A hand-held oscillating spindle sander is disclosed. The sander includes a pair of toothed pulleys associated with the output shaft. The first pulley is attached to the output shaft for rotation with the output shaft. The second pulley is rotatably disposed on the output shaft for relative rotation with respect to the output shaft. The second pulley includes opposed camming surfaces formed on the inside thereof. A cam follower is attached to and extends from the output shaft so that it is positioned between the opposed camming surfaces. A pair of belts are respectively entrained around the first and second pulleys from a jackshaft rotatably received in the housing. Upon rotation of the belts, both pulleys rotate, but at slightly different speeds. This slight difference in speeds causes the cam follower to move along the opposed camming surfaces to create an oscillation effect for the output shaft. A dust recovery system is associated with the base of the tool proximate to where the sanding tools engages the workpiece.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of hand-held power tools, and more specifically to a hand-held power tool suitable for sanding or rasping applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Woodworking as a hobby has become quite popular. Tools which were once marketed only to professional woodworkers are now conveniently available to woodworkers of all skills, from beginners to seasoned hobbyists and professionals. Hand-held power tools come in a number of different varieties suitable for professional and hobbyist applications. For instance, woodworkers are quite familiar with hand-held power tools such as drills, circular saws, plate joiners, sanders, routers, planers, etc. But due to design constraints, certain tools have been limited to bench top applications. One of these is the oscillating spindle sander.
An oscillating spindle sander is a tool which, as its name implies, may be used to sand a workpiece. A spindle typically protrudes from the bench top. The spindle is operatively connected to a motor which, through a series of belts, pulleys, gears or other transmission devices, causes the spindle to rotate. A drum is typically secured to the spindle. Sandpaper or other roughened material is applied to the drum. The rotating drum, along with the sandpaper, is brought into contact with the workpiece for sanding or removing material from the edge of the workpiece. The spindle is also caused to reciprocate in an axial direction. Otherwise, the same segment of the sandpaper would be repeatedly applied to the workpiece. This would cause premature wearing of the sandpaper, as well as the generation of excessive heat and burning of the workpiece.
To date, no commercial hand-held oscillating spindle sanders are available on the market. Instead, all of the oscillating spindle sanders are of the bench top variety. Among other reasons, one of the challenges facing a designer of a hand-held oscillating spindle sander is developing a light-weight, compact design which permits hand-held operation. Until now, no such tool had been designed to satisfy these competing criteria. Solutions have been proposed. None have been commercially viable on a large scale.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,678,292 and 5,957,765 to Kimbel et al. disclose a hand-held machine tool which may be used for sanding a workpiece. Oscillation of the sanding tool is provided by one of several proposed oscillation devices, ranging from a swash plate to a driving disk associated with a rotating gear which is adapted to engage a disk follower member on the output shaft. In all but one of these embodiments, the drive shaft is perpendicular to the output shaft. Bevel gears are therefore needed to turn the direction of rotational power from perpendicular to parallel with respect to the drive shaft. This leads to a decrease in power efficiency compared to the configuration where the drive shaft and output shaft are parallel with one another.
Using a swash plate to create the oscillation of the output shaft unnecessarily complicates the tool. The swash plate is attached at an angle to a so-called intermediate shaft. As a consequence, the swash plate and the intermediate shaft are spaced from and parallel to the output shaft. A grooved roller is operatively coupled to the output shaft and engages the swash plate. As the swash plate rotates, the grooved roller is pulled up and down in a direction corresponding to the axis of the output shaft. This causes the output shaft to oscillate.
In an alternative embodiment where the swash plate is integrated into the output shaft, the grooved roller is replaced with a pin member which slides along the surface of the swash plate. This undesirable configuration could lead to the premature wearing of either the swash plate, the pin, or both. Further, this configuration would inevitably be relatively noisy in operation since the pin slides, rather than rolls, along the surface of the swash plate.
In all of the embodiments, the swash plate is relatively thin. The swash plate is cantilevered on the intermediate shaft. In operation of the tool, the swash plate would be subjected to significant forces resulting from the reciprocation of the grooved roller or pin member contacting the swash plate. Consequently, the swash plate arrangement is not the most effective mechanism for creating the oscillation motion of the output shaft.
The sander of the foregoing patents suffers from several other drawbacks. It does not have variable speed operation. Different wood stock has different surface hardness. Without a variable speed capability, the sander could damage softer wood or take longer to sand harder wood. Also, the sander of the foregoing patents does not include an edge guide assembly for precision sanding of straight surfaces. It also does not provide for means to attach the sander to the underside of a work table for conversion to a bench top oscillating spindle sander.
For these and other reasons, tools such as that disclosed in the foregoing patents have not been commercialized on a large scale. Professional woodworkers and hobbyists thus have been limited to bench top oscillating spindle sander applications. But, bench top applications limit the ability of the woodworker to truly enjoy the benefits of the oscillating spindle sander. With a bench top oscillating spindle sander, the workpiece must be moved relative to the sander during the sanding operation rather than moving the sander relative to the workpiece. Consequently, the oscillating spindle sanders of the bench top variety cannot be used to sand a workpiece which is not movable due to its size, weight, or installation constraints. For example, a bench top oscillating spindle sander cannot easily be used to sand solid surface sink cutouts on installed countertops, or the finished edges of an installed hardwood stair tread. Further, the oscillating spindle sanders of the bench top variety require a fair amount of dedicated shop space.
These and other disadvantages of the oscillating spindle sanders of the prior art are overcome by the invention of the preferred embodiments.
It is an object of the preferred embodiments to provide a portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander.
It is a further object of the preferred embodiments to provide an oscillating spindle sander which has an integral dust collection system.
It is a further object of the preferred embodiments to provide an oscillating spindle sander in which the power transmission, including the oscillation, is achieved by a unique combination of elements which provide a compact construction.
It is a further object of the preferred embodiments to provide an oscillating spindle sander including a removable and adjustable edge guide assembly.
It is a further object of the preferred embodiments to provide an oscillating spindle sander having variable speed operation.
It is a further object of the preferred embodiments to provide an oscillating spindle sander which has internal support structures configured for easy assembly.
It is a further object of the preferred embodiments to provide an oscillating spindle sander which has adequate means for cooling the internal moving components of the sander.
It is a further object of the preferred embodiments to provide an oscillating spindle sander which has a thumb rest formed on the base for allowing a user to rest a thumb on the base while sanding.
It is a further object of the preferred embodiments to provide an oscillating spindle sander which has means for mounting the sander to the underside of a work table for conversion to a bench top oscillating spindle sander.
It is a further object of the preferred embodiments to provide an oscillating spindle sander which has a favorable ratio of oscillation to rotation of the sanding spindle.
These and other features, objects and advantages are achieved by a portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander comprising a housing, a base associated with the housing for contacting the workpiece, a motor at least partially contained within the housing, an output shaft extending from the housing and adapted to drive a sanding tool. The output shaft is operatively coupled to the motor through a transmission so that the rotational power of the motor is transmitted to the output shaft. An oscillation device is associated with the output shaft comprising first and second camming surfaces associated with the output shaft for relative rotation with respect to the output shaft. A cam follower is operatively coupled to the output shaft for rotation with the output shaft, the cam follower engaging the first and second camming surfaces so that upon rotation of the output shaft, the cam follower moves along the camming surface to cause the output shaft to have an oscillatory translational component of movement.
The portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander of the preferred embodiments advantageously incorporates a dust collection mechanism. Namely, the dust collection mechanism is integrated with the base assembly. The base assembly is formed with an opening through which the output shaft protrudes. A toroidal cavity extends around the opening. A plurality of vacuum ports communicate with the opening. The vacuum created within the toroidal cavity causes the dust created during sanding to be sucked within the toroidal cavity. From there, the dust is disposed through a hose, which is adapted to be attached to the front of the base.
The portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander according to the preferred embodiments advantageously is provided with a variable speed mechanism. Namely, a variable speed dial switch permits the tool to be operated between a minimum of about 2400 rpm to a maximum of about 3600 rpm. This variability in the speed of the tool advantageously permits the shopsmith to adjust for the characteristics of the workpiece to be sanded.
The portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander of the preferred embodiments is further advantageously constructed with internal component supporting structures. This provides ease in assembly. Namely, other than the outer, clam-shell casing, the entire supporting apparatus for the working components for the oscillating spindle sander are provided by two opposed structures, an internal support structure and a bearing housing. The internal support structure includes a plurality of annular recesses adapted to receive the bearings on which the rotating shafts are mounted. At their other ends, the rotating shafts are received in bearings mounted in annular recesses in the bearing housing. The internal support structure and the bearing housing are conveniently attached to one another after the motor, transmission means, and oscillation means are positioned for assembly. Consequently, the operational parts of the oscillating spindle sander are conveniently manufactured as an integrated unit.
The portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander further includes an edge guide assembly. The edge guide assembly is adapted to be attached to the bottom of the base. The edge guide assembly preferably includes an adjustable infeed and an adjustable outfeed. Namely, the infeed and outfeed of the edge guide may slide along a rail formed on respective sides of the edge guide body. The adjustable edge guides assist the shopsmith in removing the precise amount of stock from the workpiece.
The portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander further includes a thumb rest formed on the base for allowing a user to place a thumb of one hand on the thumb rest of the base and using the other fingers of that hand to feel the workpiece and determine if the sander is flat against the workpiece.
The portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander further includes means for mounting the sander to the underside of a work table for converting the hand-held sander into a bench top sander.
The portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander further includes a cooling fan and vents for directing cooling air around the internal moving components of the sander for cooling purposes.
The portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander further includes a transmission that permits the output shaft to oscillate at a favorable ratio to its rotational speed.
The portable, hand-held oscillating spindle sander further includes increased friction means on the sanding spindle to prevent relative rotation between the sanding spindle and a sanding sleeve mounted on the sanding spindle.
Further objects, features and advantages of the oscillating spindle sander according to the preferred embodiments will become evident when the detailed description of the preferred embodiments is read in conjunction with the drawing figures appended hereto.


