A method for providing a perfectly flat top with a sharp edge on a dynamic pressure sensor using a cup-shaped stretched membrane as a sensing element. First, metal is deposited on the membrane and surrounding areas. Next, the side wall of the pressure sensor with the deposited metal is machined to a predetermined size. Finally, deposited metal is removed from the top of the membrane in small steps, by machining or lapping while the pressure sensor is mounted in a jig or the wall of a test object, until the true top surface of the membrane appears. A thin indicator layer having a color contrasting with the color of the membrane may be applied to the top of the membrane before metal is deposited to facilitate the determination of when to stop metal removal from the top surface of the membrane.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to measurement of pressure fluctuations in a high speed boundary layer along a test surface, and specifically to a method for making a stretched membrane in a dynamic pressure sensor fit precisely flush with a test surface so fluid flow along the test surface is not disturbed by the membrane or its edges.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known pressure sensor, the sensing element is a thin stretched membrane, which is displaced from its equilibrium position in proportion to an incident time-varying pressure. The deflections of the membrane can be measured by several known transducer methods, for instance by electronic measurement of variations in capacitance between the membrane and a fixed electrode. A stretched membrane pressure sensor has the advantages of superior acoustic impedance match to air and low surface mass density, so it provides high sensitivity to applied pressure variations and low sensitivity to mechanical vibrations.
A stretched membrane can be made by starting with an oversized flat membrane that is prestressed in a fixture while the center of the membrane is bonded to the top surface of the pressure sensor body. After the membrane is bonded to the pressure sensor body, the pre-stress fixture is removed, and the edges of the membrane are cut flush with the edges of the pressure sensor body. If the bond is by use of an adhesive, it is possible to get a flat membrane that can be fitted flush with a test surface through a hole in the test surface. This design has the disadvantage that the dynamic characteristics of the pressure sensor depend severely upon the strength of the adhesive bond, which deteriorates with aging and temperature cycling and is subject to creep. Bonding a prestressed flat membrane by brazing or welding has been attempted, but it has proven difficult to obtain an accurately flat membrane when such bonding methods are used.
A stretched membrane can also be made by stretching a slack membrane after it is mounted on the pressure sensor body. A known design starts with a cup-shaped membrane, which is fitted over the top of a tubular pressure sensor body, whereafter the side wall of the cup-shaped membrane is brazed or welded to the side wall of the pressure sensor body. Finally, a thin-walled tube fitting inside the tubular pressure sensor body is pressed against the inside of the membrane to produce the desired pre-stress in the membrane. This design provides stretched membrane with an accurately flat top surface, but the membrane will always have a rounded edge, so the flat membrane surface cannot extend all the way to the outside wall of the pressure sensor body. This design accordingly causes a gap between the edge of the mounting opening and the flat part of the membrane, which destroys the continuity of the test surface.
In cases where pressure variations in a high speed boundary layer along a test surface are to be measured, it is imperative that surface discontinuities resulting from pressure sensor mounting do not exceed the roughness of the test surface. Even minute pressure sensor misalignment can lead to measurement errors, premature transition to turbulence, or other disruptions of the flow. None of the known pressure sensors can provide both perfectly flush mounting and freedom from creep and aging in the measurement accuracy.

Method for making a dynamic pressure sensor and a pressure sensor made according to the method

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


The invention intends to provide an electronic component mounting adhesive that can inhibit cracks and peelings in an electronic component mounting structure obtained by joining electronic components each other from occurring and an electronic component mounting structure obtained by joining electronic components with such an electronic component mounting adhesive. In an electronic component mounting structure, a first circuit board and a second circuit board are bonded with an electronic component mounting adhesive. Here, the electronic component mounting adhesive is obtained by dispersing metal particles having the melting temperature Mp lower than the glass transition temperature Tg of a cured material of a thermosetting resin in the thermosetting resin.

Among electronic component mounting structures where an electronic component such as a semiconductor chip or a circuit board and another electronic component are joined, there is one where electrodes are each other electrically and mechanically bonded via a solder and, simultaneously, the both electronic components are strongly bonded by a cured material of a thermosetting resin thermally cured in a space between the both electronic components. In such an electronic component mounting structure, even when a large temperature variation is imparted by the heat cycle test, an entire cured material of the thermosetting resin can receive the thermal stress generated owing to the difference of the linear expansion coefficients of the both electronic components; accordingly, concentration of the thermal stress on a joining surface of the electrodes can be avoided. In this case, the thermosetting resin works as an electronic component mounting adhesive that bonds the both the electronic components. The thermosetting resin is, when the electrodes of the both electronic components are connected each other or after the electrodes are connected each other, fed between the both electronic components and thermally cured.
[Patent literature 1] JP-A No. 2006-169395
[Patent literature 2] JP-A No. 2004-323777

Electronic components mounting adhesive and electronic components mounting structure


