A method and apparatus for a connection manager have been disclosed. By providing for persistent connections with clients, the connection manager allows for servers to communicate with clients, which would otherwise be inaccessible.

Connecting clients to servers presents challenges when the client is behind a firewall or router. A common scenario is as illustrated in FIG. 3. Here, a variety of clients 302-1 through 302-C are located in a house 301 and are connected to a firewall 304. Connections 306 are needed between the firewall 304 and the server 308. The firewall 304 may also be another device that protects and/or limits communication. For example, the firewall may be a gateway, a Network Address Translation (NAT) apparatus, etc.
A common situation arises as follows. A service provider has a server on the Internet, and a user has a client on a local LAN (Local Area Network) that is intended to work with the server. However, the LAN and the Internet are separated by a firewall. The LAN may be, for example, either a corporate LAN, a home network, etc. The firewall is often used to provide protection (especially in the case of a corporate LAN) between external and internal resources but sometimes it may be present as part of a NAT (Network Address Translation) to provide additional IP (Internet Protocol) addresses on the LAN. In many cases, a user will want the client and the server to communicate with each other without modifying the firewall, either because the firewall is not within their control (it may be run by the information systems department or the Internet service provider) or because they don't know how or don't want to go through the trouble of modifying the firewall.
Many Internet-based services require server-initiated transactions. For example, if a user has a network-enabled security system and wants to check on the status of the system while on vacation, the security service's server must initiate a transaction with, for example, a motion sensor to query the status. Before a transaction can be initiated, there must be a network connection between the client and the server. However, if there is a firewall or NAT router between the client and the server, the server may not be able to initiate a connection to the client because it will be blocked by the firewall/NAT. Firewalls attempt to make it impossible for unauthorized connections from the outside (i.e. Internet) to clients behind the firewall to occur while NATs exhibit this behavior as a side-effect. However, firewalls and NATs, relatively freely allow connections from the inside out to the Internet.
Therefore, one possible solution for server-initiated transactions is to first establish a persistent network connection from the client to the server. With a persistent connection between the client and the server, the server can initiate transactions whenever necessary, and the client can also initiate transactions over the same connection. The client initiates the connection, since it can initiate network connections out to the server relatively easily. The client may connect to the server upon, for example, powering on, and maintain the connection indefinitely, or establish a connection on a prescribed schedule. If a connection is dropped by intervening routers, etc., the client may attempt to reestablish the connection.
This scheme may work fine for a small numbers of clients. However, for a large number (i.e. thousands or more) of clients connecting to a single server, the server will soon be overloaded by the large number of simultaneous connections, even if none are actively engaged in transactions. Industry-standard servers do not handle persistent connections well because each connection uses resources, and only a limited number of connections can be maintained simultaneously. In a typical Operating System (such as Solaris, Linux, Windows) the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) implementation is designed such that when a connection is established, a significant amount of system memory is allocated for data buffers and structures to keep track of the state of the connection. As the data structures grow, more computing time is needed to service each connection when it is active. Application level connections such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) carry similar (additional) burdens. If a server is attempting to manage a large number of connections, it is soon overwhelmed with the overhead of simply managing the connections. This presents a problem.

Method and apparatus for a client connection manager


A furniture component arrangement includes a ganging bracket useful for securing a pair of adjacent flanges of adjacent office furniture components in a workstation. The ganging bracket includes ganging parts that are designed for positioning about flanges projecting outwardly from a back wall extending along a length of an office furniture component. The ganging parts each include a male section including a flange slot, a female section forming a female slot, and a vertical offset joining the male section and the female section. The ganging parts also include a substantially identical second ganging part. Each of the ganging parts also includes a channel, aligned with the vertical offset and extending along a portion of the ganging part.

The invention relates to a ganging bracket for a shelf unit, and more particularly, to a ganging bracket for adjacent overhead storage units mounted on space-dividing wall panels.
In open office areas, space-dividing wall panels such as those illustrated in FIG. 1 are used to subdivide relatively large open office areas into individual workstations 10 or workstation areas. One type of wall panel system utilizes vertically enlarged upstanding wall panels 11 which are supported at the opposite ends thereof by vertical posts 12. The wall panels 11 and posts 12 are joined together in end-to-end relation, or in other words are joined serially together to define an upstanding wall. Adjacent ends of the wall panels 11 are supported by a common post to thereby define a central support section and distal ends of the wall panels define end support sections. Wall panel systems of this type are well known, wherein an example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,258, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
In the illustrated prior art embodiment of FIG. 1, the wall panels 11 and posts 12 are full-height components, which components are approximately 5 feet high. These components are joined together and define a back wall 14 of the workstation 10. The posts 12 at the opposite ends of the back wall have return walls 16 extending outwardly therefrom to define the opposite sides of the workstation 10. Typically, additional workstation components are supported on the wall panels which components include worksurfaces, shelves, overhead storage cabinets and the like.
To support the components, the posts 12 typically include a vertical row of slots although other mounting arrangements may be used. The workstation components such as the work surface 18 and the storage cabinets or shelves 20 include corresponding hooks, which engage the slots so that these components are supported in load bearing relation by the posts 12.
One disadvantage associated with such wall panel systems occurs when the storage cabinets are heavily loaded. In particular, the adjacent ends of two storage cabinets 20 typically are disposed directly adjacent to each other and are joined to the same post 12 at the central support section. Thus, the loads on the adjacent pair of cabinets 20 are supported close to the top of a single support post 12. At times, the loads may be sufficiently large in the storage cabinets 20 such that the central support section actually deflects forwardly and flexes between the central post and the end posts as generally illustrated in phantom outline in FIG. 1. The posts 12 at the opposite ends of the back wall, however, are each supported by a return wall 16 and only carry the load of a single storage cabinet, and therefore, unlike the central support section, the end posts 12 typically do not flex.
As a result of the deflection of the central support section, the front edges of the storage cabinets 20 may separate from each other such that a gap is created therebetween as diagrammatically illustrated in phantom outline in FIG. 1. This problem also may occur with heavily loaded work surfaces 18. Additionally, this problem may occur in panel-to-panel arrangements wherein a central support section is defined by the adjacent ends of two wall panels and the end support sections are defined by the wall panel ends.
To avoid this problem, it is known to connect the adjacent edges of an adjacent pair of storage cabinets or worksurfaces together by ganging clips. One example of such a ganging clip is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,422, which is used on an adjacent pair of work surfaces. It also is known to use fasteners such as bolts. These prior methods of ganging adjacent furniture components together, however, typically require tools, thus complicating their use and assembly.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide a ganging clip that overcomes disadvantages of known clips.
The invention relates to an improved ganging bracket that rigidly joins adjacent edges of a pair of storage units or other furniture components together to prevent separation of the front edges thereof under heavy loads. Since separation or spreading of the storage units is effectively prevented, the ganging bracket resists deflection in the area of the central support section and flexing between the central post and the end posts to thereby strengthen the wall panel system.
The ganging bracket of the invention is readily usable with any adjacent pair of storage units having suitable elongate flanges disposed in side-by-side relation. In particular, the ganging bracket is formed of two separate parts that are slipped upwardly over the adjacent flanges so as to be mounted separately in longitudinally spaced relation on the storage units, and then are slid together into mating engagement. This permits the ganging bracket to be assembled and secured in place without the use of tools.
Further, these bracket parts fit tightly together and remain in tight fitting engagement such that the ganging bracket does not loosen over time. Still further, the ganging bracket parts fit together such that opposite sidewalls of each individual bracket part fit tightly against the respective sidewalls of the other bracket part. As a result, the adjacent sidewalls of the bracket parts serve to reinforce each other to more readily resist separation forces, which generally act normal to the bracket side walls, and provide a strong, rigid connection between the adjacent storage units.
Other objects and purposes of the invention, and variations thereof, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.


One embodiment provides a method, including: tracking a reading position of a reader with respect to text of printed material; detecting an area of the printed material of interest to the reader, wherein the detecting comprises correlating a reading position with an indication of interest provided by the reader; identifying a concept corresponding to the area of interest, wherein the identifying a concept comprises (i) parsing the text of the area of interest and (ii) extracting at least one concept from the text; generating an animation for the concept by (i) accessing an image related to the concept, (ii) identifying a portion of the image to animate, and (iii) animating the portion of the image; and providing, on an information handling device, the generated animation to the reader.

People access printed materials, including both digitally printed materials (e.g., books provided in a digital format, Internet sites having news articles, digital publications, etc.) and physically printed materials (e.g., newspapers, magazines, books, etc.), for learning, entertainment, relaxing, or the like. Many times printed materials are provided in both digital and physical formats, for example, a physical book may have a corresponding digital format, thus allowing a person to access the printed material in the format that is most convenient at the time. The printed materials may not only contain text for reading, but may also contain images that may illustrate a scene or concept within the text. For example, a children's book may include text describing a beanstalk and may also include an image or illustration of the beanstalk. As another example, a learning textbook may include a description of components of a motor and may also include a cutaway image where each of the components is illustrated and identified.