A sheet-feeding scanning apparatus having a business card feeding mechanism is provided. The sheet-feeding scanning apparatus includes a scanning module, an ordinary document input tray, an ordinary document pick-up roller assembly, an ejecting tray, a transfer channel, a plurality of transfer rollers, a business card input tray, and a business card pick-up roller assembly. The business card input tray has a business card support plate. In a case that a jam event occurs, the business card support plate may be swung for facilitating removing the jammed business card.

Scanning apparatuses are widely used for scanning images of documents, photographs or films. The scanned images can be converted into electronic files, which are then stored, processed or spread. With increasing development of scanning technologies, the scanning apparatuses have experienced great growth and are now rapidly gaining in popularity.
In the early stage, the scanning apparatus can scan one side of the document. For scanning both sides of the document, after one side of the document has been scanned, the document should be manually turned over so as to scan the other side of the document. However, the process of manually turning over the document is troublesome. Recently, an automatic document feeder is usually integrated into the scanning apparatus. After a stack of documents to be scanned are placed on the sheet input tray of the automatic document feeder, the sheet-feeding mechanism of the automatic document feeder will successively transport the paper to perform the scanning operation without the need of manually turning over the documents. This means of automatically feeding the paper sheets is both time-saving and efficient. It is found that the scanning apparatuses are improved according to the generation development and the diverse demands.
On basis of business affairs' demand, business cards are frequently used to provide potential customers with a means to contact the business. After the business cards are accumulated to a large amount, the basic information associated with the business cards is manually searched. This manual searching approach is very troublesome. For a purpose of quickly searching the basic information associated with the business cards and saving the collecting space, the business cards are usually scanned as electronic files, which are then stored and managed. As known, the use of the conventional scanning apparatus to scan the business cards incurs drawbacks when both sides of a business card are scanned. In other words, after one side of the business card has been scanned, the business card should be manually turned over so as to scan the other side of the business card. The process of manually turning over the business card is troublesome especially when business cards are accumulated to a large amount. For convenience, the user prefers using a sheet-feeding scanning apparatus with the automatic document feeder to scan the business cards.
During operation of the sheet-feeding scanning apparatus, the sheet-like document is readily jammed in an internal portion of the sheet-feeding scanning apparatus. When a jam event occurs, the majority of the sheet-like document is stuck in the internal channel of the sheet-feeding scanning apparatus but the rear terminal of the sheet-like document is still exposed to the input tray. Since the sheet-like document is firmly clamped by the pick-up roller assembly and the separation slice of the input tray, the user usually fails to pull out the sheet-like document. For removing the jammed document, the upper cover above the input sheet should be opened. During the upper cover is opened, the pick-up roller assembly is gradually distant from the input tray. Until the upper cover is fully opened, the pick-up roller assembly is separated from the input tray and thus the sheet-like document is no longer clamped by the pick-up roller assembly. Consequently, the user is able to remove the jammed document from the sheet-feeding scanning apparatus without difficulty.
Generally, the sheet-feeding scanning apparatus with the automatic document feeder can scan general size of documents (e.g. A4-sized or Letter-sized documents) and thus the gap between the transfer roller assemblies thereof is designed to accommodate general size of documents. Since the business card has a size smaller than the general documents (also referred as ordinary documents in this context), the business card fed by the first transfer roller assembly fails to be nipped by the second transfer roller assembly and is usually stayed between these two transfer roller assemblies. In other words, the sheet-feeding scanning apparatus with the automatic document feeder is not applicable to scan business cards. Moreover, since the business card is relatively thicker than the general documents, the bending degree of the business card during transportation is usually insufficient.
Recently, an exclusive business card scanner is disclosed in for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,640. This exclusive business card scanner, however, can scan only a single business card at a time. As previously described, the upper cover of the conventional sheet-feeding scanning apparatus can be uplifted to remove the jammed document. On the other hand, since the upper cover of this exclusive business card scanner is integrally formed on the main body thereof, the upper cover fails to be uplifted. Under this circumstance, the problem of causing jammed document is difficult to be dealt with.
Therefore, there is a need of providing a sheet-feeding scanning apparatus capable of feeding business cards and releasing a jam event so as to obviate the drawbacks encountered from the prior art.

Sheet-feeding scanning apparatus having mechanism for feeding business card


A fiber optic sensor apparatus includes an optical fiber, a fiber bend holder, and a sensing element. The optical fiber can be configured to form a transmit fiber path and a return fiber path by adhering the fiber bend holder to the center of the optical fiber in order to form a straight section between the transmit fiber path and the return fiber path. The optic fiber can be physically bent and adhered to tabs associated with the fiber bend holder. A cut can be precisely made in the center of the adhered straight section and the sensing element can be inserted into an optical path associated with the optical fiber.

