A composite high-frequency component includes a diplexer arranged to separate/combine transmission/reception signals in frequency bands of a plurality of communication systems, transmit/receive switches, filters, and a balanced-unbalanced reception signal switch, and a matching circuit. The balanced-unbalanced reception signal switch includes a reception signal switch and balanced-unbalanced filters. A stripline in the transmit/receive switch and a stripline in the reception signal switch are provided on the same layers, and the matching circuit including capacitors is arranged between the transmit/receive switch and the reception signal switch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to composite high-frequency components and mobile communication apparatuses using the composite high-frequency components. In particular, the present invention relates to a composite high-frequency component which can be used for a plurality of different mobile communication systems and a mobile communication apparatus using the composite high-frequency component.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, dual band or multiband mobile communication apparatuses which perform communication using a plurality of communication systems corresponding to different frequency bands are used. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-201097 discloses a composite high-frequency component used in such a multiband mobile communication apparatus.
FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a high-frequency circuit portion in a mobile communication apparatus using the composite high-frequency component disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-201097.
This high-frequency circuit is adapted to GSM1800 for the 1800 MHz band (DCS), GSM1900 for the 1900 MHz band (PCS), GSM850 for the 850 MHz band, and GSM900 for the 900 MHz band (EGSM).
In FIG. 1, the section of an antenna switch module 10 is the composite high-frequency component disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-201097 which is configured as follows.
In FIG. 1, a diplexer 2 separates and combines transmission/reception signals for the GSM850/GSM900 systems and transmission/reception signals for the GSM1800/GSM1900 systems. A transmit/receive switch 3 switches transmission signals and reception signals for the GSM850/GSM900 systems. Similarly, a transmit/receive switch 4 switches transmission signals and reception signals for the GSM1800/GSM1900 systems. A filter 5 lets fundamental waves of transmission signals for the GSM850/GSM900 systems pass and attenuates harmonics of the transmission signals. Similarly, a filter 6 lets fundamental waves of transmission signals for the GSM1800/GSM1900 systems pass and attenuates harmonics of the transmission signals.
When a high-frequency circuit portion (front-end portion) of a mobile communication apparatus is made using this antenna switch module 10, an unbalanced-input-balanced-output SAW is used to make only a reception signal band pass and to remove a signal in an unnecessary frequency band and also to amplify a reception signal using a balanced low-noise amplifier (LNA). In FIG. 1, SAW filters 22 and 23 are filters for allowing reception signals for GSM850 and GSM900 pass, respectively. In addition, a reception signal switch 21 switches reception signals for GSM850 and GSM900. The SAW filters 22 and 23 and the reception signal switch 21 can define a balanced-unbalanced filter module 20.
A transmit/receive switch 7 switches a reception signal for GSM1800 and a reception signal for GSM1900. A SAW filter 41 allows a reception signal for GSM1800 to pass and produces a balanced output. A SAW filter 42 allows a reception signal of GSM1900 to pass and produces a balanced output.
In addition, in order to connect a SAW filter or a module having a SAW filter to the antenna switch module 10, matching circuits 30, 51, and 52 are provided therebetween.
In such a high-frequency circuit portion (front-end portion) which includes three balanced outputs and is compatible with three LNAs (low-noise amplifiers), as illustrated in FIG. 1, the matching circuits 30, 51, and 52 are provided between the antenna switch module 10 and the balanced-unbalanced filter module 20 and between the reception signal switch 7 and the SAW filters 41 and 42, respectively. Therefore, there is a problem in that the size of a mobile communication apparatus (mobile phone) increases because a large number of parts and a large mounting area are required in the overall high-frequency circuit portion.
In addition, it is necessary to adjust matching between the antenna switch module 10 and the balanced-unbalanced filter module 20 and between the antenna switch module 10 and the individual SAW filters 41 and 42. Thus, the design of a mobile communication apparatus is complicated.

Composite high-frequency component and mobile communication apparatus


A balancing arrangement for a rotating member which includes a clamp structure with a clamping band adapted to be tightened on the rotating member; the clamping band includes a first inner clamping band portion and a second outer clamping band portion either integral with or fixedly secured to the first clamping band portion. A counterweight is thereby adapted to be slidably mounted on the second clamping band portion and to be secured thereon in predetermined balancing position.

Balancing arrangements by means of counterweights are known as such in the prior art, for example, for statically and dynamically balancing the wheels of automobiles. The counterweights made from lead or lead alloys are thereby mounted on the rim of the wheel in the proper position as determined by a dynamic testing machine.
The use of a clamp structure to balance a rotating member such as a drive shaft is also known in the prior art, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,046 to Hofmann. In this patent, a so-called screw-type clamp is used, whereby the fixed weight of the screw-type adjusting mechanism has to be compensated by one or more counterweights mounted more or less opposite to the adjusting device. The balancing arrangement of this prior U.S. patent entails a number of disadvantages as regards manufacture and installation and additionally is not suitable for fastening, for example, axle boots in a completely satisfactory manner on drive shafts to be balanced by the use of a clamp structure, particularly when relatively hard, thin-walled axle boot materials are used which pose special problems as regards possible leakages.

Clamp structure for balancing rotating members

Hans Oetiker AG Maschinen- und Apparatefabrik


Gas generating apparatus in which a supply of carrier gas is mixed with an impurity gas that permeates through the membrane of an impurity gas generator. A dopant gas is supplied to the impurity gas generator through a pressure controller which operates in response to a pressure monitor that monitors the pressure of the dopant gas supplied to the impurity gas generator. As the monitored pressure of the supplied dopant gas changes, the pressure of that supplied gas likewise changes in a manner which maintains a substantially constant flow rate of the impurity gas through the membrane to be mixed with a carrier gas.

This invention relates to gas generating apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus for calibrating analyzers or similar equipment.
There has been developed a device for emitting a gas at a more or less constant rate into a moving fluid medium to produce a known concentration of the gas in the fluid medium and hence facilitate the calibration of certain types of analytical equipment. The gas is enclosed in a cylinder under pressure, in equilibrium with its liquid phase or solely in its gaseous phase, and the gas permeates through a permeate material to fill an accurately dimensioned passage through one end of the cylinder. In some cases the cylinder is divided into two chambers, one for holding the gas in liquified form and the other for holding it in gaseous form, such that it permeates through a membrane between the two chambers and then through another membrane positioned at the exit from the second chamber. Representative devices of this type are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,856,204 and 4,399,942.
Heretofore, difficulties have been encountered with apparatus of the foregoing type, and these difficulties were of special moment with respect to the need to maintain an extremely constant rate of emission of the gas from the cylinder into the fluid medium. As described in the foregoing U.S. Patents, attempts to resolve these difficulties for the most part were directed toward maintaining a constant temperature around the cylinder. These attempts were not entirely satisfactory, however, and the use of such prior apparatus to calibrate many types of analyzers continued to provide inaccurate and nonreproducable results.
It is of course well known that there is a need in the semi-conductor industry, for example, to accurately measure the concentration of impurities, such as water vapor, in the gases used during the manufacture of integrated circuits. In particular, there is a need to calibrate analyzers, such as hygrometers, accurately in the 0.001 to 1.0 ppm range, and this need has not been fulfilled by the prior gas generating apparatus of the type referred to above.


Systems and techniques to reduce bandwidth usage of video frames in a videoconferencing system are described. A computing device may receive a first frame of a first video stream from an imaging device and decompose the frame into a plurality of portions. The computing device may select a first portion of the plurality of portions, determine that the first portion matches a sent portion in a sent catalog, determine a first identifier associated with the first portion, and send the first identifier to a server. The computing device may select a second portion of the plurality of portions, determine that the second portion fails to match any of the sent portions in the sent catalog, create and associate a second identifier with the second portion, store the second portion with the second identifier in the sent catalog, and send the second portion to the server.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Videoconferencing may use large amounts of data transmission bandwidth to transmit multiple video streams (e.g., streams of images). However, transmitting video streams that are perceived by participants as being good quality video may be expensive in terms of bandwidth costs and monetary costs. In addition, most data transmission mediums have a fixed amount of bandwidth that is shared by multiple users with multiple data streams (e.g., voice data, video data, audio data, text data, etc.). Therefore, when multiple data streams are being transmitted using a fixed amount of bandwidth, video streams used in videoconferencing may suffer quality degradation due to lack of available bandwidth.

Reducing videoconferencing bandwidth usage


A semiconductor device process for forming a multilayered nitride structure. The nitride is used as either isolation or as part of a dielectric structure. The deposition rate for the nitride is varied to form a multilayered structure with stress accommodation at the interface between sub-layers in the multilayer structure. In addition, the sub-layered structure reduces pin-holes and microcracks in the nitride film and improves the overall uniformity in thickness of the final nitride film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for making a semiconductor device that includes the formation of a reduced-stress nitride layer on the semiconductor device
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional semiconductor device processing, nitride layers are utilized in isolation structures and as part of an inter-level dielectric structure ("ONO" or "ONON" dielectrics, for example that use alternating layers of oxide and nitride). Presently, an LPCVD process is used to deposit the nitride in a single step on the oxide surface. In particular, NH.sub.3 and SiH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 are reacted at temperatures between 750.degree. C. and 850.degree. C. to form the nitride film. This process results in generating significant stress between the deposited nitride and underlying oxide, forming defects in the structure and a large variability in the nitride thickness. These problems limit the usefulness of the nitride film in sub-micron applications where thickness needs to be well-controlled. The stress also results in the formation of microcracks and pin-holes in the structure and is problematic when used as part of an ONO or ONON dielectric.