An m-bit shift register stores data to be sent that are generated by a data generator 1 bit at a time sequentially. An orthogonal M sequence generator generates an M sequence with the m bits of data to be sent that are stored in the shift register as an initial value, then generates an orthogonal M sequence from that M sequence. A clock signal generator generates a clock signal of frequency 2m times the data rate of the data to be sent. The orthogonal M sequence generator operates in accordance with that clock signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device and method for spreading and encoding of data signals. More specifically, it relates to a device and method for spreading and encoding of data signals by the CDMA method in wireless communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile communications are coming into widespread use. The communication methods that are used include FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access), TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). Among these, CDMA is attracting considerable attention as a standard next generation communication method.
In CDMA, by using a characteristic PN (Pseudo Noise) sequence for each user, it becomes possible for a plurality of users to share the same frequency simultaneously. On the sending side, the data to be transferred are multiplied by a PN sequence that has a faster frequency than the transferred data and then output. This spreads a bandwidth of the sending frequency band. That is to say, the spectrum is spread. On the receiving side, the transferred data are reproduced by multiplying the received data by a PN sequence that is the same as the PN sequence that was used on the sending side. The transferred data cannot be reproduced correctly by multiplying the received data by any PN sequence that is different from the PN sequence that was used on the sending side.
CDMA has the following characteristics. First, since a plurality of users share the same frequency at the same time, the number of user channels in a unit bandwidth can be increased. Second, since the sending frequency has a broad bandwidth, the effect of fading is slight. Third, since the data cannot be correctly reproduced unless the same PN sequence is used on the sending side and the receiving side, secrecy is maintained in the conversation.
However, since wireless frequency resources are (frequency bandwidth is) limited, as the number of mobile communications users increases, the number of channels in a unit bandwidth tends to increase. When the number of channels in a unit bandwidth thus increases, it becomes more difficult to correctly reproduce the transferred data on the receiving side. An error correcting code is frequently used to deal with this problem. An error correcting code adds a redundancy of the data to the data to be transferred.
Error correcting codes are sometimes used in CDMA. An existing encoder that provides an error correcting code in CDMA is shown in FIG. 1. The convolutional encoding section 501 is one form of error-correcting encoder. That is to say, the convolutional encoding section 501 provides redundancy to the data to be sent which are generated by the data generator 502. The convolutional encoding section 501 executes, for example, Hadamard encoding. In Hadamard code, the convolutional encoding section 501 has, for example, a shift register that stores the data to be sent while shifting the data one bit at a time, and a Walsh sequence generator that generates Walsh sequences. The spreading section 503 multiplies the output of the convolutional encoding section 501 by a PN sequence.
The error correcting code and the spreading code that are provided in CDMA are described in detail in references 1 and 2. In references 1 and 2, this method is called the LROCC (Low Rate Orthogonal Convolution Code).
Reference 1: Andrew J. Viterbi xe2x80x9cVery Low Rate Convolutional Codes for Maximum Theoretical Performance of Spread-Spectrum Multiple-Access Channelsxe2x80x9d, IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, Vol. 8, pp. 641-649 May 1990.
Reference 2: R. F. Ormondroyd and J. J. Maxey xe2x80x9cPerformance of Low-Rate Orthogonal Convolution Codes in DS-CDMA Applicationxe2x80x9d IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, Vol. 46, pp. 320-328 May 1997.
When an error correcting code and spreading code are provided in CDMA, until now, as shown in FIG. 1, the section that executes error correcting encoding and the section that executes spreading have been independent of each other. For this reason, there is the problem that the scale of the circuitry becomes large.
As noted above, an error correcting code provides redundancy to data, so the amount of data that are actually transferred is increased, and the bandwidth is essentially spread. Consequently, even when the data are not multiplied by a PN sequence as in the example shown in FIG. 1, the data are spread. However, as discussed in reference 2, if only an existing type of error correcting encoder (in reference 2, a convolutional encoder equipped with an Hadamard encoder) is used and PN sequence multiplication processing is not executed, a peak is produced in the spectrum of data that are sent.
A peak in the spectrum causes the following problem. In CDMA, the secrecy of conversation is increased by making it appear as though the transferred data are noisy, but when a peak is produced in the spectrum, it becomes a source of interference, leading to a deterioration in the error rate. In addition, the equipment on the receiving side generally is configured so that an amplifier is used to amplify the received signal and then the desired signal is extracted; when a peak occurs in the spectrum, that peak is faithfully reproduced, making it necessary to have high priced equipment.
The purpose of this invention is to provide a device and a method to generate spread code data that will maintain good secrecy in conversation without increasing the scale of the circuitry or requiring high priced components.
The spread encoding device of this invention spreads data to be sent. It includes an m-bit shift register that stores the data to be sent, and a spreading unit for generating an M-sequence of which the period is 2mxe2x88x921, using the m bits of data to be sent that are stored in the shift register as an initial value, for generating an orthogonal M-sequence, and for outputting it as the spread sequence of the data to be sent.
In the configuration described above, the data to be sent are stored in the shift register sequentially, 1 bit at a time or several bits at a time. Then, every time new data to be sent are input into the shift register, the spreading unit generates an M-sequence using the m bits of data to be sent stored in that shift register as the initial value. Consequently, the data to be sent are spread by a factor of 2m at the same time that they are convolutionally encoded.
The spread encoding device of another embodiment of this invention includes an m-bit shift register that stores the data to be sent; a storing unit for storing a channel identifier that identifies a communication channel to which the data to be sent are assigned; and a spreading unit for generating an M sequence of period 2(m+n)xe2x88x921 with the m+n bits of data consisting of the m bits of data to be sent that are stored in the shift register and the n bit channel identifier that is stored in the storing unit as an initial value, for generating an orthogonal M sequence from that M sequence, and for outputting the orthogonal M sequence as the spread sequence of the data to be sent.
In the configuration described above, if the channel identifiers are different, then even if the m bits of data to be sent that are stored in the shift register are the same, a different orthogonal M-sequence will be generated. Consequently, the receiving device that receives the spread sequence that is generated by this spread encoding device can identify the user who sent the data.


A gradient magnetic field generation apparatus according to the present invention comprises a gradient coil, an assistant voltage selector for generating first and second control signals in accordance with an input waveform signal, the first control signal being the same as or similar to, the input waveform signal, a delay circuit for delaying the first control signal for a first delay time, a delay circuit for delaying the second control signal for a second delay time, a main power for amplifying the delayed first control signal and applying a voltage to a gradient coil, an assistant power for generating an assistant voltage for assisting the main power in accordance with the delayed second control signal, and a delay controller for individually controlling the first and second delay times.