Fiber-optic communication involves the transmission of information from one place to another by sending pulses of light via an optical fiber. The light forms an electromagnetic carrier wave that can be modulated to carry data. Such optical fiber devices can be utilized in communications and sensing applications due to their inherent advantages in bandwidth, size, weight, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and ruggedness. In general, a fiber optic sensor includes a transmit fiber path and a return fiber path through which a light wave can travel to and from interfacing electronics. The transmit fiber path and the return fiber path can be separated by a sensing element gap in which an optical sensor can be disposed.


An air conditioner that adjusts the temperature in a target space includes a refrigerant circuit and a controller. The refrigerant circuit is configured by the interconnection of a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, indoor expansion valves, and indoor heat exchangers. The controller adjusts the temperature such that predetermined temperature is reached in a target space. In addition, the controller judges the refrigerant quantity in the refrigerant circuit based on at least one value of operation state quantity of constituent equipment or refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit. The controller achieves a state in which the target space temperature satisfies a predetermined temperature condition.

Conventionally, an approach has been proposed in which a simulation of refrigeration cycle characteristics is performed and the excess or deficiency of the refrigerant quantity is judged by using a result of the calculation, in order to judge the excess or deficiency of the refrigerant quantity in a refrigerant circuit of an air conditioner (for example, see JP-A Publication No. 3-186170).


A low pass filter includes a differential mode filter and a common mode filter. The common mode portion of the filter includes at least one inductor and one capacitor, as well as a damping circuit with at least one capacitor. The low pass filter has a reduced weight, which is useful in circumstances in which weight is a significant factor, such as in aircraft.

This invention relates generally to circuits for filtering electromagnetic noise. More specifically, the invention relates to a low pass filter with reduced weight for use in aircraft.
Electromagnetic interference, or "noise," is a common problem in electrical circuit design. Noise may originate from natural sources, such as background radiation or lightning strikes, but the more common and more problematic noise is electromagnetic noise generated by components in electrical systems. Modern aircraft include numerous electrical systems, so filtering of electromagnetic noise is a significant concern.
Filtering circuits are used to reduce the effect of electromagnetic noise in the electrical systems of aircraft. Electromagnetic noise signals are high frequency signals, so filtering circuits are usually designed as low pass filters, which allow the desirable low frequency signals to pass through a circuit, while filtering out the undesirable high frequency electromagnetic noise signals. Because the weight of components is of critical importance in aircraft design, it is beneficial to reduce the weight of components that are used in electrical circuits, including filtering circuits.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an electrical filtering circuit that is able to provide sufficient filtering of electromagnetic noise in electrical circuits used in aircraft, while reducing the size and weight of the filtering circuit in order to optimize its use in aircraft electronics.

Lightweight electromagnetic interference filter


A method for operating a fieldbus protocol capable field device, wherein the fieldbus protocol includes at least one command, which serves, depending on a value of an auxiliary variable, for performing a first function, respectively for performing a second function, of field device, wherein the first and second functions differ from one another.

Currently often applied in plants of process automation technology are field devices, which control processes running in the plant and/or register a measured variable. Such field devices are composed, for example, of a measurement transmitter, to which at least one measuring transducer is connected, which serves for registering a chemical and/or physical, measured variable. Also considered field devices are display- and/or service units, which are used or installed on-site in the plant. These field devices are currently often connected with one another via a fieldbus. In this way, the field devices can exchange with one another and/or with a control unit, which controls the process, information such as, for example, measured values. Known from the state of the art for data transmission via such a fieldbus are various fieldbus protocols.
Furthermore, there are, for example, in the case of the HART protocol different groups of commands. In such case, one distinguishes between universal commands, which are also referred to as basic commands, and general commands, which are also referred to as common practice commands. Furthermore, there are in the case of the HART protocol also device-specific commands.
Also the Profibus protocol is similarly constructed. Its commands can be divided, for example, into basic commands and manufacturer-specific commands. In giving manufacturer-specific commands for the functioning of a field device, it is taught in the state of the art, such as known, for example, from Published international application, WO 2012041616 A1, that a particular command should be unequivocally defined and not, for example, trigger different functions in different field devices connected to the fieldbus.
Field devices are, as a rule, configured via device description based, host systems. These device description based, host systems and service devices, respectively operating programs, give a developer or a service person no control over the point in time and the sequence, in which parameters, respectively parameter sets, are written into the field device. For, depending on system, parameters are written in a fixed sequence into the field device, when via a user interface a change of the parametering is performed. This can lead to problems in practice, since parameters cannot always be changed independently of one another, for often there are dependencies between individual parameters of a field device. Therefore, it is in the case of a parameter change advantageous, when all parameters affected by the dependence are transmitted in a certain sequence to the field device and stored there, in order that no recursive dependency resolutions are required. Above all, in safety-critical applications, a known write sequence of parameters is important.
Another requirement is the writing of an entire parameter set (download) into the field device. In this case, the dependencies between the parameters are resolved by the host system, for example, a control unit, which is connected with the field device via the fieldbus. Thus, the performance of the field device can clearly be increased, when it is known to the field device that a download is taking place, for then it is not necessary that the field device calculate, respectively resolve, dependencies between the parameters during the download.
Furthermore, in the case of a download, the field device does not have to bring about persistence in a non-volatile memory, which can, for example, be integrated in the field device, after the receipt of each parameter, but can, instead, create the persistence after the download is completed, i.e. operate on all downloaded parameters at once.

Method for operating a fieldbus protocol capable field device


In order to prevent, without significantly reducing the power of a transmission path, a signal unnecessary for a branch station from being intercepted at the branch station, a node apparatus comprises: a first optical unit that outputs a first optical signal received from a first terminal station and addressed to a second terminal station and also outputs a second optical signal received from the first terminal station and addressed to a third terminal station; and a second optical unit that receives the first and second optical signals outputted from the first optical unit, optically removes a portion of the spectrum of the first optical signal, thereby generating a fourth optical signal, and passes the second optical signal as it is, thereby transmitting the second optical signal together with the fourth optical signal to the third terminal station.