Layered silicon nitride deposition process


Traction chain for a series hybrid vehicle comprising an engine (10) which drives an alternator (11), an electric traction motor (21), a inverter which enables the electric traction motor to be operated at a torque set value CCset, an accelerator available for use by the driver of the vehicle, an actuator (15) which acts on the engine, a controller (3) for the traction chain loaded with a model of the engine's operation and loaded with a program which, from the position of the accelerator, allows a pair (Rth/set, PPset) of set values to be obtained for the revolution speed Rth of the engine and for the position of the actuator (15), the said controller making it possible to control the position of the said actuator on the basis of the said set value PPset for the position of the actuator and to calculate a torque set value CCset for the electric traction motor or motors as a function of the deviation between the measured speed Rth and the set value Rth/set for the revolution speed of the engine.

The present invention concerns automobile road vehicles, with series hybrid motorization. In vehicles of this type an engine drives an electric alternator which transforms the mechanical energy delivered by the output shaft of the engine into electrical energy. This electrical energy powers one or more electric traction motors, which are mechanically connected to the drive wheels of the vehicle. The engine is not mechanically connected to the wheels, in contrast to vehicles with parallel hybrid motorization, in which a engine and an electric motor are both connected mechanically to the drive wheels so that the torques they deliver can act additively to drive the drive wheels.
Drivers of classically motorized automobile vehicles ("classically motorized" is understood here to mean a engine and a mechanical or automatic gearbox) are familiar with the acceleration and braking controls well known in the state of the art. These controls have attained a high degree of progressiveness and reactivity. It is desirable for a hybrid vehicle to be able to be driven in essentially the same way if one wishes not to confuse a driver used to the classical motorizations. This entails transforming the driver's actions on the accelerator pedal (and if necessary the brake) into appropriate actions on the traction chain that begins at the and ends at one or more electric traction motors.
It is well known to fit a battery of electric accumulators as a buffer between the alternator and the electric motor, particularly in the case when it is desired to be able to drive the vehicle in the purely electric mode, with the engine cut off. In that case the controls of the engine and the electric traction motor can be independent. There is no particular problem in controlling the torque of an electric motor which draws its energy from a battery of electric accumulators, with all the progressiveness and reactivity desired at the accelerator pedal available for the driver's use.
But the use of a battery of electric accumulators raises different problems. Such a battery is heavy in relation to the quantity of electrical energy stored. This considerably increases the mass of a vehicle and is a source of waste during accelerations, not to speak of problems related to the dynamic behavior of a vehicle, which are the more crucial the heavier the vehicle is. In addition, such batteries pose maintenance problems and problems for the environment because of the many materials they contain which are polluting and difficult to recycle.
The purpose of the present invention is thus to design a series hybrid traction chain that can if necessary operate without a battery of electric accumulators, while providing the driver of the vehicle with a very progressive and very reactive accelerator control. In the case when no reservoir of electrical energy (battery) is available, it is necessary to be able to produce just that electrical energy which is required for the demand. The problem arising is therefore to obtain the desired torque from the electric traction motor while avoiding stalling or racing of the engine, and this by means of a control system whose progressiveness and reactivity are as close as possible to those of the accelerator pedal of a classically motorized vehicle.
Patent application EP 1 241 043 describes a traction chain for a series hybrid vehicle in which the driver's demand, when he presses the accelerator pedal, results in a command to open a throttle valve for the engine. The speed of the engine is a consequence of controlling the torque of the electric traction motor(s), an operational mode on which the principle proposed earlier has no direct action. The torque of the traction motors is controlled as a function of the vehicle's speed and as a function of a controlling power P which evaluates the power available at the drive output shaft of the engine at the engine's real speed. The operating mode of the engine does not necessarily correspond to optimum consumption, despite a tendency described in the aforesaid patent application to evolve progressively towards operating modes with lower consumption.
To move rapidly and in a more deterministic way towards optimum operation of a given engine, in particular towards optimum consumption by a given engine, it would be necessary for any driver command to be able to control both a given throttle valve opening and a revolution speed of the engine in question.

Conception Et Developpement Michelin S.A.


An improved disk-valve fuel injector comprising a self-centering, floating valve seat insert disposed in a valve body. The valve seat insert includes a circular first valve seat and the body includes a circular second valve seat concentric with the first valve seat. A spring urges the valve insert into compliance with a disk-shaped valve head. The valve insert is able to adjust position in all three dimensions, allowing the disk head to mate precisely with both seats, thereby minimizing leakage when the valve is closed, improving metering precision, and extending the working lifetime of the valve head and valve seats.

Fuel injectors having either ball-valve or disk-valve closures, referred to herein generically as "valves", are well known. In principle, a disk valve injector configuration is superior to a ball-valve configuration in terms of flow capacity and dynamic range, attributes that are very beneficial in terms of required magnetic force from the actuator and breadth of range of engine that can be effectively serviced with a single design. Taken together, these attributes of a disk-valve closure can provide increased design efficiency and effectiveness and, more importantly, reduce overall cost.
An important negative attribute of disk valving, however, particularly when a gaseous medium such as natural gas or hydrogen is metered, is leakage propensity. As a disk-valve injector generally employs relatively low lifts, compared to an equivalent flow ball-valve injector, very high flow/seal areas are required to satisfy necessary engine flow capacity. The relatively large seal area creates high sensitivities to surface imperfections and goodness-of-fit and contamination, with the slightest mismatch between disk and seat resulting in intolerable leak rates. Consequently, disk-valve fuel injectors have not enjoyed widespread use in automotive engine applications, especially in the nascent domain of gaseous fuels.
What is needed in the art is an improved disk-valve fuel injector wherein the propensity for leakage, especially with gaseous fuels, is reduced.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved fuel injector suitable for use with both liquid and gaseous fuels in internal combustion engines.