The present invention relates to a gradient magnetic field generation apparatus adapted for use in an magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and generating a gradient magnetic field for spatially sloping a magnetic field intensity.
In recent years, a very high speed imaging method typical of an EPI (Echo Planar Imaging) method has being put to practical use. Here, the problem with the method is that it is difficult to enable a very strong gradient magnetic field to rise or decay at a very high speed. It is required that, for example, the EPI method, being compared with an ordinary spin echo method, have its magnetic field intensity increased by a factor of 2 to 3 and its rise time shortened by about 1/3 to 1/10.
In order to meet these requirements, an assistant power is used as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. During a rise period, the main power, together with an assistant power, sharply raises the magnetic field.
In addition to this method, a method is also designed to raise the gradient magnetic field through the utilization of the resonance of a high frequency coil and capacitor. This method can raise the gradient magnetic field with a waveform approximate to a sinusoidal or spiral waveform.
Here, as the gradient magnetic field rising method use is made of a constant slew rate control method for enabling a rise to be achieved at a constant slope as shown in FIG. 5 and a constant rise time control method for achieving a rise at a constant time as shown in FIG. 6. The constant rise time control is characterized in that calculation, etc., becomes simpler at an oblique time but that a circuit arrangement becomes more complicated than the constant slew rate control method. That is, in order to effect constant slew rate control, the output voltage of the assistant power is not varied but, in order to effect constant rise time control, must be varied in accordance with a target coil current.
Thus, the apparatus of FIG. 1 cannot perform constant rise time control. As shown in FIG. 7, therefore, a plurality of assistant powers HV1, HV2 and HV3 are prepared and, through a combination with these assistant powers, a necessary assistant voltage is usually obtained.
In order to vary the assistant voltage to effect the constant rise time control, the problem arises as will be set out below.
1) It is necessary to initially determine the level of the assistant voltage required for the coil current to rise to a largest level with a given rise time. Further, when the level of the assistant voltage is to be determined in real-time, the starting of the assistant power will be delayed behind the main power by a time required for this calculation. PA1 2) The delay time for electric current to actually flow through the gradient coil with respect to the input timing of an input waveform signal will vary, by the restricted frequency characteristic of the main power (linear amplifier), depending upon the assistant voltage. PA1 3) The variation of the delay time in 2) becomes greater depending upon the variation of the response characteristics of a plurality of semiconductor switches for varying the arrangement of the circuit. PA1 4) The switching of one of the semiconductor switches from ON to OFF and that of another semiconductor switch from OFF to ON are done while involving their transient responses of the order of a few microseconds. For this reason, if these switchings are done at a time, then the assistant power becomes dead shorted. PA1 a gradient coil; PA1 means for generating first and second control signals in accordance with the input waveform signal, the first control signal being the same as, or similar to, the input waveform signal; PA1 a delay circuit for delaying the first control signal by a first delay time; PA1 a delay circuit for delaying the second control signal by a second delay time; PA1 a main power for amplifying the delayed first control signal and variably applying a voltage to the gradient coil; PA1 an assistant power for generating an assistant voltage for assisting the main power in accordance with the delayed second control signal; and PA1 delay control means for individually controlling the first delay time and second delay time. PA1 a gradient coil; PA1 a main power for variably applying a voltage to the gradient coil in accordance with the input waveform signal; PA1 a plurality of assistant powers each generating an assistant voltage for assisting the main power, the assistant voltage being varied in a step-like manner in accordance with a corresponding combination with the assistant powers; PA1 a plurality of switches provided for changing the combination of the assistant powers; PA1 means for generating control signals for supply to the switches, there being a variation in the response times of the switches to the control signals; and PA1 at least one delay element provided at least one of the switches so as to compensate for the variation. PA1 a gradient coil; PA1 a main power for variably applying a voltage to the gradient coil in accordance with the input waveform signal; PA1 a plurality of assistant powers each generating an assistant voltage for assisting the main power, the assistant voltage being varied in a step-like manner in accordance with a combination of these assistant powers; PA1 a plurality of switches provided for varying a combination of the assistant powers; and PA1 means for generating a plurality of control signals relative to the switches, the switches being placed in an OFF state when the control signal is at a first level and in an ON state when the control signal is at a second level, wherein PA1 when a first one of the plurality of switches is switched from an OFF to an ON state and a second switch is switched from an ON to OFF state in synchronism with the first switch, the control signal generating means delays a timing for changing the control signal relative to the first switch from a first to a second level behind a timing for changing the control signal relative to the second switch from the second level to the first level. PA1 a gradient coil; PA1 a main power for variably applying a voltage to the gradient coil in accordance with an input waveform signal; and PA1 a plurality of assistant powers each generating an assistant voltage for assisting the main power; and PA1 a plurality of switches, wherein PA1 a circuit including the gradient coil, assistant powers and switches is so configured as to, through the changing of a combination of those ON switches, select an assistance and no assistance of the main power by the assistant powers, combination of those assistant powers assisting the main power and polarities of the assistant voltages.

Gradient magnetic field generation apparatus for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus


In a vehicle wherein a functional part arranged in a body cover is supported by a body frame and a lid which makes it possible to lock a closed state covering the functional part can be openably fitted to the body cover in a position matching the functional part. Thus, the risk of undesirable tampering with the unlocking member is to be minimized and the risk for the unlocking member to be influenced by external disturbance such as unfavorable weather is to be avoided as far as possible. A cover member in which a lid is arranged in a secluded position is openably disposed on a body cover, and an unlocking member for releasing the lid from the locked state is disposed on the body cover so as to be covered by a cover member in a closed state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle in which a functional part arranged in a body cover is supported by a body frame and to which a lid for enabling a closed state for covering and locking the functional part is openably fitted to the body cover in a position matching the functional part. More particularly, to the improvement of the arranging structure for an unlocking member for releasing the lid from the locked state.
2. Description of Background Art
A configuration in which fuel tank, as a functional part, is disclosed in JP-A No. 227658/1999 wherein the fuel tank is arranged on the low floor part of a scooter type vehicle with a lid for covering the fuel refill cap. The fuel tank is fitted to the body cover with a keyhole for inserting a key to unlock a locking mechanism for locking the lid in a closed state that is arranged in the vicinity of the lid in a position overlooking the outer face of the body cover.
However, if part of an unlocking member provided with a keyhole is arranged with part of the unlocking member overlooking the outer face of the body cover as in the conventional configuration mentioned above, it will be subject to undesirable tampering. Moreover, it is required to configure the unlocking member to have sufficient durability to stand even under the influence of external disturbances such as unfavorable weather.

Unlocking member arranging structure for vehicles


An electric front derailleur is provided with a base member, a movable member, a driving unit and a controller. The base member includes a bicycle mounting portion. The movable member moves with respect to the base member. The controller selectively operates the driving unit with one of a first mode which moves the movable member between a first end position and a second end position, and a second mode which moves the movable member between a third end position and a fourth end position. The controller operates the driving unit to selectively position the movable member at first, second and third stop positions while in the first mode. At least one of the third and fourth end positions differs from the first and second end positions. A first distance between the first and second stop positions differs from a second distance between the second and third stop positions.

Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an electric front derailleur for a bicycle. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electric front derailleur that can be used with bicycles having different speeds, including bicycles with two chain rings and bicycles with three chain rings.
Background Information
Generally, a front derailleur is mounted to the bicycle frame adjacent to the chain rings or front sprockets to shift a chain laterally between the chain rings. A front derailleur includes a base or fixed member that is non-movably secured to the bicycle frame. A front derailleur further includes a movable member or chain guide that is movably supported relative to the base member such that the movable member moves between at least two lateral shift positions to shift the chain between the chain rings.


Apparatuses and methods for tapping serial communications and transforming the serial data into a format appropriate for routable networks are significant for purposes of security and troubleshooting, especially in critical infrastructure networks. Communication taps should be completely passive such that any failure would not interrupt the serial communications. Furthermore, automatic determination of unspecified serial protocol frames allow general implementation across various networks, or across devices within a single network, without the need to customize for each implementation.

Critical infrastructure networks still utilize serial communications because of the presence and reliance on legacy systems and because of the slow speed at which the industries upgrade their technology. Because of the electrical, environmental, and operational requirements, traditional IT security and troubleshooting solutions are often unsuitable in these critical systems. For example, many of the legacy devices in critical infrastructure networks cannot support the relatively high computational burden of traditional security and troubleshooting solutions. Furthermore, the security and troubleshooting system cannot introduce any new points of failure in the network. In order to secure these critical infrastructure networks, there is a need for systems and methods of sending serial traffic onto a routable network, where it could be centrally monitored, without adding computational overhead or new points of failure to critical infrastructure networks.

Serial communication tapping and transmission to routable networks


The invention relates to a novel solid heat exchanger module containing a plurality of heat exchanger tubes having a particular shape and being arranged in a special manner.