Recently, submarine communication systems using submarine cables are increasingly introducing an optical add-drop multiplexing (OADM) system and a reconfigurable OADM (ROADM) system.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a general configuration of a submarine communication system 900 introducing an OADM system or an ROADM system (hereinafter, referred to as an "OADM/ROADM system"). A node 910 includes an OADM/ROADM function.
Sub-bands 1 to 3 indicate wavelength bands of optical signals. An optical signal, which is transmitted from a trunk station 51 and of which wavelength band is sub-band 1, is addressed to a trunk station 52, and the optical signal, of which wavelength band is sub-band 2, is addressed to a branch station 53. It is noted that hereinafter the "optical signal, of which wavelength band is sub-band 1 (or 2, 3)" is referred to as the "optical signal of sub-band 1 (or 2, 3)."
The node 910 transmits the optical signal of sub-band 2, from among the optical signal 13 received from the trunk station 51, to the branch station 53. The node 910 branches the optical signal of sub-band 1 included in the optical signal 13 received from the trunk station 51 into two and respectively transmits the branched optical signals to the trunk station 52 and the branch station 53. Further, the node 910 removes a dummy signal 5 from an optical signal 15 received from the branch station 53. Then, the node 910 transmits an optical signal 14 that combines the optical signal of sub-band 3 that was received from the branch station 53 and the optical signal of sub-band 1 that was received from the trunk station 51 to the trunk station 52. Optical submarine relay devices, not illustrated, are installed on the submarine cables between the node 910 and the trunk stations 51, 52 and between the node 910 and the branch station 53.
In FIG. 6, as the optical signal addressed to the branch station 53 is only the optical signal of sub-band 2, the optical signal of sub-band 1 addressed to the trunk station 52 is not necessarily transmitted to the branch station 53. However, by additionally transmitting the optical signal of sub-band 1 to the branch station 53, the input power to an optical submarine relay device that is installed between the node 910 and the branch station 53 can be maintained without too much drop compared with the optical signal 13. As the result, the optical submarine relay devices used in the submarine communication system 900 can operate within a predetermined rating range that is common throughout the submarine communication system 900. For the same reason, the branch station 53 transmits a dummy signal 5 in addition to the optical signal of sub-band 3.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating wavelength bands of optical signals 13 to 15 that are transmitted to and from the node 910. In FIG. 7, the wavelength band of the optical signal 13 is divided into two wavelength bands, the optical signal 1 of sub-band 1 and the optical signal 2 of sub-band 2. The wavelength band of the optical signal 14 is divided into two wavelength bands, the optical signal 1 of sub-band 1 and the optical signal 3 of sub-band 3. Further, the wavelength band of the optical signal 15 is divided into two wavelength bands, the dummy signal and the optical signal 3 of sub-band 3. The wavelength band of sub-band 1 coincides with the wavelength band of the dummy signal. The wavelength band of sub-band 2 also coincides with the wavelength band of sub-band 3. The wavelength band of sub-band 1 does not overlap the wavelength band of sub-band 2. The optical signals 13 to 15 have channels, each of which can transmit at least one carrier (optical carrier waves). The optical signals of sub-bands 1 to 3 also have channels, each of which can transmit at least one carrier. The carriers are wavelength-multiplexed and transmitted respectively as the optical signals 13 to 15.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a more detailed configuration of the submarine communication system 900 illustrated in FIG. 6. The submarine communication system 900 includes trunk stations 51 and 52, a branch station 53, and a node 910. The trunk stations 51, 52 and branch station 53 transmit and receive the optical signals 1 to 3 and dummy signal as illustrated in FIG. 7 via the node 910. The node 910 includes optical couplers 6 and 12 and wavelength filters 7 and 8. The trunk stations 51, 52 and the branch station 53 are connected to the node 910 by submarine cables including optical submarine relay devices 54.
The trunk station 51 transmits the optical signal 1 of sub-band 1 and the optical signal 2 of sub-band 2. The optical signals 1, 2 are branched into two at the optical coupler 6 of the node 910. The one of the optical signals 1, 2 branched into two is transmitted to the branch station 53. The other one of the optical signals 1, 2 branched into two at the coupler 6 is transmitted to the trunk station 52 through the wavelength filter 7 and the optical coupler 12. The wavelength filter 7 blocks the optical signal of the wavelength band of sub-band 2.
As described above, the optical signal 1, as well as, the optical signal 2 are transmitted from the node 910 to the branch station 53 in such a way that the optical submarine relay device 54 installed on the transmission path from the node 910 to the branch station 53 operates within a rating range. As the result, the branch station 53 receives the optical signal 2 that is the target signal, as well as, the optical signal 1 that is addressed to the trunk station 52.
In relation to the present invention, PTL 1 discloses a technique of preventing a terminal station from receiving unnecessary optical signals by blocking the unnecessary optical signals in corresponding sub-band using a cut-off filter arranged on a transmission path.

Node apparatus and node apparatus control method


A volleyball practice system that includes a support frame with an attached reduced size volleyball practice net, a catch net, a removable and selectively positionable suspended ball attached to the support frame by a plurality of tethers, and a selectively removable electronic speed sensor and indicator device attached to the support frame for indicating the speed of the volleyball as it travels transversely to a vertical planar surface of the practice net.

Players on a volleyball team practice skills and techniques to improve their abilities and performance when competing in the sport of volleyball. Some skills in volleyball require several players to practice or require time to retrieve volleyballs after they are hit. Players must practice several ball-striking techniques to hone skills. Some practice is acquired during team practices, but many times further practice is desired outside of team practices. In these instances a player practicing the sport must collect balls they strike over a volleyball net and the ball may travel a considerable distance and must be retrieved, which wastes time. In addition, the player may not be able to practice striking the ball without the assistance of another player of considerable skill to set the ball in flight through the air to the desired position for striking.


A method of fusion bonding of a mark plate places a mark plate, having a heat-melt portion formed on at least a part of a front surface-outer peripheral portion, a side surface and a back surface-outer peripheral portion, the heat-melt portion being made of a thermoplastic resin 6, into a recess portion provided on a surface of a wall plate. A peripheral portion of the mark plate is heated to a temperature not lower than the melting point of the thermoplastic resin from the front surface side of the wall plate by a front surface side heater, e.g. a heating platen 7, while heating the peripheral portion of the mark plate to a temperature not higher than the melting point of the wall plate from the back surface side of the wall plate by a back surface side heater, e.g. another heating platen. Due to this Owing to this method, the mark plate can be fused to have a sufficient depth of fused portion within a shorter period of time, the wall plate of the basket body can be prevented from experiencing the occurrence of thermal strain, and the mark plate can be fusion bonded to the wall plate with a sufficient bonding strength.

Generally in the processes for preparing IC or LSI, wafer baskets for encasing therein a large number of flat silicon wafers and conveying them are widely used. On the wafer baskets, a discrimination mark indicating a production lot number, a production date, etc. is provided at the request of the process control, and the silicon wafers encased in each wafer basket are individually controlled by reading the discrimination mark.
Accordingly, there have heretofore been proposed wafer baskets of various types, for example, a wafer basket wherein a recording device is provided in the basket body and information is read out by means of the recording device through a display element such as a crystal element as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 236136/1986, a wafer basket having a ceramic resonance means embedded in the basket body as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 267338/1986, and a wafer basket having an IC card molded together with the basket body as described in Japanese patent Laid-Open Publication No. 123735/1987.
In those conventional wafer baskets, however, various supplementary equipment is required, and hence it is thought that not only the cost therefor increases, but also the production of those baskets becomes rather difficult because of a restriction of temperatures, etc.
On that account, the present applicant has proposed a basket of another type in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 25889/1990. This basket has a structure such that a mark plate provided with a discrimination mark such as a bar code is fusion bonded onto an outer peripheral surface of the basket body. This basket can be prepared relatively easily and the information for the production control can be easily read out without providing any expensive supplementary equipment.
The basket described in the above Japanese Utility Model Application No. 25889/1990 has the desired effects. However, it has been found that a thermal strain of the basket body is sometimes caused by the heat applied when the mark plate is fusion bonded to the basket body. If the heating time is shortened to prevent occurrence of such heat strain, the depth of the fused portion is made shallow to thereby to lower the bonding strength, resulting in incomplete bonding between the mark plate and the basket body.