Fuel injector having a disk valve with a floating, compliant injector seat


Power transmitting device wherein power received from drive source (22) through an input member (44) is distributed to two side gears (12, 14) engaging respective pinions (16, 18), so as to permit differential rotation of the side gears, through differential case (10) which houses the side gears and rotatably supports the pinions, and through a partition wall (42) which is interposed between the side gears so as to be rotated with the input member and the differential casing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a power transmitting device, and more particularly to improvements of a power transmitting device including a first side gear and a second side gear to which power received from rotary driving means is distributed through a differential case while, so as to permit differential rotation of the first and second side gears.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
There is known a power transmitting device (so-called "parallel axes type differential gear device") comprising: (a) a differential case rotated about a centerline by rotary driving means; (b) a first and a second externally toothed side gear which are disposed within said differential case coaxially with said differential case and rotatably about said centerline; (c) at least one first pinion member disposed rotatably about respective first axes offset from and parallel with said centerline, supported by said differential case so as to be rotated therewith about said centerline, and engaging said first side gears; and (d) at least one second pinion member disposed rotatably about respective second axes offset from and parallel with said centerline, supported by said differential case so as to be rotated therewith about said centerline, and engaging said second side gears and said at least one first pinion member, and wherein power received from the rotary driving means is distributed through the differential case to the first and second side gears, so as to permit differential rotation of the first and second side gears.
An example of the above-indicated type of power transmitting device is disclosed in JP-A-7-506419. During the differential rotation of the first and second side gears, a radial load, or a radial load and a thrust load acts or act on the first and second pinion members due to a load of engagement thereof with the first and second side gears, so that the pinion members are forced against the inner surfaces of the differential case, with a result of generation of a friction force therebetween, which restricts relative rotation of the two side gears, thereby providing a torque sensing type differential limiting effect.
For example, the power transmitting device as described above is constructed as schematically illustrated in FIG. 5. This device includes: a differential case 10 which is rotated about a centerline O by rotary driving means in the form of an engine of an automotive vehicle; a first side gear 12 and a second side gear 14 which are externally toothed gears and which are disposed within the differential case 10 coaxially therewith and rotatably about the centerline O; first pinion members 16 which are disposed rotatably about respective first axes offset from and parallel to the centerline O, supported by the differential case 10 so as to be rotated therewith about the centerline O, and engage the first side gear 12; and second pinion members 18 which are disposed rotatably about respective second axes offset from and parallel with the centerline O, supported by the differential case 10 so as to be rotated therewith about the centerline O, and engage the second side gear 14 and the first pinion members 16. In this power transmitting device, power or torque received by the differential case 10 is distributed to the first and second side gears 12, 14.
The first pinion members 16 are arranged equiangularly in the circumferential direction of the differential case 10 about the centerline O, while the second pinion members 18 are arranged equiangularly in the circumferential direction of the differential case about the centerline O such that each second pinion member 18 is in meshing engagement with the corresponding one of the second pinion members 18. For instance, the first pinion members 16 consist of three first pinions members while the second pinion members 18 consist of three second pinion members meshing with the respective first pinion members 16.
Described in detail, the differential case 10 have pinion holes and support shafts. These pinion holes or pinion support shafts are evenly spaced from each other in the circumferential direction of the differential case 10, so that the first and second pinion members 16, 18 are accommodated in the respective pinion holes and rotatably mounted on the respective pinion support shafts, such that there are left suitable amounts of clearances between the pinion members 16, 18 and the surfaces of the pinion holes and support shafts, so as to give the pinion members 16, 18 some amounts of plays. During differential rotation of the first and second side gears 12, 14, the pinion members 16, 18 are forced against the surfaces of the differential case 10 due to a load of meshing engagement of the pinion members 16, 18 with the side gears 12, 14, and the friction force between the pinion members 16, 18 and the differential case 10 acts to restrict relative rotation of the two side gears. Where the side gears 12, 14 and the pinion members 16, 18 are spur gears, a radial load acts on the pinion members 16, 18, due to the pressure angle, and the top faces or lands of the teeth of the pinion members 16, 18 are forced onto the inner wall surfaces of the pinion holes, etc. Where the side gears 12, 14 and the pinion members 16, 18 are helical gears having twisted tooth traces, a thrust load acts on the pinion members 16, 18, due to the helix angle, and the axial end faces of the pinion members 16, 18 are also forced onto the inner side walls of the differential case 10.
In the example of FIG. 5, the first and second side gears 12, 14 have the same outside diameter, so that the torque is equally distributed to these two side gears 12, 14. However, the two side gears 12, 14 may have different outside diameters to achieve uneven torque distribution.
However, the power transmitting device as shown in FIG. 5 is limited in the positions at which the power is received and transmitted to external members such as drive wheels of a motor vehicle. In a center differential device 20 of a motor vehicle illustrated in FIG. 6, for instance, power generated by an engine 22 as the rotary driving means is received by the center differential device 20 through a transmission 24, and is distributed by the device 20 to front and rear drive wheels of the motor vehicle. To transmit the power from the center differential device 20 to the front drive wheels, a sprocket is disposed between the transmission 24 and the center differential device 20, so that the power is transmitted to the front drive wheels through a chain 26 engaging the sprocket. This type of power transmitting system suffers from a relatively low degree of flexibility in the positions of the power input and outputs. Described more specifically referring back to FIG. 5, the power is received at a radially outer portion of the device, and first and second outputs are provided at the centerline O of the device. In this case, the second output to the front drive wheels cannot be transferred to the chain 26.
On the other hand, the power transmitting device may be adapted to receive the input power at the centerline O, as indicated in FIGS. 7 and 8. In these cases, however, the first output from the first side gear 12 and the second output from the second side gear 14 are both provided on the same axial side (rear or front) of the power transmitting device.
The power transmitting device of FIG. 7 may be modified as shown in FIG. 9. In this modified arrangement, an outer shell 28 is disposed outwardly of the differential case 10, so that the first output to the front drive wheels can be obtained at the front side of the device, through the outer shell 28 via a member splined to the outer shell 28. Similarly, the power transmitting device of FIG. 8 may be modified as shown in FIG. 10. In this modified arrangement, too, an outer shell 30 is disposed outwardly of the differential case 10, so that the second output to the rear drive wheels can be obtained at the rear side of the device, through the outer shell 30 via a member splined to the outer shell 30. However, these modified power transmitting devices suffer from an increased radial dimension and an increased number of components, and are not necessarily satisfactory in the overall evaluation.

Power transmitting device wherein power is distributed to two side gears through partition wall interposed between the gears and rotated with differential case


Virtual redundancy for active-standby cloud applications is disclosed herein. A virtual machine (“VM”) placement scheduling system is disclosed herein. The system can compute, for each standby VM of a plurality of available standby VMs, a minimum required placement overlap delta to meet an entitlement assurance rate (“EAR”) threshold. The system can compute a minimum number of available VM slots for activating each standby VM to meet the EAR threshold. For each standby VM of a given application, the system can filter out any server of a plurality of servers that does not meet criteria. If a given server meets the criteria, the system can add the given server to a candidate list; sort, in descending order, the candidate list by the minimum required placement overlap delta and the number of available virtual machine slots; and select, from the candidate list of servers, a candidate server from atop the candidate list.

Cloud computing can allow dynamically scalable virtualized resources to be provided as a service. Cloud computing can assure an appropriate level of resources are available to power software applications when and where the resources are needed in response to demand. As a result, cloud computing allows entities to respond quickly, efficiently, and in an automated fashion to rapidly changing business environments.
Virtual machine ("VM") redundancy is the foundation of resilient cloud applications. While active-active approaches combined with load balancing and auto-scaling are usually resource efficient, the stateful nature of many cloud applications often necessitates 1+1 (or 1+n) active-standby approaches that can leave 50% (or more) of VMs idle or nearly so. The active-standby redundancy is one of the oldest yet most ubiquitously used design patterns for both fault tolerance and disaster recovery of modern computer systems. It is parameterized as 1+n redundancy in which one of n cold, warm, or hot spares takes over upon the failure of the single active primary. A range of values of n are common, from 1+1 for disaster recovery, 1+2 to maintain redundancy during lengthy repairs and upgrades, (1+1)+(1+1) (effectively, 1+3) multi-site designs in which a 1+1 standby site backs up another 1+1 primary site, to general 1+n chained replica systems.
Unfortunately, inefficient utilization of resources is standby redundancy's Achilles heel. Keeping the standbys idle (except for synchronizing state) during normal operation results in 50% (for 1+1 systems) or more of a system's peak capacity being wasted. The active-active systems in which all replicas are utilized during normal operation can eliminate wastage, but such designs are practical mostly when replicas are stateless, carry a soft-state that can be recreated in a spare (e.g., stateless web servers backed by a database), or contain a state that can be shared (e.g., key-value stores). For most other stateful systems, standby redundancy continues to be the viable option despite its limitations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

The Regents of the University of Colorado


A guitar hand placement guide and support bar that attaches to the upper surface of the body of a guitar with one or more suction cups. An upper platform portion in contact with lower, round portion of the palm of the hand supports the weight of the hand. The guitar hand placement guide and support bar has legs that straddle the strings at a location adjacent the sound hole of the guitar such that every time the guitar is being played, the pick and strum hand can be consistently positioned above the sound hole in precisely the same place. A dogleg extension and one or more internal finger grip portions located along the lower edge of the platform portion extending between the leading edge and the rear-facing edge provide the player with optional methods of use.

The guitar is a stringed musical instrument with a fretted fingerboard, typically incurved sides, and six or twelve strings, played by plucking or strumming with the fingers or a plectrum (pick). Guitars are generally either electric or acoustic. There are three main types of modern acoustic guitar: the classical guitar (nylon-string guitar), the steel-string acoustic guitar, and the archtop guitar. The acoustic guitar generally consists of a hollow body with incurved sides, a fretboard extending to one side with a head at the top. Strings are in tension above a series of individual frets located along the fretboard and extend from the head to the bridge.
The tone of an acoustic guitar is produced by the strings' vibration, amplified by the body of the guitar, which acts as a resonating chamber. The classical guitar is often played as a solo instrument using a comprehensive finger-picking technique. The term "finger-picking" can also refer to a specific tradition of folk, blues, bluegrass, and country guitar playing in the United States.
Electric guitars, introduced in the 1930s, use an amplifier that can electronically manipulate and shape the tone. Early amplified guitars employed a hollow body, but a solid body was eventually found more suitable, as it was less prone to feedback.
Generally, the strings of the guitar are plucked or strummed with the fingers of the right hand while the fingers of the left hand are placed in patterns on top of the frets to change the key of the string being played. A chord is played by placing the fingers of the left hand in a pattern on the frets while the strings are strummed with the fingers of the right hand. Alternatively, individual strings can be picked by the fingers of the right hand while the note is selected by placement of the fingers of the left hand over the appropriate fret or frets.
One of the problems that learners face is control of placement of the right hand and fingers during picking and strumming. Often players will post or place the small finger or combination of ring finger and small finger on the pick guard near the sound hole to support or brace the right hand in a stable position while its fingers pick or strum the strings. This solution is less than satisfactory for the following reasons: First of all, there is no specific location to place the right-hand fingers of the player since the pick guard covers a fairly large area. Second, since the soundboard of the body is below the height of the strings stretched above the sound hole, the fingers must stretch to be placed on the pick guard leaving little clearance for the other fingers to strum or pick or use a plectrum as desired. For a student learning to play the guitar, this stretch is difficult. Most importantly, it is not possible to support or brace the palm of the right hand while playing a guitar since it would interfere with resonance of the strings. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a pick and strum guide bar that would guide the fingers into a proper location, braced above the strings, with the ability to also support the palm of the right hand while playing.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,927,930 is a stringed instrument hand rest that is nothing more than a single loop of material that supports the hand from the outside. However, this device doesn't provide a deck for supporting the small finger or ring finger and small finger while picking or strumming. Furthermore, there is no portion that sits above the strings to support the hand from below and prevent interference of the hand with the strings.
U.S. Pat. No. D381356 is a guitar hand rest. However, there are no means for attaching the pedestal to the top of the body of the guitar. Also, there are no feet that provide an accurate, easy and precise way to position the hand rest above the strings. Finally, there is no gooseneck, opening, aperture or other structural means for accurately positioning and bracing the small finger or 4th and 5th fingers while picking or strumming the strings with the other 3 or 4 fingers.
Finally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,299,327 and 9,240,168 both teach a stringed musical instrument hand support apparatus. However, these devices use strings or cords with hooks at the ends to secure the hand support apparatus between the sound hole or other opening in the body of the musical instrument and the end of the guitar opposite the head and neck. There is no way to guarantee accurate, precise placement each time the device is used. Also, the hand rest has simple pedestals that rest on the top of the soundboard and can be positioned essentially anywhere above the strings without limitation, thus providing no guidance to the novice guitar player on how to position the hand rest.

