposed to airborne droplets through a rubberband operated, rotary shutter. In practice, the shutter provides only a limited range of exposures and thus is unable to measure high or low droplet concentrations. There still exists a need, therefore, for a stain type, airborne droplet sampler that enables higher accuracy droplet size and distribution measurements than heretofore provided in the prior art.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved airborne droplet impact sampler that provides highly accurate droplet stains when impacted by airborne droplets.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved air droplet sampler that is capable of exposing an impact stain target to airborne droplets for a precisely controlled period of time.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved airborne droplet sampler that is capable of exposing a droplet stain target to airborne droplets for a variable sampling period.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved airborne droplet sampler stain type target that has improved stain resolution and is capable of distinguishing multiple impact stains.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved airborne droplet sampler that is simple, light in weight and convenient to operate at remote locations.

Portable airborne droplet impactor sampler and method

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Interior


A new and improved portable food cooler apparatus includes a base receptacle assembly which includes a top portion which is adapted to receive a top receptacle assembly. A top receptacle assembly includes a bottom portion adapted to be received by the top portion of the base receptacle assembly. The top receptacle assembly also includes a top portion adapted to receive a lid assembly. A lid assembly includes a bottom portion adapted to be received by the top portion of the top receptacle assembly. The base receptacle assembly includes a pair of first handle assemblies which are connected to opposite side walls of the base receptacle assembly. The top receptacle assembly includes a pair of second handle assemblies. The second handle assemblies are in the form of indentations in opposite side walls of the top receptacle assembly. The side walls of the base receptacle assembly, the side walls of the top receptacle assembly, and the side walls of the lid assembly are coplanar when the base receptacle assembly, the top receptacle assembly, and the lid assembly are connected together. The base receptacle assembly includes a drain plug assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to food coolers and, more particularly, to portable food coolers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Portable food coolers are well known in the art. Generally, the portable food coolers receive a quantity of ice or other coolant for cooling items placed in the coolers. The items that are cooled must generally be either packaged in water-tight containers, such as beverage cans and bottles, or :must be placed in water-tight containers. This is so because the ice melts, and the water from the melted ice can contaminate the items unless suitably protected.
There are numerous food items, however, that may not be conveniently placed in water-tight containers. For example, before certain food items are to be placed on a barbecue, it may be desirable to have the food marinated, seasoned, or sauted. It may be desirable to have the food remain in this pre-cooked condition for a predetermined period of time. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler had provisions for retaining food that is not in water-tight containers for a predetermined period of time without the food getting wet from melted ice.
As food is waiting to be barbecued, often the food is open to the air and is subject to attack from flying insects. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler were provided which protected food from flying insects prior to the food being barbecued.
When people have a barbecue outside their house, often the people will keep the food inside the house just prior to the barbecue. If this is done, to carry out the barbecue, a number of back and forth trips must be made between outside the house and inside the house. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler were provided which precluded the necessity of making a number of trips from inside the house to outside the house for carrying food from inside the house that has been standing a predetermined period of time in a precooked status such as in a marinade.
If food is taken outside a house to sit for a predetermined period of time prior to its being barbecued, the food may be covered to prevent the food's being attacked by flying insects. Yet, when the food is covered, the food is not protected from ambient heat. The ambient temperature of a hot summer day may be deleterious to the food and may promote food spoilage. In this respect, it would be desirable if a food storage device were provided which protected the food from hot ambient air as the food is waiting to be barbecued.
Another set of circumstances that may prove to be a problem when food is placed outdoors for a period of time prior to a barbecue is the presence of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight may cause accelerated heating of food that should otherwise be kept at a cool temperature. In this respect, it would be desirable if a food storage device were provided that protects food from direct sunlight when the food a waiting to be barbecued.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to portable food coolers, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,280,336; 4,648,512; 4,662,188; 4,873,841; and 4,955,957.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,336 disclose a portable cooler that has a food receptacle and a plurality of cylindrical receptacles for receiving cylindrical beverage cans. A cold pack is used for cooling. With this device, if a cold pack were not employed and ice cubes were used instead, then any food that were placed in the food receptacle would be subjected to being soaked by water from melted ice. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler were provided that can employ either a cold pack or ice cubes for cooling food without subjecting the food from soaking from water from melted ice.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,512 discloses a portable cooler that has side receptacles for storing non-food items. Moreover, a common lid is placed over both a portion of the cooler that receives ice and a portion of the cooler that receives food items. If the food-receiving portion is removed from the cooler, the food-receiving portion is not covered and is subject to attack by insects and the direct rays of the sun. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler were provided which included a food-receiving portion that has its own lid that stays with the food-receiving portion when the food-receiving portion is removed from the ice-receiving portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,188 discloses a portable cooler or ice chest in which items are stored in one plane and are reoriented 90 degrees when carried in brief-case-like fashion. As a result, stored items may be overturned and upset when stored and then carried. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler were provided which does not reorient stored items when the cooler is carried.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,841 discloses a wheeled carrier for a portable cooler. U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,957 discloses a portable cooler which includes means for securing the cooler to a carrier surface. Although special carriers may be desirable for certain coolers, especially large coolers that are difficult to carry, it is preferable if a portable cooler were sufficiently small and light-weight as to be readily transported by carrying the cooler with handles connected to the cooler.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use portable food coolers, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a portable food cooler apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) has provisions for retaining food that is not in water-tight containers for a predetermined period of time without the food getting wet from melted ice; (2) protects food from flying insects prior to the food being barbecued; (3) precludes the necessity of making a number of trips from inside the house to outside the house for carrying food from inside the house that has been standing a predetermined period of time in a precooked status; (4) protects the food from hot ambient air as the food is waiting to be barbecued; (5) protects food from direct sunlight when the food is waiting to be barbecued; (6) can employ either a cold pack or ice cubes for cooling food without subjecting the food to a soaking from water from melted ice; (7) includes a food-receiving portion that has its own lid that stays with the food-receiving portion when the food-receiving portion is removed from the ice-receiving portion; (8) does not reorient stored items when the cooler is carried; and (9) is sufficiently small and light-weight as to be readily transported by carrying the cooler with handles connected to the cooler. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique portable food cooler apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.