Heat exchangers are among the most important components in the field of process engineering. They can serve different purposes, in particular cool, heat or even dry a wide variety of substrates. Heat exchangers are often distinguished by the nature of the substrates to be treated, namely, whether they are gases, liquids or solids. While gases and liquids have excellent flow characteristics, this is just not true for solids. In order to be able to subject solids to a heat exchange without melting them, they must be free-flowing. Therefore, only those substances come into consideration, which have a particle size distribution, which let these substances trickle, slip or slide or which can be milled accordingly by crushing steps.
Basically, the treatment of such free-flowing bulk materials from the perspective of the plant manufacturer is particularly ambitious, since with diameter and shape of the substrates plugging of the plants can occur at any time. Conventional solid plates heat exchangers must also be operated with purified heat or cooling media to prevent blockage of the exchangers. This makes the process more expensive, especially since vapors are usually used for the heating, which must first be condensed and cleaned.
Heat exchangers for free-flowing bulk material are sufficiently known from the prior art. Thus, for example, international patent applications WO 2007 128104 A1 and WO 2013 163752 A1 and European Patent Application EP 2995898 A2 (SOLEX) describe systems in which the drying of the bulk material, which is applied over a large feed area following the force of gravity, takes place by means of parallel organized heat exchange plates. The disadvantage here is that the bulk material passes through the heat exchange zones much too quickly, so that the system requires a serious height in order to achieve sufficient heat exchange.
A very similar module with the same disadvantages is the subject of Canadian Patent Application CA 2851781 AA (SOLEX). A combination of parallel arranged heat exchanger tubes and plates is the subject of two patent applications CA 2857852 AA and US 2016 025417 AA (SOLEX).
However, it should be noted that when it comes down to its volume, plate heat exchanger compared to tube bundle heat exchangers exhibit a broader heating area, but a poorer heat exchange, since the bulk material is not mixed as in the tube-bundle heat exchanger from one row of tubes to the next.
From DL 19643699 C1 (BABCOCK) a shaft cooler is known, in which the bulk material following the force of gravity trickles on a baffle plate and then passing a bar grate on an array of staggered cooling tubes with a square profile. The heat exchanger is characterized in particular by the fact that it has no solid wall in the region of the cooling tubes, but the outside cooling tubes are provided with wings that are inclined in the direction of the cooler interior, so that the bulk material cannot fall out. This solves the problem that the walls cannot distort due to contact with the hot bulk material and partially block the cooler. However, this construction is very complicated and also disadvantageous because the cooler is not completed and, therefore, emissions are emitted to the environment without control.
An alternative shaft cooler is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,620 (KAYATZ). The bulk material trickles over bundles of heat exchanger coils to the outlet.
The subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,673 (PAVLOV) is a heat exchanger for cooling ore slags, but in which no cooling tubes but cooling coils are used. A similar device with a heating coil is disclosed in DE 10 2009 054 354 B3 (SORG); However, this plant refers to dewatering and heating mixtures for the manufacture of glass.
From an engineering point of view, however, it would be preferable using water vapors instead for the heating of water, which in turn is then used as a heat exchange liquid, using them for heat exchange. In this way, the heat could be used directly and a heat exchange at a higher level can be achieved. So far, however, this fails because the vapors in the exchanger partially condense, which can lead to corrosion damage, caking and clogging, which then lead to significant downtime for maintenance, repair and cleaning.
The object of the present invention has therefore been to provide heat exchangers for solid free-flowing bulk materials which are free from the disadvantages described above.
In particular, the components should have high efficiency, i.e. compared to the state of the art an improved heat exchange performance, be easy to be adapted to bulk materials with a variety of trickle properties, be easy in maintenance and installation and allow the use of different heating or cooling media, in particular unpurified vapors.


In an image data server, a preview data generation unit generates preview data corresponding to image data, and a transmission controller transmits the preview data to a computer system in an image receiver apparatus. In accordance with another possible application, the preview data is not generated by the image data server, but is generated by a computer system in an image transmitter apparatus, which transmits the image data to the image data server, and transmitted to the image data server. In the computer system in the image receiver apparatus, a display controller causes the contents of the preview data to be displayed on the screen of a monitor. The user determines whether or not the image data corresponding to the displayed preview image is required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for transmitting data between apparatuses respectively connected to a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Facsimile and E-mail are known means for transmitting image data between apparatuses respectively connected to a telephone communication network, the Internet, or an intranet.
These known means transmit image data irrespective of the intentions of a receiver, and do not allow the receiver to selectively receive only the required image data. The image data generally has an extremely large data capacity. In the case where the transmitted image data is not required, such data transmission wastefully consumes the communication resources as well as the resources in the receiver, such as printing paper (in the case of facsimile) and the data storage area (in the case of E-mail).


A nonvolatile memory device includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and a variable resistor interposed between the first and second electrodes. The variable resistor has a critical voltage, and a resistance-voltage characteristic of the variable resistor is switched at a voltage higher than the critical voltage, so that a resistance of the variable resistor is higher at a read voltage applied after the switching of the resistance-voltage curve than at a read voltage applied before the switching of the resistance-voltage curve. Methods of operating a nonvolatile memory device include setting a plurality of write voltages higher than an initial critical voltage, assigning respective data values to states in which a resistance-voltage characteristic is switched at the write voltages, setting a read voltage lower than the initial critical voltage, and reading the data values by measuring current flowing through the variable resistor in response to the read voltage.

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and methods of operating the same, and more particularly, to nonvolatile memory devices and methods of operating the same.
In recent years, due to the increased demands for semiconductor devices applicable to various fields, a vast amount of research has been conducted on memory devices that are capable of meeting various requirements, such as large capacity, small size, high speed, low power consumption, and high integration density.
For example, ferroelectric random access memory devices (FeRAMs), magnetic RAMs (MRAMs), and ovonic unified RAMs (OUMs) have been proposed as advanced nonvolatile memory devices. An FRAM, which uses spontaneous polarization of ferroelectric materials, has potential advantages of low power consumption and high-speed operation. However, the FRAM can have high fabrication costs and can have relatively poor data retention characteristics. An MRAM is a ferromagnetic tunneling device using a giant magneto-resistive (GMR) effect. The MRAM can consume relatively high power for magnetization switching and can have certain technical limitations on increasing the degree of integration. A phase-change RAM (PRAM), such as an OUM, can consume a relatively high amount of power for switching a current.
In order to address some issues of the above-described RAMs, a resistive RAM (RRAM) using an electric pulse induced resistive (EPIR) effect has been proposed. The RRAM can reduce power consumption and/or increase the degree of integration, and its resistance can vary within a relatively wide range, which may permit realization of multi-bit storages.
A conventional EPIR device uses a variable resistor having a Perovskite structure based on a network of oxygen-octahedrals centering on 3d-transition metallic elements, more specifically, Pr1−xCaxMnO3 (hereinafter referred to as a PCMO), La1−xCaxMnO3, La1−xSrxMnO3, Gd0.7Ca0.3BaCO2O5+5 and the like. It has been said that of these materials, PCMO having a composition close to x=0.3 may show a wide range of resistance value variation. However, forming a PCMO layer having a uniform Perovskite structure is difficult, and fabrication of the variable resistor should not be followed by a process performed at a high temperature (e.g. 400° C. or higher) because one or more properties of the variable resistor may be changed by the high temperature. Further, it is known that a decrease of resistance can require a pulse of 1 to 100 μs and a voltage of 0.5 to 10 V, and an increase of resistance can require a pulse of 10 to 1000 ns and a voltage of about 1.5 to 2.5 times the voltage required by the decrease of resistance.