Animation of concepts in printed materials

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A backpack having an article carrier; a waist belt attached to the article carrier and arranged for fastening the article carrying apparatus about the waist of a user; shoulder supports arranged for fastening the article carrier about an upper body portion of the user; and apparatus for attaching the shoulder supports to the article carrier and including apparatus for adjusting the position of attachment of the shoulder supports to the article carrier so as to selectably increase and decrease the distance between a position of attachment of the shoulder supports to the article carrier relative to the position of attachment of the waist belt to the article carrier while the backpack is being worn by the user.

Backpacks have been known for many years as a convenient means of carrying loads on the back of a person while leaving his hands free. Backpacks are most typically used by military personnel in the field and by mountaineers and hikers.
A modern backpack is typically equipped with adjustable shoulder supports and a waist belt, both attached to the main pouch, or to a frame associated therewith, so as to most efficiently and comfortably locate the backpack on the back of a user. It has been recognized, however, as being desirable to enable adjustment of the position of the shoulder supports relative to the waist belt so as to fit the backpack with maximum comfort onto the back of a person.
One type of backpack on the market employs adjustable length straps for attaching the shoulder supports to the main pouch frame. A further type of backpack on the market employs a generally vertical track to which the shoulder supports are attached, the position of the shoulder supports being determined by tightening of a screw so as to fix them in a selected position. A disadvantage of the systems employed by these two backpacks is that the distance between the shoulder supports and the waist belt cannot be adjusted while the backpack is located on a person's back.
A further backpack on the market employs a shoulder support adjustment system wherein the shoulder supports are attached via adjustable straps to a track mounted on an adjacent portion of the pouch. While this system permits a reduction in the distance between the shoulder supports and the waist belt while the backpack is being worn, the back pack must be removed from the back of the wearer in order to increase the shoulder support-waist belt distance. A further disadvantage of this backpack is that it is properly supported on the back only when the weight of the load being carried in the backpack is predominantly exerted in the direction of the hips, or down the back. If the wearer of the backpack bends over forwards, however, the backpack tends to slip off the back.


The present invention is a method for facilitating the use of deferred column retrieval in order to improve row retrieval and query performance of OLE DB objects. The method enables OLE DB applications to access columns present in index structures without accessing the base table, enables optimization and faster running queries, as well as detecting various data access patterns, which could facilitate usage of the index for data retrieval.

1. Field of the Invention
The method of the present invention provides a mechanism that enables OLE DB (Object Linking and Embedding Database) applications to access columns present in index structures without accessing the base table.
2. Description of Related Art
The Unisys Enterprise Database Server for ClearPath MCP (a.k.a. DMSII) consists of Tables and Indexes. MCP refers to Unisys Master Control Program. Indexes permit database applications to rapidly retrieve rows based on search criteria. Additionally, indexes permit relationships to be maintained between rows of the table. The most commonly used relationship is row ordering based on certain columns in the table known as key columns. Thus, indexes allow rapid random retrieval and ordered sequential retrieval. DMSII indexes are non-clustered, i.e. a separate disk file contains the index entries and pointers (or row addresses) to base table rows. Therefore, to fetch a row from a table via an index, at least two disk reads must be executed: (i) to fetch the block that contains the index entry from the index file and (ii) to fetch the block containing the row from the table file.
However, there are many occasions when user applications would just want to count the number of rows in a table or retrieve columns that are stored in index structures. In addition, DMSII databases also allow frequently used non-key columns (known as key-data columns) to be stored in the index structure. Since index structures are much smaller in size when compared to the base table, they allow for rapid traversal and data retrieval.
The prior art software did not detect various data access patterns, which could facilitate usage of the index for data retrieval. In particular, if the application only retrieves data from columns that are stored in the index structure, then those columns could be retrieved solely from the index. This avoids I/O operations on the base table rows and its attendant effects on database performance.
It is therefore important to have a system, which provides a mechanism that enables OLE DB applications to access columns present in index structures without accessing the base table, as the method of the present invention does.
One related art method to which the method of the present invention generally relates is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,410, entitled "Method and System For Database Access". This related art method is a method and system for accessing the contents of a database from an OLE enabled user application without requiring the database to be open on the users desktop or requiring the user to know a text based data manipulation language. That is, using OLE's drag and drop methodology, a user may search the contents of a database to generate a result set of rows from the database and utilize information content from the resulting rows as desired. An OLE enabled user application is opened on a user's computer. The user then selects the location of a database to be accessed using a dialogue. Once the desired database is located, a "palette" is created at a portion of the screen of the user's computer. Once the palette is created, the user then searches and accesses the contents of the database by using drag and drop gestures in conjunction with the OLE enabled user application and the established palette.
The present invention differs from the above prior cited art in that the prior invention, provides a general method of accessing a database from a Windows based OLE application. It is not clear whether it uses OLE DB or some other data access mechanism to obtain data from the backend database. However, the method of the present invention focuses on the cases where database queries fetch a limited set of columns from a table. The current invention also checks whether the query fetches columns which are present in an index spanning the table and, if so, issues database fetch requests from only the index structure which is much more efficient than obtaining the whole row from the base table.
Another related art method to which the method of the present invention generally relates is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,770 entitled "System and Method For Defining A View To Display Data". This related art method includes views and view controls which are used to display and access data created from multiple applications. Namespaces, folders, items, views and view control objects are used to abstract the data type of the data, contained in items. Therefore, data can be displayed in multiple views and the same view can be used to display data independent of the data type. To display a view, a user selects a folder that contains items. A folder, item, view, and view control work together to define the fields and data to display and the format to display them. The user can generate many views by editing one view, thereby creating a new view. An edit interface is provided allowing the user to modify a view. Modifications include entering new data in a view, defining new fields, and entering calculations based on other data. A new view control can be installed by determining what information to pass, conforming to OLE standards and entering the view control in the operating system's database registry.
The present invention differs from the above prior cited art in that the prior invention, does not deal with database queries from an OLE DB application and is therefore unrelated to the current invention.

Method for using deferred column retrieval to improve row retrieval and query performance of OLE DB applications


A sensor assembly includes a sensor housing having an attachment end portion, and a sensor disposed at least partially in the sensor housing. The sensor housing is movably attachable to a luminaire housing of a luminaire. The attachment end portion is designed to be positioned on an edge of the luminaire housing to retain the sensor housing attached to the luminaire housing.

Some lighting fixtures include one or more sensors. For example, a lighting fixture may include an occupancy sensor, such as a motion sensor or a camera. Some lighting fixtures may include a light sensor or another type of sensor. A sensor attached to a lighting fixture is typically mounted to the housing of the lighting fixture. For example, a sensor of a lighting fixture may be mounted at an opening in the housing of the lighting fixture such that the sensor extends through the opening to have an exposure to a monitored area. Often, a sensor is attached to the housing of the lighting fixture at a fixed location during the manufacturing or assembly of the lighting fixture. However, the fixed location of a sensor may not be a suitable in some cases. For example, the sensor may interfere with the aesthetic appearance of the lighting fixture for some installation spaces. The location of a sensor on a lighting fixture may also be undesirable for effective monitoring of space illuminated by the light provided by the lighting fixture. Generally, changing the location of a sensor that is integrated into a lighting fixture to a different location may be challenging or impractical. Thus, a solution that allows for the flexible placement of a sensor of a lighting fixture before and after installation of the lighting fixture is desirable.

Adjustable luminaire mounted sensor housing


An impact resistant door including a frame (24) presenting an inner wall (36) and defining a pane slot (58) and a flap slot (60) and a groove (62) along each side of the pane slot (58). The door includes a pane of laminated glass (46) having an inside sheet of glass (48) and an outside sheet of glass (50) sandwiched together and having oppositely facing outside surfaces (56) to define a pane width (Wt) therebetween. An interlayer (52) is adhesively sandwiched between the sheets of glass and presents an edge flap (54) extending along the periphery of the pane of laminated glass (46). The pane width (Wt) is disposed in the pane slot (58) and the edge flap (54) is disposed in the flap slot (60) of the frame (24). A plurality of inserts (64) engage the outside surfaces (56) of the glass, and each insert (64) includes a projection (68) extending into the groove (62) of the frame (24) along the adjacent outside surface (56) of glass.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cover for covering an opening in a building.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,245, issued to Lewkowitz on Apr. 6, 2004, discloses a cover, shown as an impact resistant door, including a frame presenting an inner wall surrounding an opening. The inner wall presents a pane slot extending into the frame and about the opening. The cover includes a pane of glass presents outwardly and oppositely facing outside surfaces defining a pane width, and the pane width is disposed in the pane slot of the inner wall.
The covers of the prior art lack the ability to quickly and easily change in appearance without excessive modifications. It is desirable to have a cover which can facilitate the quick addition of a variety of inserts having different external appearances to modify the cover's appearance without having to make modifications to the cover.