A method for power management comprises registering and subscribing one or more endpoint devices to a remote power management service. The one or more endpoint devices are connected with a local network. Power state information of the one or more endpoint devices is obtained. Power state of one or more endpoint devices is changed using the remote power management service.

Power management is a feature of a device. Such as a portable electronic device, where the device uses low power modes to reduce power consumption. Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Low Power provides a mechanism for low power management, but requires a device to be located in a home network to act as a proxy and manage low power capable devices.

Cloud based power management of local network devices


A method and system for sending messages that indicate position. In one embodiment, the message transmission device includes a message transmission unit that is coupled to a position determination system. A server is adapted to receive messages from the message transmission device. In operation, a first message is generated at the message transmission device. The position of the message transmission device is determined and is included in the message. The message is then sent to the server. The server then generates a second message that complies with any instruction indicated in the first message that relates to position. An instruction that relates to position can indicate routing, format, performance of a task, etc. By indicating return routing in the instruction, a user can obtain location in any of a number of desired formats without the need to store extensive databases in the message transmission device. In a second embodiment of the present invention, a message transmission device is used that does not include PDS processing capabilities. PDS data is received and is transmitted to the server, along with an indication of the time that the PDS data is received. The server then determines the position of the message transmission device and sends a second message that indicates the position of the message transmission device.