Nonvolatile memory devices using variable resistors as storage elements and methods of operating the same


The present invention relates generally to a firearm storage device adapted to store at least one object, including but not limited to a firearm. A housing of the present invention attaches to a support arm located upon a lower support surface. The housing includes a mounting shell wall and a locking shell wall that pivots away from the mounting shell wall to allow access to the contents of the housing. Inside the housing, a support finger engages the interior of the barrel of a firearm to orient the firearm in a manner that provides a user with access to the grip of the firearm. The housing also locks to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the contents of the housing. The housing also releases from the support arm to allow a user to utilize the housing as a secure device to transport an object.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a firearm storage device for securely storing and carrying a firearm. The present invention adds additional safety to the user by preventing unauthorized access to the firearm. In addition, the present invention allows easy access to authorized users of the firearm.
In the event an intruder enters the home of a firearm owner, the known firearm storage devices prevent an authorized user from easily accessing the firearm. The known firearm devices that prevented such easy access of the firearm rendered the firearm nearly useless during emergency situations when a firearm is needed quickly.
Firearm owners desire to safely and securely store their firearms. Firearm owner also desire to have their firearms loaded and readily accessible in the event of an intruder, especially at night.
II. Description of the Known Art
The Known Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,432 ("the '432 patent") issued to Owens, Jr. on Feb. 3, 2004 teaches a bed mattress system including a bed mattress apparatus, a security container having an interior portion, means for accessing the interior portion of the security container, and a moveable flap operable for covering the means for accessing the interior portion of the security container. The security container taught by the '432 patent is operable for holding items disposed within the interior portion of the security container. The '432 patent teaches the security container 82 being preferably disposed within the bed mattress 80 such that the opening 88 of the security container 82 is substantially adjacent to an edge 90 of the bed mattress 80. Optionally, the security container 82 may include a plurality of openings 88 and may be disposed within the bed mattress 80 such that the plurality of openings 88 of the security container 82 are substantially adjacent to a plurality of edges 90 of the bed mattress 80. The security container 82 is disposed within the bed mattress 80 such that an individual sleeping or sitting on top of the bed mattress 80 may readily access the opening 88 of the security container 82 and the contents thereof. The security container 82 is also disposed within the bed mattress 80 such that the security container 82 provides edge support for an individual sleeping or sitting on top of the bed mattress 80.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,292,960 ("the '960 patent") issued to Bowling teaches a concealed safe for concealment of firearms and other valuables therein, the safe being sized and shaped to replace a bed box-springs. The safe taught by the '960 patent includes a top surface to support a mattress of a bed, a bottom surface to engage a supporting floor, a plurality of exterior side walls and corners being sized and shaped to support a mattress bed. The safe taught by the '960 patent includes an internal storage cavity bounded by interior walls a lower floor. The safe taught by the '960 patent includes side wall openings through at least one of the exterior side walls and through respective interior walls, into which one or more drawers can be inserted into the storage cavity. Each drawer taught by the '960 patent is lockable and concealed from view when inserted into the safe in a concealed position, and each drawer is extendable outwards from the storage cavity into an exposed position. A rolling means supports each drawer and allows each drawer to be moved along at least one pair of roller tracks positioned on an interior wall within the storage cavity, providing a user ease of opening and loading each drawer in the exposed position, and allowing closing each drawer to the concealed position into the concealed safe that is hidden under a mattress and appears as a bed box-springs.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,370 ("the '370 patent") issued to Engel on Feb. 20, 2007 teaches a gun safe that includes a computer system and is readily located and used by a home owner under the darkness of night. The safe taught by the '370 patent permits a loaded ready-to-use firearm to be stored and accessed safely and quickly. The safe door opens silently and uses motive power provided by gravity. The safe door will open only when the safe correlates biometric data of an individual with biometric data stored in the memory of the computer system used to operate the safe. The '370 patent teaches that the safe is mounted in one of a group consisting of the floor, the wall, the ceiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,888 ("the '888 patent") issued to Towns on Jun. 7, 1994 teaches a device for attachment to a bed frame for the receipt of articles therein having a receptacle with a closed end and an open end, a door fastened to said open end, a lock attached to the door so as to fix a position of the door with respect to the receptacle, a clamp attached to a forward end of the receptacle so as to affix the receptacle to the bed frame, and a support connected to a back end of the receptacle so as to support the receptacle above a surface. The clamp taught by the '888 patent is a mounting bracket affixed by a bolt to the receptacle. An area between the receptacle and the mounting bracket of the invention taught by the '888 patent engages corresponding surfaces of the bed frame. The receptacle taught by the '888 patent has a top surface, a base, a pair of sides, and a pair of ends extending upwardly relative to the base. The support of the '888 patent is an extendible leg fastened to a rear end of the receptacle so as to support the receptacle in a generally level condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,545 ("the '545 patent") issued to Krozal on May 12, 1992 teaches a holster mount having a bracket with a horizontal plate placed between a box springs and a bed frame. A vertical plate of the invention taught by the '545 patent extends upward between the springs and the bed frame. A support plate of the invention taught by the '545 patent extends upward from the vertical plate, offset by a spacer away from the box springs. In addition, the '545 patent teaches a specially designed holster that includes a flap and a pair of snaps that pass through a pair of holes in the support plate to connect the holster to the bracket. The snaps taught by the '545 patent are spaced far enough apart to allow the holster to be mounted on a typical belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,442 ("the '442 patent") issued to Keenan on Jul. 24, 1984 teaches a pistol holster bracket for supporting a pistol in its holster on the side of a bed. The holster bracket taught by the '442 patent has a member which slides between the mattress and a box spring and an upstanding vertical member with an angled element for receiving the belt loop of a holster. The angled element of the '442 patent has an angle of sufficient degree to tilt the holster to a position where the pistol is easily accessible by a person lying in bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,501 ("the '501 patent") issued to Eddy on Nov. 20, 1984 teaches an elongated first stiff panel that provides and includes a second panel supported from one end thereof by an integral "living hinge". The second panel taught by the '501 patent has a plurality of bores formed therethrough arranged in a circular pattern wherein each bore has a corresponding diametrically opposite bore in the pattern of bores. A bar overlies one side of the second pattern and includes opposite end bores formed therethrough registrable with diametrically opposite bores formed in the second panel and fasteners are removably secured through the bores in the opposite ends of the bar and corresponding diametrically opposite bores formed in the panel. The fasteners of the invention taught by the '501 patent are removable and the bar may be angularly displaced and resecured to the second panel in adjusted angular position relative thereto about an axis disposed normal to the second panel and passing through the center of the aforementioned circular pattern. At least the center portion of the bar is spaced from the opposing side face of the second panel in order that a portion of the support loop of a gun holster may be passed between the bar midportion and the opposing second panel. The first panel is equipped with longitudinally and transversely spaced bores or apertures through which attaching fasteners may be secured in order to mount the first panel against a suitable support surface. The '501 patent teaches that the first panel 12 may be inserted between the box spring 42 and mattress 44 at one end of a bed and that the handgun 32 within the holster 30 supported from the holder 10 is supported in "ready" position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,342 ("the '342 patent") issued to Prinz on Oct. 15, 1991 teaches a security box or a container assembly designed to be secured to the undersurface of a table, counter, bed frame, or like structure so as to extend beneath the undersurface in a substantially out-of-sight location and specifically adapted to hold a handgun or other applicable weapon, valuables or medication in a readily accessible location for easy removal once a cover of the container is opened. To mount the container under a bed, a mounting structure taught by the '342 patent is removably attached to the bed frame so as to support the container in the preferred out-of-sight location beneath the bed in a somewhat cantilevered fashion. The '342 patent also teaches that mounting to other surfaces, such as under a table or counter top can be achieved by securing the top of the container to the mounting surface in such a manner as to be out of the general line of sight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,088 ("the '088 patent") issued to Cislo on Apr. 23, 1991 teaches an apparatus to lock a handgun within a compartment while the compartment is readily lockable to a stationary object using a clip. The compartment taught by the '088 patent is only accessible by authorized persons to unlock a latch to open the compartment. The latch can be lighted to allow entry at night. The apparatus also serves to carry the handgun and can subsequently be used to so secure the handgun at another location.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,930 ("the '930 patent") issued to Henson on Jun. 11, 1985 teaches a pistol mounting bracket for mounting a pistol holster of the type having a pistol receiving pouch and a belt loop attached to the pouch for securing the holster to the body of a wearer onto a bed. The mounting bracket of the invention taught by the '930 patent has a support arm which is adapted to be fitted under the bed mattress and a holding arm connected to the support arm and depending therefrom in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of the support arm. The holding arm of the invention taught by the '930 patent has a connecting end fixed to the support arm and an opposite flange end adapted to be slidingly received within the belt loop of the pistol holster.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,148 ("the '148 patent") issued to Jones on Aug. 21, 1984 teaches a pair of brackets positioned on opposite sides or opposite ends of a mattress and interconnected by a strap or the like which is disposed between the mattress and box spring or other mattress support; at least one of the opposing brackets being fitted with a holster support bar which is vertically adjustable utilizing a plurality of apertures in the bracket and conventional means of attachment such as bolts and nuts or other fasteners. The holster support bar taught by the '148 patent fits through the belt loop of a belt-type holster or within the clip of a clip-on holster which is held in position adjacent to the mattress.
Nothing in the known art provides a firearm storage device that securely stores a firearm to prevent unauthorized access of the firearm while allowing easy access of the firearm to authorized users.
In light of the known art, a need still exists for a firearm storage device that allows easy access to the firearm in emergency situations. In addition, a need continues to exist for a firearm storage device that provides the benefit of easy access while preventing unauthorized users from accessing the firearm.
Thus, it may be seen that these known patents are very limited in their teaching and utilization, and an improved firearm storage device is needed to overcome these limitations.