Guitar hand placement guide and support bar


An in-car video system and method is provided where a wireless microphone is configured with bi-directional communications capability. In response to a received RF activation signal, the wireless microphone is automatically switched on to capture (and transmit back to the in-car video system) an audio soundtrack that accompanies the images captured by the car-mounted video camera. A wireless microphone controller mounted in the car transmits the RF activation signal to the wireless microphone. The wireless microphone controller is arranged to transmit the RF activation signal when the video recording device starts recording. In an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the wireless microphone receives information, including a confirmation that the video recording device is recording, from an RF information signal received from the wireless microphone controller mounted in the car. The wireless microphone displays the information to the officer on a display screen. The wireless microphone sounds an audible alert when it receives the RF activation or information signals.

This invention is related generally to surveillance systems, and more particularly to a wireless microphone for use with an in-car video system.
Vehicle-mounted surveillance systems, also termed in-car video systems, are seeing increased use in the security industry and law enforcement community as an effective means to provide an indisputable video and audio record of encounters involving officers and citizens. In these systems, a video camera is typically mounted on the police car's dashboard or windshield and is generally arranged to have a field of view of the area to the immediate front of the car. The field of view approximately corresponds to what an officer would see when seated in the car's front seat.
The video camera is operably coupled to a recording device, such as a video cassette recorder ("VCR"), mounted in the police car, often in the trunk. A videotape recording may be started manually by the officer, or in some systems, the videotaping is started automatically when, for example, the officer activates the police car's emergency systems (such as overhead lights and/or sirens), or when a vehicle speed-measuring radar unit is operated.
In some in-car video systems, the VCR may start recording when the officer activates the wireless microphone. Security schemes may also be used where the VCR starts recording only when it receives a predetermined code at a certain RF frequency from the wireless microphone. Inadvertent triggering from stray RF signals is thus avoided. A visual indicator to verify that a videotape recording is being made may be displayed on an indicating device mounted on the car (such as a light in the car's front grill or windshield) that can be seen by the officer at a distance (for example, when the officer is located in the proximity of a stopped car).
In-car video systems serve to enhance prosecution of traffic, DWI/DUI and controlled dangerous substances offenses (to name just a few) by contributing detailed graphical and auditory evidence in a time-sequential manner that is inherently unbiased and objective. Such evidence is a valuable adjunct to eyewitness and officer testimony. In addition, as with other quality-improvement initiatives where conduct is surveyed and recorded, in-car video system usage has been shown to assist in the maintenance of high professional standards among law enforcement personnel. Police-community relations have improved and citizen complaints of police misconduct have lessened in many jurisdictions where in-car video systems are used, often as a result of the inherently high-quality evidence provided by such systems. Videos taken with in-car video systems are also valuable training aids to law enforcement personnel.
Videotape evidence is protected (and the evidentiary chain of custody readily established) because the video cassette recorder and video recording medium (i.e., videotape) are typically "locked", often both mechanically and electronically, within a tamperproof security enclosure in the car that is only accessible by law enforcement command personnel. In addition, the in-car systems are configured to prevent erasure or over-recording of a recorded encounter to ensure the integrity of the videotaped evidence. In-car video systems may superimpose time and date stamps on the recorded video image as a further enhancement to the evidentiary strength of the videotape.
In-car video systems generally employ a wireless microphone carried on the person of a law enforcement officer to record an audio soundtrack that accompanies the visual scene captured on videotape. The audio soundtrack is an extremely valuable complement to the recorded video because it acts as a transcript of the what was said, by whom and when. In some cases, the audio soundtrack is more valuable as evidence than the visual record because issues pertaining to consent, admissions, and state-of-mind of the suspect and/or officer (to cite just a few examples) may be resolved more effectively by the audio record. In some systems, additional wired microphones may be deployed in other locations within the car, such as the rear-seat passenger area, to record sounds and conversations emanating from those locations.
While current in-car video systems perform very well in many applications, there have been instances where officers have inadvertently failed to turn on the wireless microphone during an encounter or traffic stop even though the videotaping may be properly activated. Thus, a valuable piece of the evidentiary record is lost. Additionally, while car-mounted visual recording status indicators are very satisfactory in most situations, there may be times when the car-mounted indicator is out of the line of sight of the officer, or is obscured by weather conditions. Lost or damaged wireless microphones may also present a logistical challenge to some departments since each wireless microphone must be matched to a particular in-car video system in some systems in order to enable secure transmission from the wireless microphone.

Wireless microphone for use with an in-car video system


A platform independent system for performing a search request provided by a user. The platform independent system includes a consuming application executing on a first computer that handles the search request provided by a user. The search request includes instructions to retrieve selected data from a second application. A web interface module executing on a second computer receives the search request and formulates search routines regardless of the search engine logic or infrastructure of the consuming application to connect to a data model that contains the selected data for retrieval. The web interface module structures data associated with the search request to be compatible for searching with the data model.

The invention is related to the field of search service, and in particular to a centralized search and ad hoc reporting tool allowing an application to configure a data model for searching.
There are products in market that are focused mainly on the reporting aspect. Products such as OBIEE, SSRS. Many of these products lack features essential to provide transparent capabilities for searching. Moreover, these products are quite cumbersome requiring those of specific technology skills to operate. Given the disparate uses of these products, separate infrastructures are required to operate with separate applications making for inefficient use. This makes it very difficult for cross application data search to be possible as well as integrating with different application style sheets.


An apparatus for repositioning traffic control devices includes a bracket configured for removable attachment to a vehicle. The apparatus further includes a striker arm attached to the bracket and projecting forward of the bracket at a first end of the striker arm so as to form an acute angle with respect to a direction of travel of the vehicle.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the positioning of traffic control devices, such as barrel-type traffic control devices, cone-type traffic control devices, and the like. In particular, the present invention relates to devices, systems and methods for removing traffic control devices from a lane of traffic in a roadway.
Description of Related Art
It is known to employ temporary traffic control devices to modify or otherwise control the flow of vehicular traffic on roadways. For example, during roadway maintenance or construction operations, traffic control devices can be used to close lanes of traffic, shift traffic to other lanes, establish construction zones, etc. Example temporary traffic control devices include barrel-type devices, which are also known as drums, construction barrels or orange barrels. Example temporary traffic control devices also include cone-type devices, which are also known as traffic cones, construction cones, or bollards.
The deploying and removal of temporary traffic control devices is conventionally a manual process. The traffic control devices are typically set in place or removed by hand by a worker. The worker might follow a vehicle for storing the traffic control devices on foot, as he places the traffic control devices on the roadway or removes the traffic control devices from the roadway. The worker might also ride in the vehicle while deploying or removing the traffic control devices. In either case, deploying and removing the traffic control devices can require the labor of at least two people, one to handle the traffic control devices and another to drive the vehicle. The worker might also deploy or remove the traffic control devices without the assistance of a vehicle, such as by manually moving the traffic control devices from a lane of travel to another portion of the roadway. Manually handling the traffic control devices can be time consuming, especially over long stretches of roadway. It would be desirable to provide an apparatus that allows a single worker to quickly reposition traffic control devices and that eliminates the need to manually handle the traffic control devices during repositioning.

Apparatus for repositioning traffic control devices


An apparatus for transporting substrates between a first device and at least one second device for gripping and holding substrates with a substrate holder disposed in a vacuum chamber. The first device for gripping and holding substrates is equipped with one or more movable grippers which are movable by a mechanical and/or electromechanical or magnetically operating displacement device into a position that holds or releases the substrate, and the second device for gripping and holding substrates is equipped with one or more movable grippers which are movable counter to the action of a control pressure or of a spring, into a first position and, via the action of a diaphragm that can be subjected to a pneumatic pressure and/or a vacuum pressure and an adjusting part cooperating with the diaphragm, into a second position, wherein in the one position the substrate is held and in the second position the substrate is released for further transport, and in the position of the two devices for transfer of the substrate two substrate receiving parts can be aligned and fixed coaxially with one another.