Cover for covering an opening in a building


A process for the preparation of highly purified optical isomers of desflurane, i.e. 2-(difluoromethoxy)-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, is described wherein the highly purified opposite optical isomer of iso-flurane is reacted with bromine trifluoride in the cold, preferably in the presence of a solvent. A preferred solvent is bromine. The highly purified positive isomer of desflurane is advantageous over the negative isomer or the racemate.

Desflurane, 2-(difluoromethoxy)-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, is an inhalation anesthetic possessing very advantageous properties. Desflurane is of significant commercial potential, in particular, as a result of being an effective anesthetic which demonstrates rapid induction and an unexpectedly rapid recovery from anesthesia. The latter property makes it especially attractive for surgical procedures done on an out-patient basis.
Desflurane is disclosed in Example XXI of Russell et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,502, issued Jul. 29, 1975, which is directed to processes for making fluorinated ethers which are useful as solvents to prepare pastes and dispersions of fluorine-containing olefins and fluorowaxes, and as degreasing agents. The use of desflurane as an anesthetic is patented in Terrell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,856, issued Aug. 9, 1988.
The development of desflurane, typical of the highly fluorinated, volatile anesthetic ethers known in the art, has been as a racemic mixture since, heretofore, separation into the component enantiomers has not proven feasible and all known syntheses produce the racemic mixture. In fact, there is only a single fluorinated anesthetic for which the separation into optical isomers has been reported in the literature, F. Y. Edamura et al, 159th American Chemical Society National Meeting Orgn. Abstract No. 84, (1970). However, this anesthetic, halothane (CF.sub.3 CHClBr), is not a fluorinated ether. Although the separation of enantiomers of halothane is reported by J. J. Kendig, et al, Anesthesiology, Vol. 39, (1973), p 518, there is no indication given of the optical purity thereof, nor is there any indication that either isomer was ever tested in vivo for pharmacologic activity. Finally, there is no suggestion given that the reported technique would have applicability to fluorinated ether structures.
In accordance with the present invention, a process has been found to synthesize and isolate the optical isomers of desflurane in high optical purity, i.e. in excess of 90 percent optically pure. It has been found that the optical isomers of desflurane, prepared and isolated in high purity, differ significantly in pharmacologic response and that the highly purified positive isomer is unexpectedly advantageous as an inhalation anesthetic.

Preparation of purified optical isomers of desflurane


A secondary battery is disclosed.

Secondary batteries that are repeatedly chargeable and dischargeable generally have a structure in which an electrode assembly including an electrode and a separator is accommodated in an outer case.
Particularly, a secondary battery may include an electrode lead electrically connecting an electrode tab protruding from an electrode assembly to an external electronic device.
When the secondary battery is exposed to an environment or an external impact, a gas may be generated in the secondary battery, and thus, an internal pressure of the secondary battery may increase.
When the internal pressure of the secondary battery increases, the performance of the secondary battery may not be exhibited properly. In particular, when the internal pressure of the secondary battery exceeds a certain level, ignition or explosion may occur in the secondary battery.
Thus, in view of the safety of the secondary battery, it is necessary to provide a secondary battery including a safety device for preparing a case in which the internal pressure of the secondary battery exceeds a certain level.

Secondary battery and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract: A secondary battery is disclosed.

Abstract: According to the present invention, when an internal pressure exceeding a certain level occurs, current may be interrupted to stop an operation of the secondary battery, thereby preventing the secondary battery from being ignited or exploded by the increase in internal pressure of the secondary battery and improving safety of the secondary battery.


An apparatus and a method of measuring contamination particles generated during manufacturing of semiconductor devices and an analysis method therefor are described. The apparatus for measuring contamination particles has a regulator for controlling the flow of source gas, a first junction, a first filter, a first air valve, a test component, a second junction, a flow pressure reducer, a third junction, a particle counter, a second pump, a computer system, a third air valve, a flow meter, a second filter, a second air valve, a fourth junction, a third filter, an impactor, and a first pump. It is possible to analyze structures and elements of the contamination particles generated from a gas delivery system (GDS) and from at least one utility component constituting the system. Further, it is possible to set up a reference for controlling the contamination particles generated from the GDS and from at least one of the utility components.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of measuring contamination particles generated during manufacturing of semiconductor devices and an analysis method therefor.
More particularly, in one embodiment the present invention relates to an apparatus having the ability to measure individually the contamination particles in a gas utility pipe itself or in each component of a system used in the manufacture of a semiconductor device by a unit process consisting of the components by using a particle shedding system. In a further embodiment, the invention also relates to a method of measuring the contamination particles by using the apparatus of the first embodiment and a method of analyzing the type, the structure and the amounts of contamination particles by sampling contamination particles existing in a gas pipe or in a test sample generated in a pipe of the apparatus which measures contamination particles generated during manufacturing of semiconductor devices.
In view of the advanced manufacturing techniques and high integration of semiconductor devices, contamination particles generated during manufacturing of the semiconductor devices have a direct influence on the yield and the quality of the devices. Accordingly, it is very important to analyze for the presence of contamination particles and to control the level of contamination to the extent possible. However, until this point in time there has been no method for controlling the contamination particles generated from an apparatus during manufacturing of a semiconductor device, i.e., a total gas delivery system (GDS) and in each component constituting the system (for example, a gas filter, a mass flow controller (MFC), and an air valve).
Therefore, if contamination particles are generated from the apparatus for the unit process, it is necessary to find a technique where the contamination particles generated from the GDS are measured and sampled, the structure and elements thereof are analyzed, and the analyzed data are compared with the contamination particles generated from the apparatus for the unit process.
Further, if a contamination particle is generated inside the apparatus or on a wafer, it is necessary to make a reference where contamination particles generated from the GDS are classified. It is also necessary to analyze the structure and make-up (elements) of the contamination particle or particles generated from each gas used for each process of manufacturing semiconductor devices and to thereby systematically classify them.
Many utility components for each use are installed in the GDS which delivers gas for manufacturing semiconductor devices to reaction chambers. The contamination particles generated from the component exert a harmful influence on a following component and cause particle contamination in an actual process.

Apparatus for measuring contamination particles during the manufacture of semiconductor devices


A vehicle alignment sensor system includes a first sensor assembly for measuring at least a first angle with respect to a fixed reference, that angle being related in a predetermined manner to an alignment angle of a vehicle whose alignment is to be measured, and a second sensor assembly for mounting in a known geometrical relationship to a wheel of a vehicle whose alignment is to be measured. The first sensor assembly has at least one detector, and the second sensor assembly has at least a pair of emitters in fixed geometrical relationship with respect to each other. The detector is capable of measuring the apparent geometrical relationship of the pair of emitters to determine a relative alignment angle of the vehicle, so that a true alignment angle of the vehicle is determinable from the first angle and the relative alignment angle. A calibration method using the present invention is also disclosed.