Position Determination System (PDS) devices such as devices that determine position using the satellites of the US Global Positioning System typically include a GPS antenna, a GPS receiver, a GPS processor, and a data storage device. Signals from the GPS are received by the GPS antenna, processed by the GPS receiver and position is determined by the GPS processor. However, typically, the computation of position using signals from the GPS system gives position in an Earth Centered Earth Fixed (ECEF) format that includes ECEF coordinates.
The indication of position in ECEF coordinates is not particularly useful for most applications. Maritime users, campers, hikers, and other users in remote locations typically want to know their position in terms of latitude and longitude. Users in urban areas typically want to know their position as a street address. Alternatively, users desire to know position relative to major landmarks, or relative to nearby cross streets.
The conversion of position into other coordinate systems requires that conversion algorithms and/or extensive databases be stored in the PDS device. This requires a high capacity memory storage device. High capacity memory storage devices sufficient to store the large databases and conversion algorithms are quite expensive. Also, usage is complicated by the fact that new streets, addresses, and landmarks are constantly being added and existing streets, addresses and landmarks are frequently changed. Therefore, the databases used must be frequently updated. The updating process is expensive and time consuming. In addition, the microprocessor must be quick and powerful to search the database and convert the determined position into the desired reference system in a timely manner. This adds even more expense to the PDS device.
As usage of the GPS has grown in popularity, there has been a need for economical devices that allow for the determination of the position of the user. However, GPS processors are expensive as are memory storage devices. In addition, maintenance of devices for determining position that indicated position in different formats is expensive and difficult due to the need to frequently update the stored databases.
Recently, message transmission devices that allow persons to easily send messages have become popular. These message transmission devices include computers, handheld computers, digital telephones and digital pagers. The communication systems that are used by recent message transmission devices include, for example, the internet, cellular telephone networks, paging networks, wireless data transmission networks, telephone transmission lines and cable systems.
Typically, message transmission devices include a keypad that allows a user to compose a message. Many message transmission devices use commonly available software programs such as Eudora, Netscape Navigator, etc. that generate messages conforming to a standard format. A typical message contains a body and one or more headers. The headers indicate the final destination to which the message is to be sent and the identity of the sender.
One commonly used format for messages is the Standard Mail Transmission Protocol (SMTP) format. The SMTP format is used for almost all internet message transmissions. Due to the popularity and widespread use of the SMTP format for internet transmission, the SMTP format is also being increasingly used for non-internet communications.
Servers are used to route messages to their final destination. Servers that route messages that conform to the SMTP format (SMTP servers) route messages based on information contained in a header. Typically, such servers only route messages, they do not alter the text in the body of the message. Instead, headers are often added, deleted, or otherwise altered by the server to route the message to the desired final destination.
Because of the relatively high cost of adding position determination capabilities to message transmission devices, these devices do not typically include position determination capabilities. However, it is often desirable for a user of a message transmission device to know his position. In addition, the user's position is often needed to properly route a message. This is particularly true when a user of a message transmission device needs to contact or locate the nearest facility of a service provider such as, for example, the nearest gas station, the nearest bank branch, etc.
What is needed is a way for a user of a message transmission device to determine position and to indicate position in a message. In addition, a way to determine position is needed that couples position to a user in a desired format, without the need to store and update extensive databases on the device being used. Still another need exists for a device that meets the above-listed needs and that is inexpensive. Yet another need exists for a method and apparatus for routing of messages according to the position of the sender. The present invention provides a solution to the above needs.

Method for sending message that indicates position and message transmission device and message transmission server