A high-voltage electrical insulator (21) for electrically insulating a thermoelectric module (17) in a spacecraft from a niobium-1% zirconium alloy wall (11) of a heat exchanger (13) filled with liquid lithium (16) while providing good thermal conductivity between the heat exchanger and the thermoelectric module. The insulator (21) has a single crystal alumina layer (SxAl.sub.2 O.sub.3, sapphire) with a niobium foil layer (32) bonded thereto on the surface of the alumina crystal (26) facing the heat exchanger wall (11), and a molybdenum layer (31) bonded to the niobium layer (32) to act as an oxygen permeation barrier to preclude the oxygen depleting effects of the lithium from causing undesirable niobium-aluminum intermetallic layers near the alumina-niobium interface.

This invention relates to electrical resistors and in particular to an electrical insulator operating at high temperature, the insulator having an alumina crystal with a niobium face sheet bonded thereto and being subjected to the effects of molten lithium.
The present invention was made in connection with the development of a thermoelectric power generator for use in space vehicles. In general, the hot side of a thermoelectric cell is attached to the wall (made of Nb or Nb-1% Zr) of a heat exchanger through which molten lithium circulates in a closed loop from a nuclear reactor. The cold side of the thermoelectric cell is attached to the wall (also of Nb or Nb-1% Zr) of another heat exchanger through which liquid lithium circulates in a second closed loop to a radiator that rejects heat into space. Lithium is used in the heat exchangers because of its favorable mass, specific heat and viscosity. Its frozen condition during launch provides safety advantages. After insertion into the required orbit, the lithium distributed through the system is thawed by a heat pipe network that derives its heat from the reactor.
The nominal hot side temperature of the thermoelectric cell is approximately 1350K, and the cold side temperature is approximately 870K. Typically, the cell will develop a 100 volt potential.
The thermoelectric module of the cell must be insulated electrically from the heat exchangers which are at spacecraft ground potential, yet must be in good thermal contact with them. Accordingly, an insulator material must be placed between the thermoelectric module of the cell and the heat exchanger which has the somewhat contradictory properties of high electrical resistivity and a sufficiently high thermal conductivity so as not to represent a significant parasitic temperature drop from the heat exchanger to the thermoelectric module. Furthermore, these properties must remain stable for at least the design life, seven years, in a fairly hostile environment, at high vacuum, in temperatures up to 1350K and with voltage drops of up to 100 V applied continuously across the insulator.
In the development of a suitable insulator that would meet the above requirements, four ceramic materials were identified as having suitable promise: polycrystalline Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, BeO, BN and single crystal alumina (SxAl.sub.2 O.sub.3, sapphire). Of the polycrystalline materials, only BeO and BN continued to show promise. Polycrystalline Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, when tested under the proposed operating conditions, demonstrated catastrophic breakdown of insulation resistance at relatively short lifetimes. BN has a low coefficient of thermal expansion, which precludes it being bonded to Nb or Nb-1% Zr. Single crystal alumina was found to be the best material. It exhibited more than sufficient electrical resistivity. Its stability with respect to either electrochemical or thermochemical degradation as judged from accelerated tests at 1573K was excellent and appeared to be adequate to enable it to serve for more than the required seven years.
The single crystal alumina insulators had a face sheet of niobium (Nb) diffusion bonded thereto, such face sheet being needed to enable the insulators to be physically attached to the wall of the heat exchanger and to provide good thermal conduction between the heat exchanger and the alumina crystal. Niobium foil was used for the face sheet because niobium can be easily and strongly bonded to sapphire and has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is very close to that of sapphire.
However, the evaluations of the single crystal alumina insulators were carried out in the absence of lithium (Li), and there was some suspicion that thermochemical degradation might occur faster when lithium was present than when it was absent. In particular, J.D. Selle and J.H. DeVan had reported in "The Reduction of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 in Niobium-Lithium Systems at 1000.degree. C.," Oak Ridge National Laboratory report ORNL/TM-5828; Chem.Abst. 88:139, 927t (1977), published July 1977, the formation, at temperatures of the order of 1000.degree. C. or higher, of Nb.sub.x Al.sub.y intermetallics at the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 //Nb interfaces in Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 sandwich structures, where a thin layer of Nb separates Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 from liquid Li. The same effect occurs if the Nb is replaced by a Nb alloy such as Nb-1% Zr.
Tests were then performed on insulator specimens in which the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 was a sapphire single crystal incorporated in either a four-layer sandwich structure, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 //Nb//Nb-1% Zr//Li, with 0.13 mm thick Nb foil and 0.75 mm thick Nb-1% Zr layer, or in a five-layer sandwich, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 //Nb//V//Nb-1% Zr//Li, which also included a 0.05 mm thick layer of vanadium. Tests were carried out, some at 500 hours and some at 1000 hours, at temperatures of 1373K, 1474K, and 1573K. The Selle-DeVan Nb.sub.x Al.sub.y layers were observed in the Nb layer in all specimens.
These intermetallic layers are very undesirable in an insulator for the present purposes, because the layers have a high thermal resistance, and the brittleness of the layers can result in fractures along the layers with consequent mechanical failure of the insulator.

Electrical insulator assembly with oxygen permeation barrier

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


Techniques and solutions for performing automatic client-side configuration of network services is described. For example, a host can determine a location where the host is located. The host can obtain a list of locations containing providers of the network service. The host can obtain network service providers based on the list. For example, the host can first obtain providers from the same location and then from other locations as needed. In some implementations, the domain name system (DNS) is used to lookup available providers of the network service. For example, the DNS system can be used to provide information about available providers that is specific to the location of the host running the network service client and/or based on other criteria (e.g., based on a type of network, such as a network fabric, associated with the host).