The invention relates to an apparatus for transporting substrates between a first device and at least one second device for gripping and holding substrates with one or more substrate holders disposed in a vacuum chamber.
A device for gripping and holding a disklike substrate is disclosed in German Utility Model DE-GM 93 07 263.5. This device comprises a number of circularly arranged grippers and an elastic diaphragm which is disposed in a pressure-proof housing that has an opening. Different pressures can be established on the front and back sides of the diaphragm, and the diaphragm may be arranged such that at a differential pressure, a deflection of the diaphragm out of its position of repose takes place, while at a pressure equilibrium the diaphragm returns to its position of repose via a compression spring.
The differential pressure at the diaphragm is generated in that a bell-shaped housing, which is provided with a central bore, is disposed on one side of the diaphragm. A pressure chamber is formed between the end of the bore of the bell-shaped housing and the surface of the diaphragm. The bore provided in the bell-shaped housing is provided via a pneumatic line with an external pump whose sole function is to establish a differential pressure on the surface of the diaphragm, relative to the vacuum pressure provided in the chamber beneath, so that by imposition of pressure on the diaphragm and by means of an adjusting part adjoining the diaphragm, the gripper arm can be adjusted out of its position that holds the substrate into a further position in which the gripper or grippers release the substrate. Such an apparatus is complicated and expensive, since a separate pump is required to generate this differential pressure, and the diaphragm must be sealed off from the pressure in the vacuum chamber so that the requisite pressure can be generated on the back side of the diaphragm. Moreover, such an arrangement is highly vulnerable to malfunction, since the additionally required pump operates entirely uncoupled from the other pumps to generate the vacuum pressure in the vacuum chamber, so that a completely exact adaptation to the operating process for adjusting the diaphragm and removing the substrate is impossible. Overall, such an apparatus works relatively slowly, since the release of the substrate cannot occur until the necessary system pressure downstream of the diaphragm has built up via the independent pump. The compressed-air supply line must be disposed flexibly relative to the holding mechanism.


A method for use in a communication apparatus that receives an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal transmitted from a base station. The OFDM signal includes a plurality of carrier groups each comprising a plurality of carriers, the plurality of carrier groups being assigned transmission data for a plurality of communication apparatuses. Each of the plurality of carrier groups adopt one of a first frame configuration, where the transmission data is transmitted using one modulation signal, and a second frame configuration, where the transmission data is transmitted using a plurality of modulated signals. The method includes specifying a carrier group to which transmission data for the communication apparatus is assigned, based on control information included in the received OFDM signal and generating reception data associated with the specified carrier group based on one of the one modulated signal used in the first frame configuration and the plurality of modulated signals used in the second frame configuration.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional radio transmitting apparatus and receiving apparatus. A modulated signal generation section 02 has a transmit digital signal 01 as input, and outputs a modulated signal 03.
A radio section 04 has a modulated signal as input, and outputs a transmit signal 05.
A power amplification section 06 has transmit signal 05 as input, amplifies transmit signal 05 and outputs amplified transmit signal 07, and then amplified transmit signal 07 is output as a radio wave from an antenna 08.
A radio section 11 has as input a received signal 10 received from an antenna 09, and outputs a received quadrature baseband signal 12.
A demodulation section 13 has received quadrature baseband signal 12 as input, and outputs a received digital signal 14.
Thus, in a conventional apparatus, a plurality of modulated signals are not multiplexed.
Also, when a plurality of modulated signals are transmitted and are multiplexed, and the transmitted multiplexed signals are separated and demodulated by the receiving apparatus, it is necessary to perform high-precision separation and demodulation.

Communication method, and transmitting apparatus and receiving apparatus using that communication method


A radiation tolerant circuit, structure of the circuit and method of autonomic radiation event device protection. The circuit includes a charge storage node connected to a resistor, the resistor comprising a material having an amorphous state and a crystalline state, the amorphous state having a higher resistance than the crystalline state, the material reversibly convertible between the amorphous state and the crystalline state by application of heat; an optional resistive heating element proximate to the resistor; and means for writing data to the charge storage node and means for reading data from the charge storage node.

Soft-errors in integrated circuits are caused by ionizing radiation striking, for example, the silicon regions of field effect transistors in memory cells or latches and changing the charge level stored in the cell or latch causing a flip in state of the cell or latch and thus generating an error. The error state is removed the next time data is written into the cell or latch. In order to protect sensitive integrated circuits various radiation tolerant structures and circuit designs have been developed. However conventional radiation tolerant integrated circuits have had to pay performance penalties. The very methods and design features that cause the integrated circuit to be radiation tolerant also very significantly slow the radiation tolerant integrated circuit down. Accordingly, there exists a need for radiation tolerant integrated circuits having minimized circuit performance degradation.

CMOS storage devices configurable in high performance mode or radiation tolerant mode

International Business Machines Corporation


A circuit and method for producing an output voltage that replicates an input voltage. A circuit comprises an amplifier stage configured to amplify a difference between an input voltage and a feedback voltage. An output stage is configured to produce an output voltage equal to the input voltage. The output stage configured to be driven by the difference between the input voltage and the feedback voltage. The output stage further comprises a main supply current path configured to provide a first current from a main supply source, the first current providing at least a portion of the output voltage, and a current management circuit configured to provide a second current from an auxiliary supply source, the second current providing any remaining portion of the output voltage not provided by the first current.

Unity gain voltage buffers may be used to transfer voltage from a first circuit to a second circuit without the second circuit unacceptably loading the first circuit and interfering with the operation of the first circuit. In these circuits, the output voltage is an exact replica of the input voltage. A prior art unity gain voltage buffer circuit 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The input voltage VIN 14 and output voltage VOUT 24 are compared at the differential amplifier stage 40. The difference between these voltages is amplified and drives the output stage 42, which produces output voltage VOUT 24, which is a replica of VIN 14. Current for providing VOUT 24 is supplied to the output stage 42 by a secondary supply voltage 12.
The circuit 10 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. Transistors 16, 18, 28, 32, and 20 all form the differential amplifier stage comparing VIN 14 and VOUT 24 (a feedback voltage). The difference is amplified and presented at node 30, which drives the output stage 42 of the circuit 10. The output stage 42 consists of transistors 34 (the gate of which is coupled to node 30) and 36.
Five voltage sources are available to these types of circuits. There are the two major supply voltages common in all basic circuit: the main supply voltage VDD, which generally ranges from 2 to 4 V; and ground voltage, which is 0 V. A third voltage source is an auxiliary or secondary supply voltage VPP, which is produced by a positive charge pump that produces a voltage range of 4.5 V to 5.5 V (though other voltage ranges may be produced in other examples) with limited maximum output current. The limited output current is directly related to the amount of layout area on a chip which is allotted to the charge pump producing VPP. In addition, the output current is also limited due to the total active power consumption specification of the entire chip because the maximum output current is a percentage of the current the charge pump draws from VDD. The auxiliary supply voltage is also used in may other critical areas of the chip. The fourth voltage source is a reference voltage VREF, which allows for regulation of current flow in an analog circuit. The fifth and final voltage source is input voltage VIN, which in this example ranges from 1 V to 3 V. The input voltage cannot have a current load if it is to maintain its correct value.
The output voltage which replicates the input voltage ideally should be able to manage a large current load. This output voltage has a default state of 0 V. Returning to FIG. 2, since the value of VIN 14 can be higher than VDD, the secondary supply voltage VPP 12 is used to supply both the differential amplifier stage 40 and the output stage 24. However, this configuration results in a disadvantageous current load on VPP 12. Since there is a limited maximum output current for VPP 12, a larger output current requirement for VOUT 24 will drop VPP 12 in voltage and cause this circuit 10 and the other blocks using VPP to malfunction.
One potential solution to this problem is to increase the current output capability of VPP. This would result in a much larger charge pump which would take up more area on the chip. However, the active current specifications of the chip limit the size of the charge pump.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a circuit that outputs a replica of its input voltage with increased current drive regardless of whether the input voltage is greater than the main supply voltage or if the main supply voltage or input voltage varies significantly.

Unity gain voltage buffer with dual supply voltage for managing current consumption in low voltage applications


A toner collecting unit includes a housing, an inlet, a first fan, a lower duct, a first filter, and an oscillation motor. The inlet is provided in the housing. Toner flows into the inlet together with an air flow. The first fan is arranged in the interior of the housing and is configured to suck the air flow flowing from the inlet and to exhaust the air outside the housing. The lower duct guides the air flow upward from below. The first filter is arranged in an upper part of the lower duct so that its approach surface, which the air flow enters, faces downward.

The present disclosure relates to a toner collecting device and an image forming apparatus including it.
Image forming apparatuses employing an electrographic method (e.g., copiers, printers, and facsimile machines) form a toner image on an image bearing member (e.g., photosensitive drum or transfer belt) in a manner that an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member is developed by supplying toner to the electrostatic latent image. The toner is retained in a developing device and is supplied to the image bearing member from a development roller provided in the developing device.
Of the toner retained in the developing device, less charged toner is liable to fly around the developing device. The flying toner may contaminate the inside and outside of an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus. For this reason, an image forming apparatus is examined on which a dust collecting device for collecting the flying toner is mounted. In this technique, in order to prevent a filter from clogging with the flying toner, an oscillation section to oscillate the filter is provided.