A tape guide has a tape supporting surface extending across a major surface of an advancing tape at a supporting region extending from a tape touchdown region to a tape liftoff region. The tape guide stresses the advancing tape with the tape supporting surface uniformly across the tape and at both tape edges. A reference surface extends at an acute angle to the supporting surface between and exclusive of the tape touchdown and liftoff regions in order to position the advancing tape at one of its tape edges.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to methods and apparatus for guiding a tape and, for instance, has utility in magnetic tape transports, photographic film handling apparatus and other tape or web transporting or handling equipment wherein precision guidance of a tape, film or other web is required or desired.
2. Disclosure Statement
This disclosure statement is made pursuant to the duty of disclosure imposed by law and formulated in 37 CFR 1.45(a). No representation is hereby made that information thus disclosed in fact constitutes prior-art inasmuch as 37 CFR 1.56(a) relies on a materiality concept which depends on uncertain and inevitably subjective elements of substantial likelihood and reasonableness, and inasmuch as a growing attitude appears to require citation of material which might lead to a discovery of pertinent material.
Throughout the years, many precision guiding techniques and apparatus have been proposed or implemented. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, precision guiding of a tape or web is important in information processing or handling equipment wherein a tape or web-shaped information carrier needs to be accurately positioned relative to information recording and playback devices.
Many proposed systems for the sidewise alignment of a longitudinally moving strip are not suitable in practice for most precision guidance purposes. For instance, the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,089, by D. S. Cvacho et al., issued Mar. 29, 1966, employs a number of grooved wheels into which slanted rollers push a strip of material, such as employed in the manufacture of cylindrical metal containers. Such rugged handling of material would severely wear and damage most tape materials and would at any rate not afford the commonly requisite precision of guidance.
Another example of a past proposal unsuitable for present purposes may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,239, by Grant F. Strong, issued Oct. 27, 1970. In particular, that proposal employs a pulley device for guiding and untwisting elastomer extrusions. To this end, Strong's pulley device has a base composed of tapered surfaces and bounded by convex sheaves or then by concave or inwardly slanted sides. In practice, such sheaves or sides would interfere with tape entry and exit, if such a pulley device were attempted to be employed as a tape guide.
The latter drawback would also attach to attempts to employ as tape guides slanted rollers with sheaves or sides extending at right angles to a cylindrical roller body, as shown, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,706,638, by H. H. Bruderlin et al, issued Apr. 19, 1955.
Several other proposals have attempted to realize tape transport or guiding systems with the aid of slanted or tapered rollers or guides, as may be seen from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,967,788, 3,799,422, 3,494,525, 3,294,330, 3,143,270, 2,916,228, 2,894,702 and 2,862,715. The drawback of such systems customarily resides in an imposition of uneven stresses across the tape surface. For instance, the latter U.S. Pat. No. 2,862,715, by D. N. MacDonald, issued Dec. 2, 1958, proposes the use of several tape guides, each having a tapered body bounded by a reference surface extending at right angles to a longitudinal axis through the tapered body. The tapered body, which acts as a tape guide, imposes on the advancing tape a transverse force component by stressing the advancing tape unevenly across its major tape surface. In particular, that tapered guide stresses one edge of the advancing tape more than the other, thereby loading the tape against the straight reference shoulder provided at the base of the tapered body. This, in turn, has the drawback of prompting the tape to ride up or curl up on the reference shoulder, thereby adding further wear and tear to the wear and tear already occasioned by the uneven stresses imposed on the tape by the tapered guide.
A further type of web guide is apparent from U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,040, by F. F. Grant, issued Oct. 25, 1966. According to that proposal, a positive pressure gradient is established at the guiding element so that the moving web tends to slide "downhill" of the gradient and the edge of the web adjacent a guiding shoulder is brought into contact with that shoulder. Web guides of this type are useful in some applications but tend to be relatively long, bulky and air consumptive.
Further tape guide systems are apparent from U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,979, by L. B. Browder, issued May 30, 1978 to the subject assignee. While those systems afford a very high tape guiding precision, they would share with conventional approaches the disadvantage of tape curlup, if they employ a straight reference shoulder extending at right angles to the tape guiding surface. Such systems are further vulnerable to the effects of tape width variation or non-straightness of tape edges. Even with high-quality tape, variations of the order of 0.002/0.003 inches (50-75.mu.) are relatively frequent and result in a substantial variation of the force between the tape edge and adjacent reference shoulder, eventuating curling of the tape edge and climbing thereof onto the reference surface.