Not Applicable.
This invention relates to vehicle wheel alignment system, and in particular to improved sensors in a vehicle wheel alignment system.
Proper alignment of wheels in a vehicle is important for proper handling of the vehicle and proper tire wear. The alignment of a vehicle""s wheels is performed primarily by adjusting camber, caster, steering axis inclination (SAI) and toe. It is known that toe alignment angles may be measured by placing sensor heads on each wheel of the vehicle to form pairs which extend across the front of the vehicle and along each side of the vehicle. Each sensor head has an emitter and a receiver. A sensor head emits a signal which is transmitted to the receiver of the other sensor head of that pair. The receiver converts this signal into a value which is indicative of the corresponding toe alignment angle of the vehicle. Thus, wheel alignment sensors have operated using essentially similar cooperative pairs of emitter and detectors wherein a detector, mounted on one wheel, actively senses the angle of its line of sight to its corresponding emitter mounted on an adjacent wheel. In order to perform a four wheel alignment three of these cooperative pairs of sensors are required as shown in U.S. Reissue Patent No. 33,144 to Hunter et al.
The signal presently used in these sensor heads is an electromagnetic signal in the visual or infrared range (hereinafter, referred to as light). The light impinges upon a sensing device in the receiver whose output is representative of the measured angle.
Currently, photodiodes, as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,104, which is incorporated herein by reference, and linear array type charge coupled devices (CCDs), as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,853, are used as the receiver.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,670 to Colarelli describes a gravity-referenced inclinometer for use in measuring vehicle wheel alignment angles. FIG. 1A of the ""670 Colarelli patent illustrates the mounting of such an inclinometer to a vehicle wheel for measuring the camber angle of the wheel. The use of gravity-referenced inclinometers to measure camber is conventional, and assumes the vehicle rests, while being measured, on a surface which is both flat and level.
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Publication 850219, entitled xe2x80x9cSteering Geometry and Caster Measurementxe2x80x9d, by January, derives and discusses the procedures and methods by which the toe angle and gravity-referenced alignment transducers are utilized to determine the caster and steering axis inclination (SAI) angles of a vehicle. The procedures described therein are the industry standard for conventional wheel alignment measurements.
Although the individual detector sensor assembly construction and operation can vary, a conventional prior art example is depicted in FIGS. 1-4. The view of FIG. 1 is of a passenger vehicle 14 which will serve to illustrate the utility of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention. As seen from the left side, the left steerable wheel 15L is shown in association with one form of an instrument support 16 adapted to grip the flange of the wheel rim. The support 16 carries a pivotal housing 17 the axis of which is substantially centerable to the spindle axis (not shown) on which the wheel 15L rotates. A bracket 18 is hung from the housing 17 so it may assume a substantially vertical position even though the wheel 15L is jacked up so it may rotate. At times, with the wheel 15L resting on its support, it may be desirable to secure the bracket 18 against pendulous movement by tightening up on a knob 19 (FIG. 2). The bracket 18, in addition to the housing 17, carries a support arm 20 which extends forwardly of the housing 18 to clear the tread of wheel 15L and be in position so that its end portion may be used for supporting an instrument device 21L. The support arm 20, or some associated part of the assembly, is usually provided with a spirit level (not shown) for purposes of locating the sensor assembly in a known orientation, which is retained by tightening up on the knob 19.
Further shown in FIG. 1 is the vehicle non-steerable wheel 22L to be provided with an instrument support 16 which is identical to the support attached to the steerable wheel 15L. The several parts are designated by similar reference numerals and need not be described again. It is particularly important to observe that the support 16 at the left steerable wheel 15L carries an instrument 23L and the support 16 for the left non-steerable wheel 22L carries a companion instrument 24L. These instruments 23L and 24L are made up of cooperating components which are intended to function with each other in a manner set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,19,838 to Grossman, et al.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of all vehicle wheels, such as those at the left side seen in FIG. 1, and companion right side wheels 15R and 22R. The wheels at the left side are distinguished by adding the suffix xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d, and those at the right side are distinguished by the suffix xe2x80x9cRxe2x80x9d. However, each wheel 15R and 22R is provided with an instrument support 16 having the construction generally described above. Also, the support 16 on steerable wheel 15R has a support arm 20 which carries an instrument 21R to cooperate with the left side instrument 21L. In addition, the support 16 at the non-steerable wheel 22R carries an instrument 24R to cooperate with an instrument 23R carried by the support 16 at the steerable wheel 15R. These instruments 21L and 21R, as well as instruments 23R and 24R, cooperate with each other and are made up of components operating in a manner described in the xe2x80x2838 Grossman et al. patent.
In view of FIG. 2, the instruments 21L and 23L are in communication into a console assembly 25, such as by cables 26L and 26R, or by a conventional wireless communications system, and in like manner, the instruments 24L and 24R are in communication with console 25. Signal processing and alignment computation are performed in the console 25 and the results can be displayed by means indicated collectively at 28. More particularly in FIG. 2, the instruments 21L and 21R cooperate with each other in the process of measuring the angles LWT (left wheel toe) and RWT (right wheel toe). For that purpose instrument 21L has radiant energy detector means which is responsive to a source of radiant energy from instrument 21R, and instrument 21R has radiant energy detector means responsive to a source of radiant energy from instrument 21L. The essence of this cooperation is that projectors of radiant energy are disposed to direct beams in criss-cross paths transversely of the vehicle, and which paths have boundaries within the field of vision of the detector means arranged to look at the position from which the beam is projected.
In a like manner, it is indicated in FIG. 2 that instruments 23L and 24L, each containing radiant energy beam projectors and radiant energy detectors, cooperate with each other in the process of measuring the respective angles relative to a vehicle reference axis 30 which is established by a line joining the center points of the axles 31 and 32, which center points are centered between the spacing of the wheel sets 15L and 15R, and 22L and 22R. The angle LFW is formed between the axle 31 and the longitudinal line-of-sight L of the radiant energy beam from the instrument 24L at wheel 22L. The angle LRW is formed between the axle 32 and the longitudinal line-of-sight L of the radiant energy beam from the instrument 23L at wheel 15L. Similarly, the instruments 23R and 24R cooperate with each other for measuring the angles RFW and RRW by the criss-crossing of the radiant energy beams depicted by the dash line R representing the longitudinal line-of-sight between the detector means in the instruments 23R and 24R. In the example seen in FIG. 2, the wheels 15L and 15R have planes of rotation PR which are substantially perpendicular to the axle 31, while the planes of rotation PR of the wheels 22L and 22R are also substantially perpendicular to axis 33. This arrangement shows that the angles LWT and RWT are substantially ninety degrees (90xc2x0) since it is presumed that the instrument support arms 20 are substantially parallel to the planes of rotation PR for wheels 15L and 15R. However, it is shown in FIG. 2 that the tread spacing for wheels 22L and 22R is greater than for the tread spacing of the wheels 15L and 15R. In addition, wheel 22L is toed out relative to the reference axis 30 while wheel 22R is toed in relative to the same axis 30. The angular positions for the respective wheels 15L, 15R, 22L and 22R are arbitrary for purposes of illustrating the unique advantages of having active instruments at each wheel for measuring wheel position angles from each other and relative to the reference axis 30 for the vehicle.
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the wheels 15L, 15R, 22L and 22R of the vehicle 14 of FIGS. 1 and 2, but in this view the wheels have been intentionally mis-aligned to illustrate the geometry of wheel alignment investigation using the foregoing principle instrumentation. The instruments are generally shown and designated by the reference characters appearing in FIG. 2, and the alignment is calculated with reference to a geometric center line 30 (FIG. 2) of the vehicle. It is necessary to understand that there is a line-of-sight T between the instruments 21L and 21R which represents the radiant energy beam path from the respective instruments 21L and 21R. The line-of-sight may not be the center of the beam, but the beam has a sufficient spread or fan to be seen by the opposing beam sensors. Normally the wheels will not be so far out of alignment as is depicted in FIG. 3 that the beam will not be seen. In like manner there is a line-of-sight L between the instruments 23L and 24L representing the radiant energy beam path from the respective instruments 23L and 24L. The line-of-sight R between the instruments 23R and 24R depicts the path of the radiant energy beams from those respective instruments. There are construction lines on the drawing of FIG. 4 to assist in visualizing the angles to be investigated, such as the dash lines which are parallel to the geometric center line 30, and act as a reference for the angles.