Toner collecting device and image forming apparatus including the same


Embodiments of apparatuses, articles, methods, and systems for predicting one or more performance metrics for an over-the-air link in the presence of co-channel interference are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Multi-carrier communication is a technique for transmitting data over a wireless channel, or link, by dividing the data into multiple pieces and transmitting the pieces over several separate narrowband carriers (e.g., sub-carriers). Multi-carrier communication may be used to overcome intersymbol interferences in channels by increasing the symbol period of the carrier, thus limiting the data rate transmitted by each sub-carrier. While the use of multiple carriers may facilitate the achievement of high data rates, it may also complicate the implementation of any strategies used to increase throughput of the system.

Link performance prediction presence of co-channel interference


An apparatus of a muntin bar clip to secure the position of muntin bars during and following the fabrication of multi-pane sealed glass window units. A method of securing and positioning muntin bars at multi-pane sealed glass window unit perimeters and in joining hollow false muntin bars within such units. Muntin bar clips fix the position of hollow false muntin bars at the perimeter of the window unit utilizing the sealing methods including foam strips and or butyl as the sealing medium. Muntin bar clips fix the position of hollow false muntin bars at the perimeter of the window unit where the false muntin bar is other than orthogonal in relation to the perimeter of the window. The position of muntin bars are fixed by securing the muntin bar clips by forming at a muntin bar clip tip end one or a plurality of spikes wherein the penetration, of one or a plurality of spikes, into the material of the sealing and or spacing method employed secures the position of the muntin bar. The apparatus lessens the likelihood of either breaking or cracking the glass panes, as multi-pane sealed unit assembly occurs, or of causing seal failure of such units either during manufacture or following installation and increases the likelihood of securing the muntin bars into permanent position.

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus of a muntin bar clip to secure the position of muntin bars during and following the fabrication of multi-pane sealed glass window units. The disclosure relates to securing and positioning muntin bars at multi-pane sealed glass window unit perimeters and in joining hollow false muntin bars within such units. The invention relates particularly to muntin bar clips intended to fix the position of hollow false muntin bars at the perimeter of the window unit utilizing the sealing methods including foam strips and/or butyl as the sealing medium. The disclosed invention more particularly relates to muntin bar clips for the purpose of fixing the position of hollow false muntin bars at the perimeter of the window unit where the false muntin bar is other than orthogonal in relation to the perimeter of the window. The invention more specifically provides the fixing of the position of muntin bars in addition to lessening the likelihood of either breaking or cracking the glass panes, as multi-pane sealed unit assembly occurs, or of causing seal failure of such units either during manufacture or following installation.
Sealed multi-pane sealed window units have become standard for new and renovation construction within industrialized nations. Architectural detail is provided by the fixing of false muntin bars between panes of glass within such units. Such detail frequently requires multiple false muntin bars to intersect to form distinct patterns within the unit. The positioning of muntin bars commonly results in muntin bar ends intersecting with the perimeter of a window unit in other than an orthogonal relationship between the muntin bar and the unit perimeter forming, for example, a sunburst or radiating pattern. The securing of muntin bars in place during and following manufacture is critical in that any shifting from proper alignment will result in an unacceptable appearance. The method of or apparatus securing muntin bars, at the perimeter of such units, must not interfere with the sealing method of the unit. A method of fixing the position of muntin bars at a window unit perimeter has included the fixing of a pin at the muntin bar end with the pin to be received into a hole prepared in the window unit perimeter at the frame. The pin and hole combination required additional manufacturing steps and, in the case of sealed units, created potential sealant breaches.
The advent of new manufacturing techniques and the production of foam strip sealed and butyl sealed inert gas filled window units renders problematic or unusable methods or apparatus, for the positioning of muntin bars, disclosed in the prior art. Maintenance of gas integrity within such units is of paramount importance in insuring continued heat exchange properties and eliminating the potential for formation of condensation within the interior of the unit. Existing prior art is unlikely to provide for the maintenance of such characteristics with a substantial likelihood that the interior of sealed units will experience a breach of the seal. The apparatus disclosed herein is principally adapted for use with foam strip, butyl and other similar pliable or flexible seal systems.
Prior art which is distinguished includes the following which, along with additional patents, are disclosed in an information disclosure statement. U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,356 to Gieseke discloses muntin bar clips with tip 43 terminating in a blunt end 50 and alternatively one or more prongs 45. U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,814 to Anderson discloses a barbed clip for use with wood frames and a clip suitable for locking behind a bead on a metal window frame. U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,721 to Bloomquist et al. relates to a clip for securing a muntin bar in a single pane window for ease of removal of the muntin bar for cleaning purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,435 to Wilkening et al. demonstrates a method of mounting muntin bars on the exterior of a multi-pane unit. U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,950 to Rackard et al. discloses a clip for the interconnection of muntin bars at their point of crossing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,651 to McKeegan et al. discloses a keeper at the end of a muntin bar having a protrusion secured within an aperture within the frame. U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,336 to Tate demonstrates an end clip limited to an orthogonal orientation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,034 to Stanek shows an edge clip with a pad form element in contact with the seal material causing a pressure point break of the seal integrity with the window perimeter. U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,095 to Martin illustrates edge clips with a semi-circular edge sized to fit within one-sixteenth inch bores in the spacing strips. U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,376 to Poma demonstrates edge clips with protrusions received into apertures in the frame. U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,579 to Baier shows a multi-pane structure with a muntin bar grid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,284 to Cribben et al. shows muntin bars fixed with pins at the frame. U.S. Pat. No. 3,307,316 to Gray shows a pin fixing method at the frame. U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,384 to Kinghorn et al. illustrates a locating pin received in an opening in the perimeter bar. U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,058 to Jacobson discloses muntin bars with cam or wedge locking with a window sash. U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,661 to Krieger illustrates an edge clip composed of a tongue member received into a slot and a toothed member engaging a wood sash frame member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,521 to Riegelman et al. disclosed external muntin bars affixed with screw means. U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,840 to Ouellette et al. discloses a muntin end piece bearing a stud which snap fits into a hollow of the sash. U.S. Pat. No. 3,099,865 to Burnett demonstrates a magnetic pin means of securing muntin bars in place. U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,625 to Philippi shows a structural framework having end portions fixed in place by posts received into sockets . U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,313,761 and 5,678,377 to Leopold shows an edge clip having fingers received into a hollow muntin bar and secured a sash by laches received through apertures in the sash. U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,252 to Osborn illustrates muntin bars fixed with cam locks. U.S. Pat. No. 3,293,817 to MacGregor shows muntin bars fixed by a stud, at the sash, received into a slot in the muntin bar. The patents referred to herein are provided herewith in an Information Disclosure Statement in accordance with 37 CFR 1.97.
The muntin bar clip of U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,356 to Gieseke disclosed a muntin bar clip having a post, which is received into and friction secured into a hollow muntin, and a tip, distal from the post, terminating in a tip end formed as either a blunt end or prongs. The disclosure of this invention is an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,356 to Gieseke which relies on friction securing of a muntin clip tip end between a pane and spacing and or sealing means; the improvement is one or a plurality of spikes formed at the muntin bar clip tip end at the blunt end or prongs providing a penetration of the one or a plurality of spikes into the spacing and or sealing means. The muntin bar clip installation, in relation to the glass pane and a spacing means, composed for example of a foam strip including a SUPER SPACER(copyright) is such that the tip end is placed between the pane and the spacing means. The one or a plurality of spikes are inserted or forced into the spacing means thus securing the muntin bar clip and precluding movement of the muntin bar.
The improved muntin bar clip disclosed herein is directed particularly to use with the multi-pane sealed unit. Several sealing methods or sealing means in the prior art, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,356 to Gieseke, are recognized within the industry. These generally employ a spacing means, which serves a sealing function in addition to insuring correct spacing between panes, and an additional sealing means at the window perimeter. Spacing and sealing means includes the use of a solid butyl strip spaced between panes with a metal strip; the butyl strip used in this process is known as a swiggle strip. Another method of sealing multi-pane sealed window units is the use of an inner foam strip having an outer butyl seal; this method may be known as a SUPER SPACER(copyright). The foam strip of the SUPER SPACER(copyright) is generally a butyl or plastic spacer which separates glass panes in the multi-pane sealed unit. Used with the SUPER SPACER(copyright), as a final sealing medium, is an outer butyl seal in contact with each pane and the plastic strip, completing the sealing function. Other spacing and sealing techniques are known to those in the window arts which will find the present invention to have utility. The multi-pane construction is accomplished with the intent of 1) providing a sealed unit capable of maintaining the sealed integrity during manufacture through shipping, installation and finally use over the years following installation and 2) insuring that muntin bars remain positioned as at the time of manufacture. The spikes of this improvement invention are principally anticipated to be inserted or forced into the spacing means, in whatever form utilized including that above described. Other techniques, employing a combination spacing and sealing means will utilize the placement of the spikes, at the tip end of the muntin bar clip, into the combination spacing and sealing means. Whatever the spacing and sealing means utilized, the muntin bar tip end, of this improvement, will inserted between the pane and said spacing/sealing means and anchored into position by the spikes at the muntin bar clip tip end.
Multi-pane construction generally includes positioning of muntin bars, between window panes, for architectural detail. Hollow false muntin bars facilitate the formation of patterns desired by the consumer. Muntin bars are interconnected within the unit, for pattern formation, and positioned at the edge of the window unit with muntin bar clips. The post of a muntin bar clip is received into the hollow muntin bar end which is either to be joined with other muntin bars for pattern formation or which is to be positioned at the window edge. Where pattern formation is to be achieved the muntin bar clip may have a plurality of posts interconnected with a swivel means. Where a muntin bar is to be positioned at a window unit perimeter the muntin bar clip will have a tip having a tip end, distal from the post, which is received between a pane and the spacing means, including a spacing structure and/or sealing structure, separating panes in the multi-pane sealed window unit at the perimeter. The tip end of this disclosure is distinguished from that of U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,356 to Gieseke where the tip end terminated in a blunt end or prongs and the tip end was received into the spacer or between the pane and spacer. In this disclosure the tip end of the muntin bar clip is received between the spacing means, composed generally of a firm butyl or plastic strip and composed, in the preferred embodiment of a SUPER SPACER(copyright), and the pane. The tip end at the blunt end or prong of this disclosure is improved and distinguished by the formation, by means including a stamping or metal forming process, of at least one or a plurality of spikes formed at the tip end. The one or a plurality of spikes may be formed with any shape and dimension capable of being forced into penetration with the spacing and or sealing means but is, in the preferred embodiment, generally cut or stamped in a triangular shape to form a sharp point. The one or a plurality of spikes are generally orthogonal to the plane of the blunt end or prongs; the spike will be directed toward the post generally parallel to the offset. The metal forming means will make the appropriate cuts, will force the resulting tab, denoted here as one or a plurality of spikes, to bend into a the desired position leaving an aperture, denoted here a stamping aperture, at the tip end or blunt end. The tip end will be received between the pane and the spacing means such that the at least one spike or one or a plurality of spikes penetrates the spacing means thus insuring the retention of the muntin bar clip and hence muntin bar in the desired position and lessening the possibility of movement of the muntin bar clip and muntin bar following placement. The prior art demonstrates a variety of means for receiving the clip into a hollow muntin bar and the receipt of a tip, post or pin into a structure at the perimeter of a window unit.