Method of fusion bonding of a mark plate


A radially distributed transverse filter includes a plurality of delay lines of substantially equal electric length sequentially coupled at a like plurality of nodes. The nodes are distributed equidistant from a common position, for example positioned at vertices of a polygon. A plurality of attenuators are distributed radially about the common position and coupled between the nodes and the common position. An adder is located substantially at the common position for summing the attenuator outputs. In this manner, the respective propagation delays of each tap are substantially similar, and imprecision due to variation in propagation delay is therefore mitigated and/or substantially eliminated. The invention has application to high-frequency digital and analog transverse filters, for example filters for equalizers used in Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) circuits employed in contemporary magnetic recording systems.

Transverse filters are multiple-stage spatial processing networks which allow for variable control of phase and/or amplitude response. Each stage, or tap, of a transverse filter includes a delay line and a leg. The delay lines of adjacent taps are coupled in series at a node. A signal applied to a tap is delayed a predetermined time interval by the delay line. The time interval is determined by the properties of the delay line material, i.e. the propagation constant, and by the geometry of the line layout, i.e. length and width. This is referred to as the "electric length" of the line. The delayed signal at each leg is applied to a multiplier. The attenuated signals of all taps are, in turn, summed at an adder. Phase/frequency equalizers are commonly applied to each delay line to avoid accumulation of phase/frequency and amplitude/frequency distortions of the delay lines at successive taps.
Variation in the electric length of taps in a filter, for example variation in the electric length of a delay line and/or the electric length of a leg can limit device performance. Assuming a trace delay of approximately 1.5 nsec per foot of trace, a difference in length between taps of as little as 1 inch can cause signals from different taps arriving at the adder to lag or lead each other by as much as 125 psec. In high-frequency applications, for example for the processing of signals of a frequency range on the order of 0.5 GHz, delay variations of such a high magnitude can have an adverse effect on filter response.
Variations in trace length of the leg between the node and the adder may be compensated for by selecting different delay line lengths for each tap. However, such a configuration would require different amounts of phase/frequency equalization at each tap and would complicate filter layout.


A propulsion system with a divergent-convergent nozzle is provided with variable thrust by a pintle whose position relative to the nozzle throat is controlled by an actuator that includes a rotor that external to, and encircling, the nozzle, and that is coupled to either the pintle or to the nozzle shell by a linkage that translates the rotary movement of the rotor into linear movement of either the pintle or the shell.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention resides in the field of propulsion systems, and in particular in the design of nozzles that can be manipulated or transformed during use to adapt to changes encountered in either the propulsion system or the environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The thrust produced by a rocket motor tends to change with changes in altitude, environmental conditions, propellant mass flow, and propellant burning rate, and can vary as burning progresses. These changes affect the performance of the motor and of the vehicle driven by the motor, as well as the effectiveness of the vehicle in performing its mission. In some cases, a change in thrust is detrimental to rocket performance, while in others, a change in thrust is desired but may not be achieved quickly enough to the degree that is needed or at the point in time where the change is needed. To illustrate, as propellant supply is gradually depleted, the rate at which combustion gases are generated often decreases, causing a drop in chamber pressure. If this drop occurs during the boost phase of a rocket or at any time when a prolonged period of high-level thrust is needed, the efficiency of the rocket performance will suffer. On the other hand, a decrease in thrust is beneficial in rocket-powered launch vehicles that require high thrust at takeoff due to the large amount of unburnt propellant initially present in the vehicle, and lower thrust during flight. This is particularly true for vehicles that are launched from the earth's surface but whose primary mission is performed at high altitude where the atmosphere is often at high vacuum. The primary mission often requires a high specific impulse (Isp), i.e., a high ratio of thrust to the weight of propellant consumed in a unit of time, which is most readily achieved with a high area ratio, i.e., a high ratio of the area at the nozzle exit to the area at the throat. Nozzles with high area ratios tend to produce relatively low thrust at sea level, however, because of a reverse pressure differential near the nozzle exit that occurs when the wall pressure is below ambient pressure. In supersonic nozzles, one of the most important factors in controlling and maintaining thrust is the nozzle throat, since the pressure drop across the throat directly affects thrust as well as factors contributing to the thrust, such as the chamber pressure.
Numerous constructions have been developed in the history of rocket design for nozzles whose thrust can be varied during flight. Attempts to correct for reverse pressure differentials, for example, have been made by designing nozzles whose nozzle exit area is reduced for launch and then gradually increased during ascent. Nozzles have thus been designed with mechanically adjustable contours, area ratios and lengths. Other methods have included the use of combination-type engines using different propellants at different stages of flight. Kerosene-fueled engines have thus been combined with engines derived from the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) or with hydrogen-fueled engines such as the Russian RD-701 engine. Other examples of combination-type engines are the dual-fuel-dual-expander engine of Beichel, R., U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,001 (issued Sep. 2, 1980), and the dual-thrust rocket motor of Bornstein, L., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,137,286 (issued Jan. 30, 1979) and 4,223,606 (issued Sep. 23, 1980). The Beichel engine requires a complex nozzle design that incorporates two thrust chambers, while the Bornstein motor achieves dual thrust by using separate sustainer and booster propellant grains in the combustion chamber, together with an igniter and squib that are inserted into the grain itself. Thrust variation has also been achieved by the introduction of secondary combustion gas near the wall of the divergent section of a nozzle, as described by Bulman, M., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,171 (issued May 27, 2003).
A still further means of achieving thrust variation is the use of a pintle for varying the effective area of the throat. A pintle is either a tapered or flared body that resides inside the nozzle and is movable along the nozzle axis, partially obstructing the throat and forcing the combustion gas to flow in the annular space between the pintle and the throat wall. With its tapered or flared profile, movement of the pintle by a small distance causes a significant change in the cross section area of the annular space and hence the effective throat area. In a solid propellant system, as burning progresses and the propellant supply rate is reduced, the pintle can be moved in a direction that will reduce the effective throat area in order to maintain combustion efficiency by increasing the pressure in the combustion chamber, although at a lower thrust. A pintle therefore provides versatility to the rocket motor by allowing wide variation in the effective throat area and by being movable at will or programmable to move in either direction at any stage of the rocket propulsion. Pintle actuation can be achieved by a hydraulic drive, a gear drive, or any known mechanism for controlled movement. In many rocket designs, the pintle actuation system is located within the section of the rocket motor through which propulsion gas flows, the actuation system thereby consuming volume that would otherwise be used for gas generation or thrust development. Other limitations of internal pintle actuation systems are that such systems are subject to the high temperatures and other harsh conditions that are present inside the motor and therefore vulnerable to breakdown, and that they are difficult to gain access to when they require maintenance, repair or replacement. The harsh conditions also require that the actuation systems be insulated, thereby adding further weight to the system.

Pintle-controlled propulsion system with external ring actuator


A method for making a shallow junction in a gallium arsenide substrate including implanting doping ions into an upper surface of the substrate and incorporating sulfur into the upper surface of the substrate after the ion implantation. A capping layer is deposited on the upper surface and the substrate is heat annealed to activate the doping atoms.