Networks, such as public and/or private networks, can be large and complicated. For example, the network architecture of a large company may span many locations, such as data centers, cities, states, countries, and continents. Furthermore, the network architecture of a large company may be divided into a variety of different structures, each of which may provide different services external and/or internal to the company.
Configuring network services to operate efficiently within such a network can be a difficult task. In some solutions, network services are configured statically (e.g., using a static configuration file). While use of a static configuration may be appropriate in some situations, it can also result in inefficient configuration of network service clients. For example, a client in a particular network location may be configured to communicate with servers in a different location (e.g., a location that is not in close network proximity to the client) even though there are servers which are closer network-wise, which can result in increased network traffic and reduced performance of the network service.


A reconfigurable exhaust system provides selective positioning of exhaust gas treatment devices either near, or spaced from, the exhaust gas outlet port of a turbine of a turbocharged Diesel engine. In some embodiments, auxiliary air or a heat exchanger are arranged to cool the exhaust gas when required.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to an exhaust system having a controllably variable flowpath for exhaust gas circulation, and more particularly to the use of such a system to control exhaust gas flow through regenerable exhaust gas treatment devices.
2. Background Art
Worldwide emissions regulations slated for introduction in the near future impose very stringent emissions regulations. The Tier 2 regulations in the United States require that Diesel vehicles have the same ultra-low emissions levels as spark ignited vehicles. Moreover, Tier 3 requirements, which phase in for different engine levels over the next three years call for a 40% reduction in NOx (oxides of nitrogen) from the Tier 2 levels now in existence.
Various combustion modes, directed to addressing both in-cylinder (engine-out) and exhaust gas treatment device requirements, have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,554, issued Mar. 31, 1998 to Shizuo Sasaki, et al. for an EXHAUST GAS PURIFICATION DEVICE FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE describes a method by which the normal fuel lean operating mode of an engine is switched to a rich premixed charge compression ignition, more accurately and preferably referred to as premixed controlled compression ignition (PCCI), combustion mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,639 granted Aug. 17, 1999 to Shizuo Sasaki, et al. for INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE describes an alternative method for lowering the combustion temperature, i.e., low temperature combustion (LTC) to minimize smoke generation during rich, or near rich, combustion. LTC and PCCI combustion are alternative combustion modes which normal Diesel lean combustion can be transitioned to during engine operation.
Perhaps of most concern to the Diesel engine market are the proposed very tight future reductions in terms of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions. One of the most promising technologies for NOx treatment is NOx adsorbers, also known as "lean NOx traps." Diesel particulate filters, also known as Diesel particulate traps, and lean NOx traps are the most likely, at least in the foreseeable future, means by which emissions will be reduced. Lean NOx traps and Diesel particulate filters need to be regenerated periodically to restore their efficiencies. The regeneration of lean NOx traps is usually done by providing reductants, such as CO and HC under oxygen-free conditions. A regenerated lean NOx trap not only adsorbs NOx emissions, but also adsorbs sulfur carried in the exhaust gas stream. Sulfur removal (desulfation) must be undertaken at a temperature above 600° C. under oxygen-free conditions, i.e., combustion of a stoichiometric or richer air/fuel ratio. Under typical Diesel lean combustion operation, such very high temperatures cannot normally be obtained except under very high load conditions. Diesel particulate filter regeneration is carried out by oxidizing soot and other particles "trapped" in the Diesel particulate filter at a high temperature and a lean air/fuel ratio.
Frequent lean NOx trap (LNT) regeneration is necessary when the engine-out NOx is high, for example, when operating under high loads, but frequent generation at higher loads can cause the temperature of the LNT to increase rapidly. The rapid temperature increase results from the exothermic reaction associated with the rich combustion products carried in the exhaust that are used to regenerate the LNT. Diesel particulate filters (DPF) also require high temperature to be regenerated. When the LNT is located downstream of the DPF, the exothermic reaction taking place in the DPF during regeneration will result in an increase in the outlet exhaust gas temperature of the DPF. The LNT inlet exhaust gas temperature is therefore also increased. When the temperature of the LNT increases above a critical temperature, as a result of the frequent regeneration of the LNT or the regeneration of the DPF, the absorption efficiency of NOx by the LNT is very low and tailpipe NOx emissions accordingly are high.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the problems set forth above with respect to the critical temperature requirements associated with catalyzed and other exhaust gas aftertreatment device operation and regeneration. It is desirable to have an exhaust system in which LNTs, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts, and like regenerable exhaust gas treatment devices can be optimally positioned within the exhaust system to provide efficient operation over a wide range of engine operating conditions and regeneration requirements. It is also desirable to have a flexible exhaust system in which the exhaust gas flowpath can be selectively varied to control regeneration temperatures to meet differing operation and regeneration requirements. It is also desirable to have a method by which LNT temperature can be managed for the best efficiency during cold start, regeneration and DPF regeneration. It is also desirable to have an exhaust system and method of temperature control by which unregulated emissions can be reduced by management of the exhaust gas temperature passing through various components of the exhaust system.