A novel interface unit circuit for connecting circuit card assemblies to a data stream and to each other is designed for implementation on a high speed semiconductor chip. A parallel bit data word comprising a programmable address field is compared to a mask address stored in buffer registers and in the presence of a match, the parallel bit data word is stored in a sink register. Also the address field of the data word is filled with zeros and passed to the output of the data channel where the time slot for the data word may be written over with new data words or the time slot passed on to other circuit card assemblies or other elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to interface units of the type employed on circuit card assemblies (CCAs) to interconnect logic function circuit elements. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel low power interface circuit designed for implementation on a single gallium arsenide gate array chip and having on-chip test simulation circuits which enables testing of the interface chip and its associated functional elements on a circuit card assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, numerous types of interface circuits have been implemented as multiple chips packaged in a single carrier or container. Such packaged interface chips have been employed to connect various types of input-output equipment to a common bus or data path. Such commercially available interface units are usually limited to a special set of input-output interface conditions, are not programmable and do not provide an on-package test circuit.
Accordingly, it would be extremely desirable to provide a novel high speed ECL compatible interface unit circuit which incorporates on-chip test circuitry, high speed logic, and is processor programmable for operating and test purposes.

Interface unit circuit with on-chip test simulation


A lead storage cell comprises a storage jar, an electrolyte contained in the storage jar, negative and positive electrodes within the electrolyte and respectively having a negative electrode metal or active material and a positive electrode active material which are placed in contact with each other preferably a large-meshed woven or non-woven fabric having resistance to the electrolyte and inserted between the negative and positive electrodes.

The present invention relates to an improvement of lead electric storage cells or batteries (hereinafter referred to as storage batteries).
In prior storage batteries, electrolysis of water takes place at the end of recharging or during overcharging which gives rise to evolvement of oxygen and hydrogen gases. When the battery is of an open type, it is always possible for these gases to escape from the battery to the outside. However, when the battery is of a sealed type, various countermeasures to prevent an increase in internal pressure due to the evolvement of these gases and ultimate breakage of the container have been taken such as: the use of a pressure container capable of withstanding and increase in internal pressure due to these gases, the provision of a safety valve operating when the internal pressure is abnormally increased, and chemical transformation of these gases into water by catalysts on the electrode plates.
On one hand, all storage batteries have previously used separators which are made of various microporous materials between the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates and are continuously arranged in a row in order to prevent contact short-circuiting between the two electrode plates. Ordinarily, the separator is composed of woody, rubbery, fibrous or synthetic resinous materials. A glass mat may be used. The use of such a separator necessarily adds to the material cost to a significant degree.


A video signal representing rapid ball movement is produced from a series of source images. An initial image position for the moving ball is identified by, for each image, producing a difference image between sequential images. In the difference image, image elements representing a contents alteration below a threshold are allocated a first value, and those representing a contents alteration above or equal to the threshold are allocated a second value. A set of candidates is then identified, where each candidate is represented by a group of neighboring image elements that all contain the second value. The group must fulfill a ball size criterion. A ball selection algorithm selects an initial image position from the set of ball candidates. The ball is tracked, and a composite image sequence is generated wherein a synthetic trace representing the path of the moving ball is shown as successively added image data.