The angles indicated in FIG. 3 are shown in tabular form with reference to the position of the beam projectors, and beam sensors used to determine those angles.
The following computations relative to the geometric reference line 30 are worked out for the several angles pertinent to the alignment determination, as follows:
FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective and top views, respectively, illustrating a prior art linear CCD angle detector 166 which may be utilized with the present invention. Sensor 166 comprises light source 168 and optical bench 170. Radiation source 168 is coupled to one head unit, 118L for example, and optical bench 170 is mounted to another 155 head unit, 18R for example.
Optical bench 170 includes linear CCD 172 and frame 174. Frame 174 includes a mask 176 which defines a slit 178. Slit 178 may comprise a cylindrical lens, and a filter (not shown) may be placed in front of CCD 172 to reduce interference from stray light sources. Slit 178 is at a right angle to linear CCD 172, allowing a portion of the light from light source 168 to fall upon linear CCD 172. The remaining portion of the light from light source 168 directed at linear CCD 172 is blocked by mask 176. As seen in FIG. 5, the angle A at which the light passing through the slit 178 deviates from an axis perpendicular to the CCD 172 corresponds to a distance D along the CCD 172 at which the light will be detected, and accordingly, can be calculated through conventional algorithms once the point of illumination on the CCD 172 is known, yielding the relationship between the light source 1687 and the CCD 172. A suitable linear CCD 172 is TCD 102D available through Toshiba, 7300 Metro Boulevard, Edina, Minn. 55435.
FIG. 4A shows the relationship between light source 168 and optical bench 170 at an angle of 0 degrees. FIG. 4B shows the relationship of light source 168 and optical bench 170 when light source 168 is not in alignment with optical bench 170.
Typically, six angle sensors 166 in the horizontal plane are used to measure the toe alignment of the wheels of an automotive vehicle. Angle sensor 166 can use infrared or visible light sensors and sources. The multi-element linear CCD 172 comprises a row of 2048 pixels and is used to sense light from light source 168. Slit 178 and mask 176 allow only a portion of the 2,048 pixels to be illuminated by light source 168. Typically, the image will illuminate about 20 to 22 pixel elements of linear CCD 172. However, the width of the image projected on linear CCD 172 may range from about 2 pixel elements to about 80 pixel elements.
As optical bench 170 is rotated and the angle between optical bench 170 and light source 168 is changed, the line of light 179 admitted by slit 178 moves across the pixels of linear CCD 172. At zero degrees, pixel elements near the center of linear CCD 172 are illuminated. As the bench is rotated, elements farther from the center of the sensor are illuminated. The angle of rotation A is found by determining which of the pixel elements of linear CCD 172 are illuminated and calculating how far the angle is from zero degrees, as is seen in FIG. 5.
Slit length determines the range of the allowed tilt of the sensor in an axis perpendicular to the axis of measurement (allowed camber angle) while measuring toe or allowed pitch angle while measuring toe with track sensors. A range of plus or minus 12 degrees is obtained by making the length of slit 178 about equal to the length of linear CCD 172. This should be sufficient for most alignment needs. If the distance between slit 178 and linear CCD 172 is changed from 2⅝ inches, the length of slit 178 should also be changed to maintain a range of plus or minus 12 degrees. For example, if the distance between slit 178 and linear CCD 172 is doubled, the length of slit 178 must also be doubled.
The purpose of linear CCD 172 is to convert light energy from light source 168 into electrical energy and provide an output representing an image. Linear CCD 172 uses a linear array of about 2,048 photo-sensitive cells (pixels) which collect light for a controlled period of time (the exposure time), and provide a serial output of data from the pixels. This output is essentially a xe2x80x9csnapshotxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpicturexe2x80x9d of the scene to which linear CCD 172 was exposed. An algorithm is employed to locate the image of the slit which falls on linear CCD 172 due to light source 168 and the angular relationship between light source 168 and optical bench 170 is calculated.
Alternative prior art angle detectors employing pairs of emitters and a single linear CCD sensor, such as are shown in FIG. 12 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,471 to McClenahan et al., herein incorporated by reference, may be utilized with the present invention.
Equipment of this general type and using the apparatus and methods enumerated above has been used world-wide for many years. Such equipment is capable of determining the camber, caster, and pointing or xe2x80x9ctoexe2x80x9d alignment angles of the wheels relative to one or more appropriate reference axes, and is sufficient to allow proper adjustment of the alignment so as to reduce tire wear and provide for safe handling.
Presently available sensors work well, but they could be improved in terms of both cost and reliability. Moreover, checking the calibration of presently available systems is not a particularly accurate process. Such calibration checks are particularly unsuited for checking camber calibration and even for toe calibration those checks do not typically identify the sensor transducer which may be out of calibration.
Among the various objects and features of the present invention may be noted the provision of an improved sensor system for detecting alignment and suspension measurements.
A second object is to provide such a sensor system which will accurately determine vehicle wheel alignment and steering angles.
A third object is to provide such a sensor system which provides easy and accurate calibration checks for both camber and toe.
These and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the following disclosure and accompanying drawings.
Briefly, in a first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle alignment sensor system includes a first sensor assembly and a second sensor assembly for mounting in a known geometrical relationship to a wheel of a vehicle whose alignment is to be measured. The first sensor assembly having at least one detector, and the second sensor assembly has at least a pair of emitters in fixed geometrical relationship with respect to each other, and wherein the detector is capable of measuring the geometrical relationship of the pair of emitters to determine a toe alignment angle of the vehicle.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle alignment sensor system includes a first sensor assembly and a second sensor assembly for mounting in a known geometrical relationship to a wheel of a vehicle whose alignment is to be measured. The first sensor assembly having at least one detector, and the second sensor assembly has at least a pair of emitters in fixed geometrical relationship with respect to each other, and wherein the detector is capable of measuring the geometrical relationship of the pair of emitters to determine a camber alignment angle of the vehicle.
In a third aspect of the present invention a method of determining vehicle alignment angles includes the steps of measuring at a first wheel least a first camber angle with respect to a fixed reference, mounting at least a pair of emitters in fixed geometrical relationship with respect to each other on a second wheel of the vehicle whose alignment is to be measured, measuring the apparent geometrical relationship of said pair of emitters to determine a relative camber alignment angle of the second wheel vehicle, and determining a true camber alignment angle of the second wheel of the vehicle from said first camber angle and from said relative camber angle.
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a method of checking calibration in an apparatus for determining camber of vehicle wheels includes the steps of disposing first, second, third, and fourth sensor assemblies in a fixed geometrical relationship with first, second, third, and fourth wheels of a vehicle, respectively, said sensor assemblies each having gravity-referenced inclinometers for determining camber angles of said wheels, determining the camber angles of said wheels from said gravity-referenced inclinometers, disposing in a fixed geometrical relationship with respect to at least one of the wheels of a vehicle a pair of emitters in a generally first orientation and an additional emitter generally at a known orientation to said pair of emitters, determining a relative camber angle for said wheel using said pair of emitters and additional emitter, converting the relative camber angle to a true camber angle, and determining if at least one of said sensors assemblies is properly calibrated by comparing the true camber angle derived from the pair of emitters and the additional emitter from the camber angle for the corresponding wheel obtained from the corresponding gravity-referenced inclinometer.
In a fifth aspect of the present invention, a method of checking calibration in an apparatus for determining toe of vehicle wheels includes the steps of disposing at least first and second sensor assemblies in a fixed geometrical relationship with first and second wheels of a vehicle, respectively, said sensor assemblies each having at least a first detector and a first emitter operating in pairs for determining true toe angles of said wheels, determining the first toe angles of said wheels from said first detectors and said first emitter pairs, disposing in a fixed geometrical relationship with respect to at least one of the wheels of a vehicle a pair of emitters in a generally first orientation, determining a second toe angle of one of said wheels with respect to another of said wheels using said pair of emitters, comparing the first toe angle to the second toe angle, and determining if at least one of said sensor assemblies is properly calibrated.