A safety system for a fluid conduit having: a hose; a first housing connected to the hose with an internal cavity having a first connection point and a first check ball opening cavity; a second housing connected to the hose with an internal cavity having a second connection point and a second check ball opening cavity; a perforated retention tube positioned longitudinally within the hose and in communication with the first connection point and the second connection point; a first check device contained within the first check ball opening cavity and interposed between the perforated retention tube and the first check ball opening cavity; and optionally a second check device contained within the second check ball opening cavity and interposed between the perforated retention tube and the second check ball opening cavity.

This invention relates generally to transfer hose, and more particularly a safety system hose for a fluid conduit. Transfer hose are often used to deliver compressed gases such as hydrogen, oxygen and propane. During use of the hose, the transfer hose may inadvertently become severed, split or rupture. Most hoses, upon failure, will allow product to continue to be expelled until manually shut-off. Another problem, is whipping of the hose which can cause injury. During the failure, the hose may also be leaking hazardous fumes into the surrounding environment. The fumes may cause sickness or even be explosive.
One prior art attempt to solve the problem uses an attachment of an exterior cable to the length of the hose. This does not, however, stop the flow of product. Other devices may eliminate whipping and also check the flow of product. However, their design typically may also prematurely check the flow during normal operation.
There is a need within the art to provide a hose that stops the flow of product and eliminates whipping without prematurely checking flow during normal operation.


A radio terminal (100) according to a present invention stores a handover threshold in association with an application being executed, when the communication quality of the application is degraded, the handover threshold being based on a piece of radio state information equivalent to that at a time when the communication quality is determined to be degraded. The radio terminal (100) stores the amount of variation of the radio state information in association with the radio communication system. The radio terminal (100) executes handover to a different radio communication system on the basis of the radio state information, the stored handover threshold and the stored amount of the variation.

In recent years, an environment for a radio communication device to simultaneously use multiple radio communication systems of different communication schemes has been developed by a wide spread of radio communication technologies. For example, a study has been carried out to provide a radio communication device configured to be connectable to both cdma2000 n×evolution-data only (EV-DO), which is one of standards in the 3rd generation mobile system, and a wireless LAN system which is compliant with IEEE802.11 or the like.
Such a radio communication device connectable to multiple radio communication systems monitors a communication quality such as the state of a radio signal (RSSI, for example) or the throughput, the radio signal received from a radio base station currently connected to the radio communication device. The radio communication device is able to execute a handover to a radio base station in a different radio communication system before the communications in execution are cut off due to deterioration in the communication quality. (For example, Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: JP-A 2004-561996 (pages 11 to 12, FIG. 5)