The present invention relates, in general, to ion implantation, and more particularly, to a method for making a shallow junction in gallium arsenide.
As semiconductor device dimensions shrink laterally, designers must scale the vertical dimensions of the devices as well. One important vertical dimension is junction depth. Ion implantation is a popular method for creating shallow junctions in semiconductor and semi-insulating substrates during the manufacture of electronic devices. Ion implantation provides accurate dose control of chosen atomic species, and provides greater uniformity of dose across the substrate.
Following implantation, the substrates are annealed by heat treatment or the like to make the dopant atoms electrically active. In the case of gallium arsenide substrates, an upper surface of the substrate is usually covered with a capping layer of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, or the like to protect the surface and prevent outgassing of arsenic during the anneal heat treatment.
Silicon is the most widely used implanted species for n-type dopant into gallium arsenide. Unfortunately, activation efficiency of silicon using conventional capping and heat treatment processes varies from less than ten percent to nearly eighty percent. Activation efficiency means the percentage of implanted dopant that actually becomes electrically active. To make low contact resistance ohmic contacts to semiconductor, it is necessary that the doped regions have high carrier concentrations and low resistivity. The effect of low activation efficiency is high resistivity doped regions. Because metal used for electrical contacts in integrated circuits can only make low resistance ohmic contact to low resistivity regions, the low and variable activation efficiency provided by conventional processing required manufacturers use large surface area contacts, use higher concentrations of dopant atoms, and accept lower device yields.
What is needed is a process for making shallow semiconductor junctions that provides higher carrier concentration and lower resistivity regions in gallium arsenide substrates.

Methods for making and using a shallow semiconductor junction


User log-in to a user account of an online game may be incentivized by providing awards to the users for logging in. Reengagement time periods for individual ones of the user accounts may be determined. The reengagement time periods may be determined to expire at times when a user may be logged out and/or may be expected to be logged out. By way of non-limiting example, the reengagement time periods may expire during wait periods for ongoing in-game tasks. The awards may be provided based on the expiration of the reengagement time periods and the user accounts conveying satisfaction of award redemption criteria.

Users may access virtual spaces via computing platforms. A virtual space may include one or more online games taking place within the virtual space. Users may participate in an online game in a variety of ways. Participation may include effectuating timed in-game tasks. Timed in-game tasks may correspond to building virtual objects, harvesting virtual resources, training virtual troops, battling other users and/or non-player characters, and/or other timed in-game tasks. Timed in-game tasks may be associated with wait periods. A user may have to wait for an expiration of a wait period before they can redeem a corresponding reward associated with a completion of the task. A user may log out of their user account associated with the online game during a wait period.

Systems and methods for incentivizing user log-in to a user account associated with an online game


A flow diverter for diverting flow between a toilet bowl and a toilet tank, having: a body having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet; and a flow adjustment mechanism rotatable within the body to selectively divert different percentages of flow between the first outlet and the second outlet; and an air vent and diaphragm in the body to prevent a siphon flow from the first or second outlet back to the inlet.

Current toilet fill valves provide water both to fill the toilet tank and to fill the toilet bowl. Preferably, the filling of both is completed at the same time. In typical fill valves, a large flow is sent to refill the toilet tanks and a small flow is sent to refill the toilet bowl. In some designs, the large flow into the tank comes from an orifice at the bottom of the valve, whereas the small flow into the bowl comes from a small tube at the top of the valve, wherein the small tube is directed into the flush valve's overflow tube.
Since the volume of the toilet tank is larger than the volume of the toilet bowl, traditional valves employ flow control valves that restrict some of the flow going into the toilet bowl (such that the refilling of both tank and bowl is completed at the same time).
Unfortunately, by restricting the flow to the bowl, the internal valve pressure in the fill valve is increased. This in turn increases the sound level of the refilling. An ideal solution to this problem would not increase system refilling noise.
Another problem common to existing products are that they are simply not accurate enough. Rather, the toilet bowl fills too quickly or too slowly (as compared to the refilling of the tank). Ideally, it would instead be desirable to have an adjustable mechanism such that the various percentages of water diverted to either the tank or the bowl could be finely adjusted.
Yet another problem with existing flow control valves is the problem of siphoning. Siphoning occurs when the toilet becomes flooded (or the water pressure from the building drops) such that water is pulled back from the fill valve into the building's plumbing. A danger with existing fill diverters is that should such a siphon flow start to occur, it is important that the fluid path between the toilet bowl and the building plumbing be broken immediately such that water from the toilet bowl cannot be drawn back into the building's water supply.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Techniques are disclosed for programming memory devices such as solid-state drives. In an embodiment, a memory controller is configured to execute a programming sequence that interleaves coarse and fine tuning steps for neighboring word lines. In one example, three consecutive word lines are programmed in six steps. At step 1, word line n is coarse programmed to an intermediate voltage level; at step 2, word line n+1 is coarse programmed to an intermediate voltage level; at step 3, word line n is fine programmed to its target voltage level; at step 4, word line n+2 is coarse programmed to an intermediate voltage level; at step 5, word line n+1 is fine programmed to its target voltage level; at step 6, word line n+2 is fine programmed to its target voltage level. No reads are allowed until all cell levels are programmed. Phase change memory may be used as staging buffer.

A solid-state drive (SSD) is a storage device that can be used as an alternative to hard disk drives. Unlike a hard disk drive, an SSD contains no moving parts and uses semiconductor memory for its storage element. A typical semiconductor memory used in SSDs is NAND flash non-volatile memory, such as also used in USB flash memory. SSDs may also be implemented with NOR flash non-volatile memory, although NAND flash is generally more common given its various benefits, including a relatively small footprint as compared to NOR-based flash. In any case, an SSD controller provides a block access interface (512 B multiple) to the host controller. The controller is typically implemented with a processor configured to carry out NAND/media management functions, such as reading/writing of data, encryption, error correction, wear leveling, and garbage collection. A typical NAND controller operates in block mode (e.g., 512 B multiples for reads and writes). NAND based SSDs use parallelism by engaging multiple NAND chips to deliver superior input/output performance compared to hard disk drives. As newer and cheaper generations of NAND SSDs are built based on smaller lithography, more cells per area are achieved. In addition, and regardless of the lithography, more information can be packed in a single cell by using multiple level programming, such as the case with SSDs that use three level cells (TLC) or Quad level cell (QLC) NAND technology. As bits of information per cell increases, the time it takes to program each bit goes up considerably due to the precision required to program each level. This exposes the SSD to complex recovery mechanisms during surprise power loss and large buffering scenarios, making the SSD controller complex and expensive.

Interleaved all-level programming of non-volatile memory


A copper alloy sheet material comprises (by mass %) from 2.50 to 4.00% in total of Ni and Co, from 0.50 to 2.00% of Co, from 0.70 to 1.50% of Si, from 0 to 0.50% of Fe, from 0 to 0.10% of Mg, from 0 to 0.50% of Sn, from 0 to 0.15% of Zn, from 0 to 0.07% of B, from 0 to 0.10% of P, from 0 to 0.10% of REM, from 0 to 0.01% in total of Cr, Zr, Hf, Nb and S, the balance Cu and unavoidable impurities. A number density of coarse secondary phase particles (particle diameter of 5 mm or more) is 10 per mm2 or less. A number density of fine secondary phase particles (particle diameter of from 5 to 10 nm) is 1.0·109 per mm2 or more. A Si concentration in the parent phase is 0.10% by mass or more.