A semiconductor integrated circuit device, i.e. a reset IC(1), includes: a detection circuit (4) for detecting whether an input voltage (Vin) has risen or dropped by comparing the input voltage (Vin) with a reference voltage; a delay circuit (8) for delaying a start-up voltage detection signal from the detection circuit (4) by charging a capacitor (C) connected thereto via a connection terminal (CT), and discharging the capacitor (C) by receiving an output signal (Vout) of a first voltage; a retention circuit (9) for retaining a start-up voltage detection signal delayed by the delay circuit (8); and a driver (10) for generating an output signal (Vout) that becomes a first voltage by a start-up voltage detection signal retained by the retention circuit (9), and generating an output signal (Vout) that becomes a second voltage by a voltage drop detection signal from the detection circuit (4).

To ensure stable operation, some electronic appliances provided with a control portion such as a microcomputer, a DSP, or a logic circuit put the control portion into an unreset state and make it operate when a power supply voltage to be fed to the electronic appliance becomes a predetermined voltage or higher. On the other hand, before the power supply voltage becomes so low that the control portion or the like cannot operate, they sometimes need to perform predetermined processing such as data backup required when power supply is down. Therefore, many electronic appliances incorporate a voltage detection device that monitors a power supply voltage to be fed so as to detect that it has become a predetermined voltage. Among those voltage detection devices, there are some which are capable of delaying an output signal by a predetermined delay time after detecting that the power supply voltage has become a predetermined voltage or higher. The reason is as follows. In general, the power supply voltage to be fed continues to rise even after it has become a predetermined voltage or higher, and then becomes stable. Therefore, making the control portion of the electronic appliance operate with a delay after detecting that the power supply voltage has become a predetermined voltage is expected to offer even more stable operation of the electronic appliance.
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing a conventional reset IC (semiconductor integrated circuit device) that serves as the voltage detection device described above. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1a denotes a reset IC. The reset IC 1a includes, as its external terminals, an input terminal 2 that receives an input voltage Vin, an output terminal 3 that outputs an output signal (monitor signal) Vout indicating whether the input voltage Vin is higher or lower than a predetermined voltage, and a connection terminal CT electrically connected to one end of a capacitor C that is fitted outside the reset IC 1a. Note that the other end of the capacitor C is connected to a ground GND. In general, the input voltage Vin is a power supply voltage to be fed to an electronic appliance in which the reset IC 1a is incorporated, and the output signal Vout outputted from the output terminal 3 permits a control portion such as a microcomputer, a DSP, or a logic circuit provided inside the electronic appliance to be switched between a reset state and a non-reset state.
Inside the reset IC 1a shown in FIG. 7, a voltage division circuit 5 is connected to the input terminal 2, and an output from the voltage division circuit 5 is fed to the inverting input terminal (−) of a comparator (comparison circuit) 11. On the other hand, a reference voltage Vref from a reference voltage generation circuit 7 is fed to the non-inverting input terminal (+) of the comparator 11. The output terminal of the comparator 11 is connected to the gate of an N-channel MOS transistor (switch) 12. The drain of the MOS transistor 12 is connected to an electric power supply Vdd via a charging resistance R, and is connected to the input terminal of an amplifier 13 whose threshold voltage exhibits hysteresis. The source of the MOS transistor 12 is connected to a ground GND, and the output terminal of the amplifier 13 is connected to the output terminal 3 via buffer inverters 14 and 15.
An operation of the reset IC 1a configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a waveform diagram showing voltage waveforms of the external terminals of the reset IC 1a, that is, from top to bottom, a voltage waveform of an input voltage Vin to be applied to the input terminal 2, a voltage waveform of a terminal voltage Vct of the connection terminal CT, and a voltage waveform of an output signal Vout from the output terminal 3. In each of the voltage waveforms, the vertical axis represents voltage, and the horizontal axis represents time. On the other hand, VDET shown in FIG. 8 denotes a reset detection voltage, and VDET+ΔVDET denotes a non-reset voltage. The reset detection voltage is a voltage at which the output signal Vout is switched from high level (hereinafter referred to as "H") to low level (hereinafter referred to as "L"), and the non-reset voltage is a voltage at which the output signal Vout is switched from "L" to "H". Here, ΔVDET is the difference between the reset detection voltage and the non-reset voltage, and is referred to as a hysteresis voltage. By giving a hysteresis voltage, it is possible to prevent malfunctioning that could be caused by noise or the like (within the hysteresis voltage) of the input voltage Vin. It is to be noted that the voltage division circuit 5 shown in FIG. 7 can be composed of, for example, a voltage dividing resistance that divides the input voltage Vin with a predetermined voltage ratio and a switch that is switched on/off according to an output of the comparator 11 so as to vary the voltage dividing ratio, thereby giving the hysteresis voltage ΔVDET.
First, an operation performed when the input voltage Vin is swept up will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, at time T0, the input voltage Vin starts to rise gradually, that is, to sweep up. This input voltage Vin is divided by the voltage division circuit 5 shown in FIG. 7, and the divided voltage from the voltage division circuit 5 is fed to the inverting input terminal (−) of the comparator 11. The comparator 11 compares the divided voltage with a reference voltage Vref from the reference voltage generation circuit 7. When the divided voltage is lower than the reference voltage Vref, that is, when the input voltage Vin is lower than the non-reset voltage VDET+ΔVDET, the output of the comparator 11 turns to "H", whereby the MOS transistor 12 turns on, and the potential of the drain of the MOS transistor 12 becomes equal to the potential of the ground GND. Therefore, at this time, the capacitor C is in a discharged state, and the terminal voltage Vct of the connection terminal CT is 0 V. On the other hand, the output signal Vout takes "L" via the amplifier 13 and the inverters 14 and 15.
At time T1 at which the input voltage Vin reaches the non-reset voltage VDET+ΔVDET, the divided voltage from the voltage division circuit 5 exceeds the reference voltage Vref. As a result, the output of the comparator 11 turns to "L", the MOS transistor 12 turns off, and thus the capacitor C starts to be charged with a charging current flowing from the electric power supply Vdd and being limited by the charging resistance R. Accordingly, the terminal voltage Vct of the connection terminal CT rises according to a time constant determined by a resistance value of the charging resistance R and the capacitance of the capacitor C.
At time T2 at which the terminal voltage Vct exceeds a threshold voltage Vth (on) of the amplifier 13, the output of the amplifier 13 is inverted from "L" to "H", and thus the output signal Vout is switched from "L" to "H". When the output signal Vout takes "H", the electronic appliance in which the reset IC 1a is incorporated is unreset, and shifts into an operating state. Here, the time difference between time T1 and time T2 corresponds to a delay time TPLH with which the output signal Vout is switched from "L" to "H" when the input voltage Vin has risen, and with which the output signal Vout is shifted from "L" to "H" so as to unreset the electronic appliance and make it operate after the input voltage Vin becomes stable. This delay time TPLH can be set at an arbitrary time by replacing the capacitor C with a capacitor of different capacitance.
Next, an operation performed when the input voltage Vin is swept down will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, at time T3, the input voltage Vin starts to decrease gradually, that is, to sweep down. When the input voltage Vin is higher than the reset detection voltage VDET, the capacitor C is in a charged state, the potential of the terminal voltage Vct of the connection terminal CT becomes equal to the potential of the electric power supply Vdd, and the output signal Vout takes "H". When the input voltage Vin is swept down from that state, and becomes lower than the reset detection voltage VDET at time T4, the divided voltage from the voltage division circuit 5 becomes lower than the reference voltage Vref. As a result, the output of the comparator 11 turns to "H", the MOS transistor 12 turns on, and thus the capacitor C is discharged via the MOS transistor 12. Accordingly, the terminal voltage Vct of the connection terminal CT decreases according to a time constant determined by the on resistance of the MOS transistor 12 and the capacitance of the capacitor C.
At time T5 at which the terminal voltage Vct becomes lower than a threshold voltage Vth (off) of the amplifier 13, the output of the amplifier 13 is inverted from "H" to "L", and thus the output signal Vout is switched from "H" to "L". When the output signal Vout takes "L", the electronic appliance in which the reset IC 1a is incorporated shifts into a reset state. This helps prevent the electronic appliance from malfunctioning or running out of control by stopping the operation thereof before such problems occur due to reduction in power supply fed to the electronic appliance. Moreover, it is possible to make the electronic appliance perform processing such as data backup required when power supply is down. Here, the time difference between time T4 and time T5 corresponds to a delay time TPHL with which the output signal Vout is switched from "H" to "L" when the input voltage Vin has dropped. When the capacitance of the capacitor C is made larger so as to make longer the delay time TPLH accompanying the rising of the input voltage Vin, the delay time TPHL accompanying the dropping of the input voltage Vin also becomes longer.
There has been proposed a reset control circuit in which two reset control circuit portions having different delay times are arranged in series or parallel, each reset control circuit portion including voltage detection means for detecting whether a voltage has risen or dropped by comparing a power supply voltage with a predetermined voltage value, signal delay means for delaying a detection signal by a predetermined delay time when the voltage detection means detects that the voltage has risen, and a reset output portion that generates a reset control signal for performing reset control of a circuit based on the detection signal delayed by the signal delay means (see, for example, Patent Publication 1).    Patent Publication 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-206811

Semiconductor integrated circuit device and power supply voltage monitor system employing it


A method is provided for biosensing using a photonic crystal fiber having a hollow core. The method includes: designating an analyte of interest; determining a wavelength for an excitation light source which generates a Raman spectrum when incident upon the analyte of interest; selecting a photonic crystal fiber that would guide the light when the fiber is non-selectively filled with a solvent hosting the analyte of interest; non-selectively filling a photonic crystal fiber with the solvent hosting the analyte of interest; interrogating the analyte of interest by coupling light from the light source to the photonic crystal fiber; and analyzing the light output from the photonic crystal fiber for Raman fingerprints.

Optical techniques have played an important role in instrumentation and sensor applications especially in non-contact measurements. It is well established that the detection and identification of bacteria, protein and pathogens as infectious agents in people, environment and food sample is very important and has been the prime focus of interest. In recent years, the advancement in optical technologies has surged in the field of sensors. Most optical based sensors are spectroscopic techniques involving fluorescence or absorbance. Although these techniques are very popular and effective they require, for instance in fluorescence, labeling of the molecule which can lead to alterations in target-receptor interactions caused by conformational changes. This has led to considerable effort investigating other alternatives.
Raman spectroscopy is a compelling technique. It provides an optical fingerprint of chemicals and biomolecules corresponding to the vibrational frequencies of molecular bonds. Therefore, this label-free optical sensing technique has the ability to quantify molecules attached to the sensing surface, which should improve the well known problem of non-specific binding in all solid surface sensing systems. Additionally, it is desirable to have a small, rapid assays that use small sample volumes and capable of detecting several compounds of species in parallel. This is significant because in many cases, sample collection is limited and sample processing also requires time. All of these factors point toward being able to detect multiple agents in parallel using small sample volumes.
One of the principle drawbacks of Raman spectroscopy is a weak Raman signal. Signal strength may be improved by increasing laser intensity, enhancing the quality of transverse beam profile or increasing the laser beam interaction length in the analyte media. A hollow-core waveguide that supports a single transverse mode with low attenuation losses and long interaction length might meet the requirements for enhancing a Raman signal. This disclosure is the first to contemplate non-selectively filling a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber for biosensing applications. Photonic crystal fiber offers a medium with long interaction lengths which enhance the Raman signal, thereby enabling the use of low-cost, low-power lasers and detectors. Thus, non-selectively filled photonic crystal fibers can provide an improved platform for performing Raman spectroscopy.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