Xenon gas is added from a small-sized Xe gas cylinder (15) to the excimer laser gas inside a chamber (10) supplied from an Ar/Ne gas cylinder (13) and an Ar/Ne/F2 gas cylinder (14), the xenon gas proportion is detected by an Xe gas sensor (16), and the supply of the xenon gas supplied to the chamber (10) from the Xe gas cylinder (15) is controlled by a gas controller (18).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ultraviolet laser apparatus that seals a gas for ultraviolet laser in a chamber and excites the gas for ultraviolet laser by oscillating pulses in the chamber to oscillate a pulsed laser, and to a gas for ultraviolet laser, and particularly to an ultraviolet laser apparatus and a gas for ultraviolet laser to which xenon gas is added to improve laser output in terms of the burst and spike phenomena.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in aligners, which use an excimer laser device as a light source, IC chips are exposed on a semiconductor wafer by alternately repeating the exposure and the movement of a stage. To that end, conventional ultraviolet laser apparatuses perform burst operations which repeat a consecutive pulse oscillation operation that consecutively oscillates a prescribed number of laser beam pulses and an oscillation stop for stopping the pulse oscillation for a prescribed time interval.
FIG. 6(a) is a diagram that plots the relationship between energy and burst number when burst operations are conducted with a conventional excimer laser apparatus. As plotted in this diagram, in burst operations with the excimer laser apparatus, the initial energy is high, and thereafter the energy gradually declines. This characteristic is hereinafter called the xe2x80x9cburst characteristic.xe2x80x9d
FIG. 6(b) is a diagram that plots the relationship between pulses and energy in each burst. As plotted in this diagram, initially in the consecutive pulse oscillation operation, comparatively high energy is obtained, and thereafter the pulse energy gradually declines. This characteristic is hereinafter called the xe2x80x9cspike characteristic.xe2x80x9d
Thus, when burst operations are conducted using a conventional excimer laser apparatus, such a burst characteristic and spike characteristic will ordinarily occur.
However, if a burst characteristic appears in the laser output oscillated by an excimer laser apparatus, a problem arises in that the exposure amount varies due to fluctuation in the energy of each burst.
Furthermore, if a spike characteristic appears in such laser output, the exposure amount precision will decline further, which is problematic because of the necessity then of conducting complex discharge voltage control.
In other words, conventionally, complex discharge voltage control has been necessitated because of measures taken to prevent initial energy rise due to the spike phenomenon, varying the discharge voltage pulse by pulse, so as to make the discharge voltage (charging voltage) small in the first pulse of the consecutive pulse oscillation in the burst mode, and then make the discharge voltage gradually larger in pulses thereafter.
In view of these facts, an extremely important issue is that of how to efficiently cancel out burst and spike characteristics in laser outputs when an ultraviolet laser apparatus is operated in burst mode.
Art for adding xenon gas into elemental neon gas is disclosed in xe2x80x9cTransmission Properties of Spark Preionization Radiation in Rare-Gas Halide Laser Gas Mixesxe2x80x9d appearing in IEEE JOURNAL OF ELECTRONICS, Vol. 31, No. 12, December, 1995, pp 2195-2207. However, this conventional technology is nothing more than the technology for making spark pre-ionization intensity large, and is not the technology for canceling burst and spike characteristics in ultraviolet laser output.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to efficiently improve ultraviolet laser outputs in terms of burst and spike characteristics, and to make it possible to enhance and stabilize laser outputs.
To achieve the object stated above, an invention relating to a first aspect of the invention is an ultraviolet laser apparatus for sealing a gas for ultraviolet laser in a chamber, and exciting that gas for ultraviolet laser by effecting pulse discharges in that chamber to oscillate a pulsed laser, wherein a prescribed quantity of xenon gas at a prescribed concentration is supplied to the gas for ultraviolet laser in the chamber, and the burst phenomenon and spike phenomenon appearing in the ultraviolet laser output are reduced.
Thus, with the first aspect of the invention, a prescribed quantity of xenon gas at a prescribed concentration is supplied to the gas for ultraviolet laser in the chamber, and the burst and spike phenomena appearing in the ultraviolet laser output are cancelled out, wherefore the ultraviolet laser output can be enhanced, and that output stabilized, simply, without recourse to complex control.
An invention relating to a second aspect of the invention comprises a xenon gas cylinder wherein is sealed xenon gas for supply to the inside of the chamber, detection means for detecting the concentration of the xenon gas added to the gas for ultraviolet laser inside the chamber, and control means for controlling the quantity of the xenon gas sealed in the xenon gas cylinder that is supplied to the chamber, based on the xenon gas concentration detected by the detection means.
Thus, with the second aspect of the invention, provision is made for detecting the concentration of the xenon gas added to the gas for ultraviolet laser inside the chamber, and for controlling the quantity of xenon gas sealed in the xenon gas cylinder that is supplied to the chamber, wherefore, by merely providing a conventional ultraviolet laser apparatus with a xenon gas cylinder, detection means, and control means, the ultraviolet laser output can easily be enhanced and that output stabilized.
An invention relating to a third aspect of the invention is a gas for ultraviolet laser used in an ultraviolet laser apparatus that excites gas for ultraviolet laser sealed inside a chamber to oscillate a pulsed laser, which gas for ultraviolet laser at least contains xenon gas of a prescribed concentration.
Thus, with the third aspect of the invention, the gas for ultraviolet laser is configured so as to at least contain, besides a halogen gas, xenon gas of a prescribed concentration. Therefore, merely by supplying this gas for ultraviolet laser to the inside of the chamber, the ultraviolet laser output can easily be enhanced and that output can also be stabilized.
An invention relating to a fourth aspect of the invention is the gas for ultraviolet laser described above, containing xenon gas at 200 ppm or lower.
An invention relating to a fifth aspect of the invention comprises xenon gas adsorption means for causing xenon gas to be adsorbed in the chamber wherein xenon gas has not been adsorbed on the surface of the walls therein, and verification means for verifying that the concentration of xenon gas inside a chamber reaches a prescribed concentration when the xenon gas absorption means have caused xenon gas to be adsorbed on the surface of the walls inside that chamber, and xenon gas has been supplied in such quantity that the concentration of the xenon gas inside the chamber will reach the prescribed concentration.
Thus, with the fifth aspect of the invention, sufficient xenon gas is caused to be adsorbed on the surface of the walls inside the chamber, beforehand, in cases where use is made of a chamber having no xenon gas adhering to the surface of the walls therein, such as a chamber newly fabricated and assembled, for example, or reassembled after maintenance treatments such as decomposition and cleaning after being used for a laser. Following thereupon, when xenon gas is supplied inside the chamber in sufficient quantity that the prescribed concentration will be attained, this xenon gas is added to the laser gas without adsorption to the surface of the walls inside the chamber. Hence the concentration of the xenon gas inside the chamber will reach the prescribed concentration. As a consequence, even if a newly assembled or reassembled chamber is used, the concentration of the xenon gas at the initial stage of use will reach the prescribed concentration, and, when conducting burst operations, the burst phenomenon and spike phenomenon appearing in the ultraviolet laser output can be reduced.
In an invention relating to a sixth aspect of the invention, the prescribed concentration for the xenon gas inside the chamber exceeds 0 ppm but is no greater than 200 ppm.
In an invention relating to a seventh aspect of the invention, the xenon gas absorption means comprises xenon gas supply means for supplying xenon gas to the inside of the chamber, the verification means comprises concentration measurement means for measuring the concentration of the xenon gas inside the chamber, and the supply of xenon gas by the xenon gas supply means is stopped when xenon gas has been supplied to the inside of the chamber by the xenon gas supply means and the concentration of the xenon gas inside the chamber as measured by the concentration measurement means has reached a prescribed concentration.
Thus, with the seventh aspect of the invention, xenon gas is supplied beforehand to the inside of a chamber wherein xenon gas does not adhere to the surface of the walls therein. When the concentration of the xenon gas inside the chamber has been measured and the xenon gas concentration has reached the prescribed concentration, the supply of xenon gas to the inside of the chamber is stopped. Following thereupon, when a sufficient quantity of xenon gas is supplied to the inside of the chamber so that the prescribed concentration is attained, that xenon gas is added to the laser gas without being adsorbed to the surface of the walls inside the chamber. Hence the concentration of the xenon gas inside the chamber will reach the prescribed concentration. As a consequence, even when a newly assembled chamber or reassembled chamber is used, the xenon gas concentration will reach the prescribed concentration in the initial state of use, whereupon, when burst operations are conducted, the burst phenomenon and spike phenomenon appearing in the ultraviolet laser output can be reduced.
In an eighth aspect of the invention, the xenon gas ad sorption means comprises xenon gas supply means for supplying xenon gas to the inside of the chamber, the verification means comprises energy measurement means for measuring the laser energy value when laser pulses are oscillated, xenon gas is supplied to the inside of the chamber by the xenon gas supply means and laser pulses are oscillated, the laser energy value after a prescribed number of pulses has been oscillated as measured by the energy measurement means is measured, and the supply of xenon gas by the xenon gas supply means is stopped when the laser energy value after the prescribed number of pulses has been oscillated has ceased to decrease.
Thus, with the eighth aspect of the invention, xenon gas is supplied beforehand to the inside of a chamber wherein xenon gas is not adsorbed on the surface of the walls therein. Laser pulses are oscillated, and, when it has been detected, by a measurement device, that the laser energy value in a prescribed number of pulses has ceased to decrease, the supply of the xenon gas by the xenon gas supply means is stopped. Following thereupon, when a sufficient quantity of xenon gas is supplied to the inside of the chamber so that the prescribed concentration is attained, that xenon gas is added to the laser gas without being adsorbed on the surface of the walls inside the chamber. Hence the concentration of the xenon gas inside the chamber will reach the prescribed concentration. As a consequence, even when a newly assembled chamber or reassembled chamber is used, the xenon gas concentration will reach the prescribed concentration in the initial state of use, whereupon, when burst operations are conducted, the burst phenomenon and spike phenomenon appearing in the ultraviolet laser output can be reduced. Based on the invention relating to claim 8, moreover, xenon gas concentration can be accurately measured without providing a concentration detection device.
In a ninth aspect of the invention, the xenon gas adsorption means comprises xenon gas supply means for supplying xenon gas to the inside of the chamber, the verification means comprises voltage measurement means for measuring the discharge voltage value when laser pulses are oscillated, xenon gas is supplied to the inside of the chamber by the xenon gas supply means and laser pulses are oscillated, the discharge voltage value after a prescribed number of pulses has been oscillated as measured by the voltage measurement means is measured, and, when the discharge voltage value after the prescribed number of pulses has been oscillated has ceased to increase, the supply of xenon gas by the xenon gas supply means is stopped.
With the ninth aspect of the invention, xenon gas is supplied beforehand to the inside of a chamber wherein xenon gas does not adhere to the surface of the walls therein. Laser pulses are oscillated so that the laser output light energy is made constant. When it has been detected by a measurement device that the discharge voltage value in a prescribed number of pulses has ceased to increase, the supply of xenon gas to the inside of the chamber is stopped. Following thereupon, when a sufficient quantity of xenon gas is supplied to the inside of the chamber so that the prescribed concentration is attained, that xenon gas is added to the laser gas without being adsorbed on the surface of the walls inside the chamber. Hence the concentration of the xenon gas inside the chamber will reach the prescribed concentration. As a consequence, even when a newly assembled chamber or reassembled chamber is used, the xenon gas concentration will reach the prescribed concentration in the initial state of use, whereupon, when burst operations are conducted, the burst phenomenon and spike phenomenon appearing in the ultraviolet laser output can be reduced. Based on the invention relating to claim 9, moreover, xenon gas concentration can be accurately measured without providing a concentration detection device.
In a tenth aspect of the invention, the xenon gas adsorption means comprises flushing means for flushing the inside of the chamber with xenon gas, the verification means comprises supply means for supplying prescribed quantities of xenon gas to the inside of the chamber and measurement means for measuring the concentration of the xenon gas inside the chamber, and, when a prescribed quantity of xenon gas has been supplied by the supply means, flushing is repeatedly performed by the flushing means until the concentration of the xenon gas inside the chamber reaches the prescribed concentration.
Based on the tenth aspect of the invention, the inside of a chamber wherein xenon gas is not adsorbed to the surface of the walls therein is flushed with xenon gas. After that, a sufficient quantity of xenon gas is supplied to the inside of the chamber so that the prescribed concentration is attained. If the xenon gas concentration inside the chamber does not reach the prescribed concentration, flushing with xenon gas is repeated. When the xenon gas concentration inside the chamber does reach the prescribed concentration, flushing is terminated. Hence the xenon gas concentration inside the chamber will reach the prescribed concentration. As a consequence, even when a newly assembled or reassembled chamber is used, the xenon gas concentration will attain the prescribed concentration in the initial stage of use, and, when burst operations are conducted, the burst phenomenon and spike phenomenon appearing in the ultraviolet laser output can be reduced. Furthermore, if xenon gas of high concentration is introduced during flushing, the time required for causing xenon gas to be adsorbed to the surface of the walls inside the chamber can be shortened.
In an invention relating to claim 11, flushing by the flushing means is performed while or before and/or after the surface of the walls inside the chamber is subjected to a gas for ultraviolet laser passivation process.

Ultraviolet laser apparatus and gas for ultraviolet laser