The present invention relates generally to automatic image enhancement in connection with registration of moving images of a sports scene. More particularly the invention relates to a system according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method of producing a video signal according to the preamble of claim 10. The invention also relates to a computer program according to claim 22 and a computer readable medium according to claim 23.
Recording and broadcasting of sporting events is becoming an increasingly important market area, and therefore the competition is intensified to provide the viewers with satisfying experiences of such events. However, in some sports it is difficult to adequately reflect all important aspects of the game, for instance in a TV transmission. Golf and baseball are two examples of sports wherein a relatively small ball often travels over a comparatively large distance during a short period of time. Due to the technical limitations of the transmission medium and the cameras used it may be problematic for the viewers to follow the balls' path, and thus fully appreciate the sportsmen's performances.
In golf, for example, already after 30 to 70 meters flight an outgoing ball becomes so small that it is equivalent to less than one pixel of a conventional TV screen. Of course, this renders it very difficult to distinguish the ball, particularly if the white ball moves in front of a bright sky. In most cases, the sky is brighter than the rest of the image, i.e. the golfer/batter and the background. Therefore, a correct exposure of the golfer/batter results in an overexposure of the sky, which means that the sky may be represented by an almost saturated white color against which a white (and possibly likewise over exposed) ball easily "disappears". Therefore, at least in video recordings/transmissions of some scenes/situations of the game, it is highly desirable to augment the visual impression of the ball.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,099 describes a golf ball tracking apparatus having a video camera for producing data representative of a golf ball, and a video frame processor for determining the golf ball image position within a video frame of the camera. Thereby, the camera may be controlled to automatically follow the movements of the ball, i.e. track the actual flight of the ball through the air.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,007 discloses a solution by means of which it is made possible to track balls, pucks and the like with a camera. Here, empirical color data about the ball is used together with estimated motion vectors to identify a ball trajectory. This, in turn, serves as a basis for following the ball's movements via one or more cameras.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,056 describes a system which enhances the display of a sporting event by tracking a moving ball. Overlay video images are here produced which illustrate the ball path, and the overlay images are successively overlaid a background video image representing the sports scene, such that the viewer easily can follow the ball path.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,700 discloses a system for enhancing the TV presentation of an object (i.e. the ball or puck) in a sporting game, wherein one or more sensors in the object are used. Aided by the sensor(s) a processor associated with the TV camera determines the location of the object, and as a result, the TV signal can be edited or augmented to enhance the presentation of the object.
Although the above-mentioned solutions may improve the viewer 's experiences of certain broadcast and/or recorded sporting events important problems remain to be solved in order to render the image enhancement more efficient, reliable and robust. Namely, either an initial manual identification of the ball is required, or sensors/transducers in the ball are required to enable the tracking thereof. However, it may be difficult to accomplish a manual identification with sufficient accuracy within the time available therefore. Moreover, for cost reasons it is generally desirable to reduce the amount of manual intervention as much as possible. On the other hand, any inclusion of sensors or transducers in the ball risk to influence the game itself, at least on a psychological level. Consequently, this is unacceptable, or in any case highly undesirable.

Systems and methods for enhancing images in a video recording of a sports event


The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling the drive power of a motor vehicle equipped with a chargeable spark-ignition engine. In this method and arrangement, the engine power is adjusted via the air input and the charging pressure independently of each other as a function of the accelerator pedal deflection. In one range of the accelerator pedal deflection, the engine power is adjusted by adjusting an engine power actuator in dependence upon the accelerator pedal deflection and/or, in another range, the charging pressure is adjusted in dependence upon the accelerator pedal deflection.

German patent publication 3,303,350 discloses a control arrangement for the drive power of a motor vehicle wherein the drive power is adjusted by a control of the charging pressure of a turbocharger. This adjustment is in addition to the adjustment via the mechanical throttle flap actuable by the driver. For this purpose, a desired charging pressure is determined via a closed-loop control circuit on the basis of the throttle flap position and the engine speed and is compared to the actual charging pressure. The actual charging pressure is adjusted via a controller by actuating a bypass valve across the turbine of the charger. Also, a precontrol of the charging pressure is provided which adjusts the charging pressure at least in dependence upon the above-mentioned operating variables while bypassing the controller. Desired value input and precontrol values are dimensioned to obtain high power, low fuel consumption and favorable exhaust-gas values.
An internal combustion engine equipped with a turbocharger or a mechanical charger generates a maximum torque at a pregiven rpm when the throttle flap is fully opened and the charging pressure is at a maximum because this results in a maximum cylinder charge. If a lesser torque is required from the engine, then the cylinder charge must be reduced in the same manner as for an induction engine. Stated otherwise, the pressure in the intake pipe must be reduced, that is, the pressure downstream of the throttle flap in the intake system. In known control arrangements, the charging pressure (that is, the pressure upstream of the throttle flap in the intake system) is adjusted in dependence upon the position of the throttle flap pregiven by the driver or the accelerator pedal position proportional to this throttle flap position. For this reason, a reduction of the torque output of the engine takes place primarily because of a throttling of the pressure in the intake pipe as a consequence of the throttle flap being pivoted in the closed direction by the driver.
This, however, leads to the situation that the efficiency of the engine is reduced because of the throttling of the inducted air flow by adjusting the throttle flap. Accordingly, the engine operates at an unfavorable efficiency.

Method and arrangement for controlling the drive power of a motor vehicle