Method for using a photonic crystal fiber as a Raman biosensor


Provided is a gas sensor capable of accurately obtaining a hydrocarbon gas concentration even if a measurement gas contains water vapor. A main pumping cell adjusts an oxygen partial pressure of a first internal space such that a hydrocarbon gas in a measurement gas is not substantially burned in the first internal space. An auxiliary pumping cell adjusts an oxygen partial pressure of a second internal space such that inflammable gas components except for hydrocarbon are selectively burned. Then, the measurement gas is introduced into a third internal space through a third diffusion control part. With oxygen concentration equilibrium kept in the third internal space, hydrocarbon existing in the measurement gas that has reached the third internal space is all burned. Then, the concentration of the hydrocarbon gas component existing in the measurement gas is identified based on the magnitude of a current flowing between the measuring electrode and the main pumping electrode at that time.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydrocarbon gas sensor that detects a hydrocarbon gas in a measurement gas.
Description of the Background Art
There has been already known an apparatus capable of measuring a total concentration of inflammable gases in a measurement gas containing, as inflammable gases, carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), and hydrocarbon (HC), or the concentration of HC alone in the inflammable gases (for example, see Japanese Patent Publication No. 3450084). Combustion exhaust gases in, for example, an internal combustion engine, an external combustion engine, and a combustion path are illustrated as examples of this measurement gas.
In outline, the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3450084 includes a first processing zone and a second processing zone each defined from the outside and is configured to apply, between an opening portion facing the outside and the first processing zone and between the first processing zone and the second processing zone, a predetermined diffusion resistance to a gas atmosphere flowing therebetween. In this apparatus, the measurement gas containing inflammable gas components is first guided to the first processing zone from the outside of the apparatus with a predetermined diffusion resistance, and then, its oxygen partial pressure is reduced such that the inflammable gas components are not substantially burned, through an oxygen pumping action by a first electrochemical oxygen pumping cell in the first processing zone. After that, the measurement gas is guided to the second processing zone with a predetermined diffusion resistance. Then, in the second processing zone, the inflammable gas components existing in the atmosphere are burned when being supplied with oxygen through the oxygen pumping action by a second electrochemical oxygen pumping cell. The pump current flowing through the second electrochemical oxygen pumping cell or the voltage generated between the electrodes of the second electrochemical oxygen pumping cell is detected in this burning, to thereby obtain a concentration of the inflammable gas in the measurement gas based on the detected value.
A selective oxidation catalyst, which does not oxidize a hydrocarbon gas but selectively oxidizes inflammable gases except for hydrocarbon gases, such as a carbon monoxide gas and a hydrogen gas, is placed between the opening portion and the first processing zone, so that the hydrocarbon gas alone is guided to the second processing zone As a result, the concentration of the hydrocarbon gas can be obtained.
In a case where the above-mentioned concentration measurement technique is performed with the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3450084, the oxygen partial pressure of the measurement gas is controlled to such a low value as not to substantially burn the inflammable gas, and thus, the first processing zone has an extremely low oxygen concentration. Meanwhile, oxygen is supplied to the second processing zone to burn the inflammable gas, so that the second processing zone has an oxygen concentration much higher than that of the first processing zone. The first processing zone and the second processing zone are in communication with one another, and thus, such a difference in oxygen concentration between the processing zones causes oxygen to flow into the first processing zone having a lower oxygen concentration from the second processing zone having a higher oxygen concentration. On this occasion, oxygen is discharged to the outside of the element through the oxygen pumping action by the first electrochemical oxygen pumping cell in the first processing zone, whereby the oxygen that has flowed from the second processing zone is discharged to the outside of the element as well. This results in an insufficient amount of oxygen for burning the inflammable gas in the second processing zone, and accordingly, a larger amount of oxygen than required for burning the inflammable gas is supplied to the second processing zone.
In the above-mentioned concentration measurement technique, the concentration of the inflammable gas is obtained based on a pump current flowing through the second electrochemical oxygen pumping cell in oxygen supply or a voltage generated between the electrodes of the electrochemical oxygen pumping cell. However, a larger amount of oxygen than originally required for burning the inflammable gas is supplied, and accordingly, a concentration value of the inflammable gas is calculated as a value much larger than an original value.
Such a phenomenon becomes more conspicuous as an oxygen partial pressure in the first processing zone is set to a smaller value to increase measurement sensitivity, further increasing measurement errors.


A method, system and article of manufacture for managing relationships between database tables and, more particularly, for identifying and accurately describing relationships between tables in a database. One embodiment provides a method for identifying relationships between tables in a database. The method comprises receiving user input selecting a plurality of tables from the database. The plurality of tables is organized into a logical island defining a logical unit related to a particular logical entity. The method further comprises receiving user input identifying, for each of the plurality of tables, a table column containing information that identifies the particular logical entity in the table, whereby the identified table columns of different tables define logical relationships between the different tables in the logical island. On the basis of the identified table columns, relations specifications are created which describe the logical relationships between the different tables in the logical island.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data processing and, more particularly, to managing relationships between database tables.
2. Description of the Related Art
Databases are computerized information storage and retrieval systems. The most prevalent type of database is the relational database, a tabular database in which data is defined so that it can be reorganized and accessed in a number of different ways. A distributed database is one that can be dispersed or replicated among different points in a network. An object-oriented programming database is one that is congruent with the data defined in object classes and subclasses.
A relational database management system (RDBMS) is a computer database management system that uses relational techniques for storing and retrieving data in/from tables in a relational database. A RDBMS can be structured to support a variety of different types of operations for a requesting entity (e.g., an application, the operating system or an end user). Such operations can be configured to retrieve, add, modify and delete information being stored and managed by the RDBMS. Standard database access methods support these operations using high-level query languages, such as the Structured Query Language (SQL). The term "query" denominates a set of commands that cause execution of operations for processing data from a stored database. Any requesting entity, including applications, operating systems and, at the highest level, users, can issue queries against data in a database to obtain required information. Queries may be predefined (i.e., hard coded as part of an application) or generated in response to input (e.g., user input). Upon execution of a query against a database, a query result is returned to the requesting entity. The requesting entity may thus analyze the query result to identify required information therefrom.
One of the most common executed SQL queries is the SELECT statement. A SELECT statement generally has the format: "SELECT<clause> FROM<clause> WHERE<clause> GROUP BY<clause> HAVING<clause> ORDER BY<clause>". The clauses must generally follow this sequence. Only the SELECT and FROM clauses are required and all other clauses are optional. The result of a SELECT statement is, in general, a subset of data retrieved from one or more existing tables stored in a relational database. The subset of data defines the query result which is treated as a new table, termed the result table. The WHERE clause determines which rows should be returned in the result table. Generally, the WHERE clause contains one or more query conditions that must be satisfied by each row returned in the result table. The FROM clause identifies the name of the existing table(s) from which the result table is being determined. Thereby, the FROM clause may define an implicit join operation. More specifically, a given SQL query may not contain a specific join keyword or statement, but may simply be configured to select data from multiple relevant database tables.
For example, assume a user in a hospital who wants to determine all medical tests which have been performed on a given patient "Bob" and all diagnoses that have been established for this patient. To this end, the user may specify the following exemplary SQL query of Table I below:
TABLE IEXEMPLARY SQL QUERYSELECTT1.ID, T1.Name,T2.Value AS Test,T3.Value AS DiagnosisFROMDemographic T1,Test T2,Diagnosis T3WHERET1.Name = 'Bob' ANDT1.ID = T2.ID ANDT1.ID = T3.ID
In the given example of Table I, the FROM clause of the exemplary SQL query defines an implicit join operation with respect to the database tables "Demographic" (as T1), "Test" (as T2) and "Diagnosis" (as T3). The WHERE clause indicates the columns (i.e., "T1.ID", "T2.ID" and "T3.ID") through which the tables to be joined (i.e., "Demographic", "Test" and "Diagnosis") are linked. In other words, the tables "Demographic", "Test" and "Diagnosis" are related to each other by predefined relationships defined by the respective "ID" columns.
More generally, the tables in any relational database are related to each other according to predefined relationships. Frequently, such relationships are defined as primary key—foreign key relationships specified by an administrator or developer of the relational database. Thus, upon receipt of a given query against a relational database, relevant tables from the relational database can be joined according to the predefined relationships in order to produce interesting data requested by the given query. However, in order to enable a corresponding requesting entity to correctly formulate the given query, the corresponding requesting entity must be aware of the relationships between the relevant tables. Therefore, the administrator may create relations describing the predefined relationships which can be used by the requesting entity for the creation of the given query.
One difficulty when defining relations between different database tables is that the process of creating such relations is often time consuming, especially if a given relational database includes a great number of database tables. For instance, assume a relational database that is organized in a star schema or a snowflake schema. A star schema is a database schema having a single root table connected to a multiplicity of linked tables. A snowflake schema corresponds to several connected star schemas. In a database that is organized in a star schema, the number of relationships between the tables is normally only one less than the number of tables. Accordingly, if the database includes thousands of tables, there are thousands of relationships and, thus, thousands of relations to create. In a database that is organized in a snowflake schema, the number of relationships between the tables can be higher than the number of tables as in the snowflake schema a given table can be linked to more than one other table. However, with so many relations to create it is quite easy for the administrator or developer to make a mistake causing relations to be missing or tables being joined in multiple ways. Furthermore, if primary key—foreign key relationships are used to create the relations, false referential integrity constraints may occur at a later stage if the primary key column is deleted. Such missing or wrong relations may then lead to incorrect query results as tables cannot be linked correctly in execution of a given query.
Therefore, there is a need for an efficient technique for identifying and describing relations between tables in a database.