A material that is used as a current carrying component, such as a connector, a lead frame, a relay and a switch, in an electric or electronic member is demanded to have good conductivity for suppressing generation of Joule heat due to electric conduction and is also demanded to have high strength capable of withstanding stress applied on fabrication and operation of an electric or electronic equipment. Furthermore, it is important to have good press punching property in consideration of processing into an electric or electronic member, such as a connector.
In recent years, particularly, there is a tendency of reducing size and weight of an electric or electronic member, such as a connector, and associated thereto, a sheet material of a copper alloy as a material therefor is increasingly demanded for reduced sheet thickness (for example, a sheet thickness of 0.15 mm or less, and further 0.10 mm or less). Accordingly, the strength level and the conductivity level that are demanded for the material are becoming severer. Specifically, such a material is demanded that has a strength level of a 0.2% offset yield strength of 980 MPa or more, and further 1,000 MPa or more in some cases, and a conductivity level of a conductivity of 30% IACS or more.
In addition, associated with the increase of the cases where an electric or electronic member is used in a severe environment, a copper alloy sheet material as a material therefor undergoes a severe requirement in stress relaxation resistance characteristics. Particularly, a connector for an automobile is demanded to have a capability assuming the use under a high temperature environment, and the stress relaxation resistance characteristics is significantly important therefor.
In a consumer-use connector, the size and the terminal pitch are being reduced, and electric conduction is required to be achieved at a blanking surface formed by punching in some cases. In such a purpose, the material is also strongly demanded to have good press punching property.
Representative examples of a high strength copper alloy include a Cu—Be based alloy (such as C17200, Cu-2% Be), a Cu—Ti based alloy (such as C19900, Cu-3.2% Ti) and a Cu—Ni—Sn based alloy (such as C72700, Cu-9% Ni-6% Sn). However, there is an increasing tendency of avoiding a Cu—Be based alloy from the standpoint of cost and environmental load (which may be referred to as a beryllium avoiding tendency). A Cu—Ti based alloy and a Cu—Ni—Sn based alloy have a modulated structure, in which the solid solution elements have a periodical fluctuation in concentration in the parent phase (i.e., a spinodal structure), and thus have high strength but have a low conductivity, for example, approximately from 10 to 15% IACS.
On the other hand, a Cu—Ni—Si based alloy (i.e., a so-called Corson alloy) is receiving attention as a material that has relatively good balance between the strength and the conductivity. This alloy system may provide a sheet material that has a 0.2% offset yield strength of 700 MPa or more while maintaining a relatively high conductivity (from 30 to 50% IACS), for example, by a process based on solution treatment, cold rolling, aging treatment, finishing cold rolling, and low-temperature annealing. However, it is not necessarily easy to provide higher strength with this alloy system.
As a measure for increasing the strength of the Cu—Ni—Si copper alloy sheet material, such general measures have been known as addition of a large amount of Ni and Si, and increase of the finishing rolling ratio (temper treatment) after the aging treatment. The strength may be increased by the increase of the amount of Ni and Si added, but when the amount thereof added exceeds a certain value (for example, approximately 3% for Ni and approximately 0.7% for Si), there is a tendency that the increase in strength is saturated, and it is considerably difficult to achieve a 0.2% offset yield strength of 980 MPa or more.

High strength Cu—Ni—Co—Si based copper alloy sheet material and method for producing the same, and current carrying component


This invention relates to a method and system for creating applications that can be executed on homogeneous big data platforms. The applications can be executed on a particular platform, such as SAPRK or UIMA-AS, but the method and system are able to translate the input to these targeted platforms without the developer needing to tailor the application specifically to the platform. The method and system are based on the use of an execution dependency graph and a cluster configuration. The execution dependency graph can include interdependencies in the data. Furthermore, the system optimizes for different analytics modules that have varying execution times. The output of the method is an application suitable for the target big data platform.

Big data processing platforms, operating on a cluster of computing nodes, are becoming increasingly popular as a tool for solving analytics-related challenges. However, these platforms generally require learning the specific platform architecture and writing specific code for that platform when developing a big data application. For example, the Apache SPARK and Unstructured Information Management Architecture Asynchronous Scaleout (UIMA-AS) are popular platforms for big data analytics with a large, growing ecosystems. SPARK, in particular, provides a scalable, fault-tolerant, distributed backend for analyzing large datasets in a scale-out cluster. However, SPARK is oriented towards analyzing text, has no built-in support for Matlab or legacy code, and requires learning the platform architecture and APIs to write specific code for that environment.
In conventional approaches to big data processing, multimodal analytic developers have to learn and specifically develop for each particular platform. These platforms, including the open source Apache SPARK and Unstructured Information Management Architecture Asynchronous Scaleout (UIMA-AS), each provide their own interface. The recent big data processing platforms, such as SPARK, have a more flexible programming model than earlier platforms, such as Hadoop, and this flexibility provides a new power in the "application space" to create optimized applications. This means that applications in SPARK can actually rewrite the way data is partitioned, shuffled, or aggregated, which is not necessarily possible in Hadoop MapReduce. However, significant challenges remain in adapting to these flexible programming models.
What is needed is a system and method to provide multi modal analytics developers and users to seamlessly use big data processing platforms such as SPARK or UIMA-AS without the need to learn their architecture and API.

Method for translating multi modal execution dependency graph with data interdependencies to efficient application on homogenous big data processing platform

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus for processing yarns includes a first roller set for extending yarn beam; a node generator installed after the first roller set for forming node section of the yarn beam; a first cleaning chamber installed after the node generator for cleaning the yarn beams; a material chamber for adding additive to the yarn beam; a second roller set installed after the material chamber for extending the yarn beam; a first heating chamber installed after the second roller set for thermally setting additives to the yarn beam so that the additives are firmly secured to the yarn of the yarn beam; a third roller set installed after the heating chamber for controlling the heating time of the yarn beam in the first heating chamber; and a fourth roller set installed after the third roller set for winding the yarn beam to a desired shape.

With the increment of population, resources of earth are reduced gradually, while demands for resources are increased day by day. Generally, conversion of energy will cause heat dissipation so as to deteriorate greenhouse effect. Ozone layer of the earth is destroyed. As a result, the ultraviolet ray is greatly enhanced so that environment becomes worse and worse.
Light and heat hurt people's bodies. Over amount ultraviolet ray and overheat temperature hurt skin and people's bodies. Currently, people wear functional clothes for avoiding dangers from ultraviolet ray and high temperature. Moreover, current used washing agents are so strong so as to destroy the functions of clothes in washing machines after several times of washing, such as 5 to 10 times of washing.
For far infrared ray warming clothes used in winter, fibers are added with mineral powders and then are made as yarns. However, the shapes of the yarns are fixed and thus they are easily to be replaced by new kinds of yarns. As a result the old yarns are not used and then deserted.
Therefore the inventor of the present invention thought to add additives to the yarns directly, such as additives of temperatures and light sensitive are added to the yarn so that people wearing the clothes made of the yarns are protected by the yarns. Furthermore, the clothes producer can add functions to the yarns when orders are receipt.


An ATM network including a plurality of channels comprises a cell memory MC comprising r buffers for virtual circuits (MC1, . . . , MC2). The output cells of MC carried by a multiplex DNO are read by a readout address section circuit. The circuit also comprises a mechanism for establishing a one-to-one relationship between each activated channel and a predetermined level of priority, a rhythm synthesis table, a mechanism dependent on the output of the rhythm table for activating pulse signals which have frequencies that correspond to the data rates of activated channels, an automatic timing unit and a mechanism for selecting a channel of highest priority at each cell time.