Management of relationships between database tables

International Business Machines Corporation


In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a rack having a plurality of rack-mounted devices and a strip coupled to a portion of the rack and including a plurality of segments, each with a light source. The rack-mounted devices may each include or be associated with a photosensor to be in communication with the light source.

In many datacenters, a large amount of computing equipment is present including servers, storages devices, switches or other load balancers and so forth. To maintain an accurate inventory system, a great deal of time and expense is involved in identifying each of the pieces of equipment with a unique identifier, such as a readable barcode and storing information regarding each such piece of equipment in an inventory database. Often times a large amount of manual effort is required to populate this database and to effect updates, e.g., when additional equipment is installed into the datacenter or old equipment is removed.
Another issue in datacenters is remote monitoring of the equipment to identify when a particular piece of equipment is suffering from a fault or other abnormal condition. While remote monitoring systems are available, typically they are very complex and require a great deal of interoperable parts to enable their proper operation.

Providing locality information via light sources


A method for controlling a combustor of an engine, the combustor having a fuel to oxidant ratio, the fuel to oxidant ratio being defined as a ratio of an amount of fuel supplied to the combustor divided by an amount of oxygen in an oxidant stream supplied to the combustor includes controlling the fuel to oxidant ratio of the combustor as a function of the amount of oxygen in the oxidant stream.

This application relates generally to combustors and, more particularly, to gas turbine combustors.
A present thrust of gas turbine engine technology seeks to attain reduced emissions of nitrogen (NOx) and hydrocarbon compounds. Techniques for accomplishing such reduced emissions often result in reduced thermodynamic efficiency or substantially increased capital costs.
NOx compounds are produced by a reaction of the nitrogen in an oxidant at elevated temperatures conventionally found in the combustors of a gas turbine engine. NOx formation can be reduced by reducing the maximum flame temperature in the combustor. Injection of steam into the combustor reduces the maximum flame temperature in the combustor at a cost in thermodynamic efficiency. Penalties must also be paid in water use, including water treatment capital outlay and operating costs. The amount of steam injection, and its associated cost, rises with the amount of NOx reduction desired. Some states and foreign countries have announced targets for NOx reduction that infer such large quantities of steam that this solution appears less desirable for future systems.
Reduction or elimination of hydrocarbon emissions is also attainable by ensuring complete combustion of the fuel in the combustor. Complete combustion requires a lean fuel-oxidant mixture. As the fuel-oxidant mixture is made leaner, a point is reached at which combustion can no longer be supported. Thus, significant research has been conducted to reduce the maximum flame temperature, while still permitting efficient operation of the combustor.
Dry low NOx combustion, which limits NOx formation by lowering flame temperatures through fuel/oxidant optimization, has been developed. Dry low-NOx combustors control fuel and oxidant mixing to create larger and more branched flames, reduce peak flame temperatures, and lower the amount of NOx formed. In principle, there are three stages in a conventional dry low-NOx combustor: combustion, reduction, and burnout. In the initial stage, combustion occurs in a fuel-rich, oxygen-deficient zone where the NOx is formed. A reducing atmosphere follows, where hydrocarbons are formed and react with the already formed NOx. In the third stage, internal oxidant staging completes the combustion.
While dry low NOx combustion in a gas turbine has produced gains in the effort to reduce NOx emissions, dry low NOx combustion is sensitive to changes in oxygen content in the combustor oxidant. Oxidant supplied to the combustor is usually composed of ambient air brought in through a compressor that has varying oxygen content due to dilution with ambient water vapor and possibly additional water vapor from an evaporative cooler or other device that cools inlet air through evaporation of water. In addition, other diluents (such as steam, nitrogen or liquid water) are occasionally added to the oxidant before or during the combustion process. Thus, it is desirable to determine the oxygen content in the total oxidant.

Method and apparatus for gas turbine dry low NOx combustor corrected parameter control


A liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy and containing at least one compound represented by formula (1), at least one compound represented by formula (2), at least one compound represented by formula (4), at least one compound represented by formula (5), and at least one compound represented by formula (6), and the composition essentially consisting of these components:

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a liquid crystal composition suitable for use in an active matrix (AM) device, and an AM device containing the composition. In particular, it relates to a liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy, and a device of an IPS (in-plane switching) mode or a VA (vertical alignment) mode containing the composition.
2. Related Art
On a liquid crystal display device, classification based on an operating mode of liquid crystals includes phase change (PC), twisted nematic (TN), super twisted nematic (STN), electrically controlled birefringence (ECB), optically compensated bend (OCB), in-plane switching (IPS), vertical alignment (VA), and so forth. Classification based on a driving mode includes a passive matrix (PM) and an active matrix (AM). PM is further classified into static, multiplex and so forth, and AM is classified into a thin film transistor (TFT), a metal insular metal (MIM) and so forth. TFT is further classified into amorphous silicon, polycrystal silicon and continuous grain silicon. The polycrystal silicon is classified into a high temperature type and a low temperature type according to a production process. Classification based on a light source includes a reflection type utilizing a natural light, a transmission type utilizing a backlight and a semi-transmission type utilizing both the natural light and the backlight.
These devices contain a liquid crystal composition having suitable characteristics. General characteristics of the composition should be improved to obtain an AM device having good general characteristics. Table 1 below summarizes a relationship between the general characteristics of the two. The general characteristics of the composition will be explained further based on a commercially available AM device. A temperature range of a nematic phase relates to the temperature range in which the device can be used. A desirable maximum temperature of the nematic phase is approximately 70° C. or more and a desirable minimum temperature is approximately −20° C. or less. The viscosity of the composition relates to the response time of the device. A short response time is desirable for displaying a moving image by means of the device. Accordingly, a small viscosity of the composition is desirable. A small viscosity at a low temperature is more desirable.
TABLE 1General characteristics of a liquid crystal composition and an AM deviceGeneralGeneral characteristics of an AMNocharacteristics of a compositionDevice1Temperature range of a nematicUsable temperature range is widephase is wide2Viscosity is small 1)Response time is short3Optical anisotropy is suitableContrast ratio is large4Dielectric anisotropy isDriving voltage is low and electricpositively or negatively largepower consumption is small5Specific resistance is largeVoltage holding ratio is large and acontrast ratio is large1) A liquid crystal composition can be injected into a liquid crystal cell in a short time.
The optical anisotropy of the composition relates to the contrast ratio of the device. The devices having a VA mode, an IPS mode and so forth utilize electrically controlled birefringence. A product (Δn·d) of the optical anisotropy (Δn) of the composition and the cell gap (d) of the device is designed to be a constant value to maximize the contrast ratio of the device having a VA mode, an IPS mode and so forth. An example of the value is approximately 0.30 to approximately 0.35 micrometers (VA mode) or approximately 0.20 to approximately 0.30 micrometers (IPS mode). Since the cell gap (d) is generally approximately 3 micrometers to approximately 6 micrometers, the optical anisotropy of the composition is always in a range of approximately 0.05 to approximately 0.11. A large dielectric anisotropy of the composition contributes to a small driving voltage of the device. Accordingly, a large dielectric anisotropy is desirable. A large specific resistance of the composition contributes to a large voltage holding ratio and a large contrast ratio of the device. Accordingly, a composition having a large specific resistance is desirable at room temperature and also at a high temperature in the initial stage. A composition having a large specific resistance is desirable at room temperature and also at a high temperature after it has been used for a long time. Since an ultraviolet ray is used on production of the device, a composition having a large specific resistance is desirable at room temperature and also at a high temperature after it is irradiated with an ultraviolet ray.
A composition having a positive dielectric anisotropy is used in an AM device having a TN mode. On the other hand, a composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy is used in an AM device having a VA mode. A composition having a positive or negative dielectric anisotropy is used in an AM device having an IPS mode. A liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy is disclosed in the following patent documents. JPH10-176167 A/1998 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,060), JP 2000-96055 A/2000 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,030 B1), JP 2001-354967 A/2001 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,722 B2) and JP 2003-13065 A/2003 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,723 B2).

Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display device

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 is, for example, alkyl; A1, A2 and A3 is, for example, 1,4-phenylene; Z1 is a single bond, —CH2O— or —COO—; and Z2 is a single bond or —COO—.