The invention relates to an ATM network comprising a data rate readjustment device for channels with input cells in the asynchronous time division technology (ATM virtual circuit), which channels are present at the input of a memory MC for cells and are constituted by separate digital lines or by an input multiplex carrier DNI, the said memory MC being formed by a plurality of r virtual circuit buffer memories, each cell of an activated channel being accommodated in that virtual circuit buffer memory whose identity is recognizable from the header of the said cell, while the output cells of the memory MC present on an output multiplex carrier DNO with a cell rate F are read from the said virtual circuit buffer memories by a readout address selection circuit.
The user of this device in the network may be a subscriber who has at his disposal a small number of channels, but advantageously it is the operator of a comparatively great number of virtual circuits, for example 128 or 256, established between several subscribers, in which case the device may be incorporated in a telecommunication exchange upstream of grading networks.
In an ATM transmission path, each cell of fixed length comprises a header which contains inter alia the identification number of the virtual circuit (or channel) to which it belongs. The header is followed by a message body which carries the useful information and has a fixed length. Such cells follow one another without interruption on the transmission line with a given fixed cadence which defines an appearance period T of the cell on the transmission line considered which will be referred to as cell time. The appearance rate of useful cells on the transmission line may vary. To safeguard the said regular period T when there is no message to be transmitted, a padding is provided in the form of empty cells of the same format as the useful cells, but carrying a standard, meaningless information. The same identification information is found in the headers of irregularly spaced cells which have the same destination.
The ATM transmission lines at the input side to be considered for the network according to the invention may be multiple, each of them constituting a single channel, may be arranged on a single multiplex carrier constituted by a single conductor or by several parallel conductors, or may be a combination of these two types of transmission line.
The envisaged aim, the problem to be resolved, is to rearrange the said input channels so that they are regrouped on an output multiplex carrier DNO, and to render the data rate of each of these channels regular, which data rates, which are generally different, are supposed to be known or which are at least measurable on the basis of an average appearance frequency of the cells. The data rates to be taken into account for the sources capable of feeding the various channels show a wide range of variation, which is indeed at present being standardized, and which may vary from a few kilobits per second (kb/s) to several hundreds of megabits per second (Mb/s). It is assumed for the ensuing description, moreover, that at least one of these data rates, referred to as the maximum channel data rate DCmax, is capable of exceeding half the maximum data rate F of the output multiplex carrier DNO. This means the presence of adjacent cells (in succession) on the multiplex DNO for such maximum data rates. By contrast, in the case of channel data rates DC such as DC<F/2, for which the presence of adjacent cell groupings is not necessary, the invention renders it possible to avoid this type of grouping which is considered undesirable and to optimize the spacing regularity of the cells emitted through each channel, taking into account the presence of the other channels on the same multiplex.
French Patent Application 2 653 284 discloses a device for regulating the data rates of virtual circuits which use an ATM transmission line. In this device, command means are provided which are so operated that the cells to be transmitted through the output line are read in the buffer memories in a sequence such that the cells issued by one and the same virtual circuit buffer memory are spaced apart on average at least by an interval determined for this virtual circuit. To obtain the regulation of the data rates, the cited Application has recourse to a solution which essentially lies in the field of software and which does not render it possible to obtain high operating speeds, given the very high information data rates involved. This may lead to problems especially during system reconfigurations following a change in the state or the data rate of the activated channels.

Network with data rate adjustment for virtual circuits with asynchronous time division multiplex transmission


A method of estimating a downlink channel between a base station and a mobile terminal in a mobile telecommunication system. In the method the base station estimates the uplink channel between the mobile terminal and the base station, deduces, from the variations in the uplink channel, variations in the down link channels, makes an initial estimation of the down link channel at a first instant, and estimates at a second instant the downlink channel from the initial estimation at the first instant and variations in the downlink channel between the first and second instants.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns in general terms a method of estimating a channel in a mobile telecommunication system and more particularly a method of downlink channel estimation by a base station.
2. Discussion of the Background
In a mobile telecommunication system, base station transmits signals to mobile terminals and receives signals from the mobile terminals. The transmission channels from the base station to the mobile terminals are called downlink channels and conversely the transmission channels from the mobile terminals to the base station are called uplink channels. Each transmission channel, uplink or downlink, comprises a variety of paths between a transmitter and a receiver, each path being characterised by a delay, a direction of arrival, an attenuation and a phase rotation. The effect of the attenuation and phase rotation can be modelled simply by a complex multiplicative coefficient characteristic of the path.
It is known that an array of antennae can be used for forming beams and/or for cancelling interference in one or more directions. The antenna processing consists of a weighting of the outputs of the different antennae by complex coefficients followed by an adding of the weighted outputs, the coefficients being chosen so as to obtain the required equivalent antenna diagram. It is thus possible to form a beam in the directions of arrival of the useful signal whilst placing zeros in the directions of arrival of the interfering signals. Beam formation (also referred to as channel formation), has been applied to mobile telephony, notably in order to direct a reception beam from a base station to a mobile terminal (up link). The base station is then equipped with an adaptive antenna (referred to as an "intelligent antenna") capable of pointing in the directions of arrival of the paths of propagation of a signal transmitted by a mobile terminal.
When a mobile telephony system functions according to a code division multiple access (CDMA) mode, the signals coming from the different mobile terminals are separated by filterings adapted to the signatures of the different users. The signatures employed must have good correlation properties, namely low intercorrelation values and a very pronounced autocorrelation peak.
The first of these two characteristics makes it possible to separate the signals coming from the different users. Naturally, in practice, this separation is not perfect and depends on a factor of orthogonality between the different transmission channels.
The second characteristic makes it possible amongst other things to separate in time the correlation peaks output from the adaptive filtering and therefore to isolate the signals of a user being propagated on different paths. In order to improve the signal to noise ratio, the diversity of paths can be exploited by combining these signals in a rake receiver. The complex coefficients used in the different branches of the receiver are chosen so as to be equal to the conjugates of the complex multiplicative coefficients introduced by the paths concerned. To this end, the receiver effects an estimation of the uplink channel. In practice, it determines, by means of pilot symbols transmitted by the mobile terminal, the coefficients of attenuation and the phase rotations undergone by the signal along the paths constituting the channel. The resulting filtering operation is a filtering adapted to the equivalent filter of the channel.
In addition to the uplink channel estimation, it maybe advantageous to have available at the base station an estimation of the downlink channel. This is because the base station can then transmit, in the direction of the uplink paths, signals precompensated for phase so that they are in phase again at the mobile terminal. Such a precompensation has the advantage of improving the signal to noise ratio on reception.
In order to have an estimation of the downlink channel at the base station, it can be envisaged estimating this at the mobile terminal and transmitting the estimate obtained to the base station. However, when the channel exhibits rapid variations in its transfer function, for example when the mobile terminal is moving rapidly, the estimation must be transmitted very frequently, which uses very significant conveying resources. Naturally, conversely, if the estimation is transmitted infrequently, the base station will not be able to follow the change in the downlink channel and will therefore not be able to correctly effect the phase precompensation.