Exhaust system and method for controlling exhaust gas flow and temperature through regenerable exhaust gas treatment devices


An interlock system for a lawn and garden tractor or similar vehicle includes a PTO switch having off, on and momentary on positions and connected to a latching relay to provide PTO operation in reverse if the switch is moved to the momentary on position prior to the vehicle being shifted into reverse. Once the vehicle is operating in reverse with the PTO activated, the operator can release the switch from the momentary on position and the PTO will remain activated. However, once PTO operation has been interrupted for any reason, the PTO can be reenergized only after reverse operation has been stopped and the PTO switch has been moved to the off position.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lawn and garden tractors or similar vehicles with an attachment driven by a controllable tool drive or power take off (PTO), and more specifically to an interlock circuit for such a vehicle.
2) Related Art
Vehicles such as some lawn and garden tractors with PTO driven attachments include an interlock circuit with several functions including the prevention of PTO operation when the vehicle is placed in reverse. Under certain conditions, operation of the PTO while the vehicle is in reverse is necessary. Various override systems have been proposed for this purpose, but most are difficult or inconvenient to operate. For example, one type of available override system on a mower allows PTO operation when the vehicle is backing up, but only after the PTO is automatically disconnected during the shift into reverse. Another type requires the operator to continuously push a switch during reverse operation. Providing an interlock circuit with an override feature that is simple, convenient, reliable and easy to connect to existing interlock circuitry has been a continuing source of difficulty.

Lawn and garden tractor interlock circuit


A method includes providing identifying information for a customer premises communication device to a provider network, wherein the customer premises communication device is a node of a customer premises network. The method may further include registering a communication channel between the customer premises communication device and the provider network. In addition, the method may include receiving at least one service alert message from the provider network using the communication channel. The type of service alert message is selected based on the customer premises communication device.

Telecommunications providers currently provide multiple services, including cable television, Internet, and mobile telephone services, to their customers. In some instances, individual customers may receive combinations of these multiple services from a single telecommunications provider. The telecommunications providers manage relationships with their customers using customer accounts that include the multiple services.

Service alert messages for customer premises communication devices


An exercise device is formed of inelastic, fixed length, substantially rigid straps connected in a T-shaped configuration so as to define an anchor member and two support members. An anchor loop is fixed to the outer end of the anchor member for securing a weighted member thereon or for securing to various stationary objects. A hand grip is coupled to the outer end of each support member such that the user must exert additional effort during various exercises to maintain proper position of their hands relative to one another.

Currently, there exist only a couple of pieces of basic exercise equipment that allow for rotational plane exercises. The most popular being a medicine ball with a rope attached to it. The premise of this system is that the individual holds onto the rope with their hands and swings the ball in whatever rotational plane they desire. When the rotational plane is reversed, a plyometric contraction takes place as the body employs antagonistic muscles to reverse the rotational forces.
The device can also be used in a manner that allows the ball to strike a solid body like the ground or a solid wall. This action allows for the rapid deceleration of the weight and assists the individual in changing the direction of rotation without having to retard the velocity using muscular force. This allows for the individual to rapidly disengage the agonist muscles and engage the antagonist muscles without the need to slowly decelerate the movement first with muscle resistance.
Although this system is an effective way of developing core muscles and creating explosive muscle contractions, it is limited in the following ways. First, the rope is a singular extension from the medicine ball which allows the rope to be held only in a manner similar to holding a baseball bat. This causes the forces that act on the rope to pivot at the top of the griping hand closest to the medicine ball. Since the rope is flexible and incapable of transferring the forces further past the pivot point of the closest hand, the further hand offers no assistance in inducing or retarding any forces created once the medicine ball is put in motion. This creates an asymmetrical action, where only one arm is truly being exercised. This in turn causes the core to be utilized in an asymmetrical fashion that could potentially lead to over use injuries.
Second, the rope is directly tied to the medicine ball. This causes binding of the rope as the ball spins around its own axis of rotation. This binding causes torque forces to travel the rope. This torque force can work against the grip of the user and can dramatically limit the life of the product.
Third, the functionality of the system is limited to dynamic rotational exercises. The only exercises that can be conducted statically involve suspending the ball from the rope and using muscle force to fight gravity in the opposite direction. This means that the system only allows for resistance directly upwards from the ground. Add to this that only one arm truly assists in this movement and the static exercises are extremely limited.
Fourth, the rope system causes extreme friction to the hands of the user causing extreme discomfort from both friction and the binding forces from the leverage point created at the end of the grip. This is typically compounded by the fact that users will wrap the rope around their hand to give extra gripping ability. This causes the rope to exert an enormous squeezing force across the metacarpals that could lead to serious injury.
Finally, this system utilizes a fixed weight. The rope is permanently affixed to the medicine ball. This means that anyone wanting to utilize a larger or smaller weight must purchase an entirely separate unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,896 by Hetrick discloses one example of an exercise device using two inelastic straps connected to respective hand grips in which the straps are commonly anchored to a suitable anchor which is secured to a stationary object. The user can thus perform various exercises but is generally limited to exercises working against the stationary object or using their own body weight as resistance.

Exercise device for supporting weight from hand grips using straps


A vertical-axis wind turbine for use with an electrical generator for producing power by converting the energy of wind currents into mechanical rotational energy which is then used to operate the electrical generator. In an embodiment, a rotor is responsive to wind currents by imparting rotation upon a central vertical shaft. Preferably, the rotor is designed with functional curved surfaces for efficient operation.

Wind as a source of energy is a concept that has been promoted for some time. According to one source, there is evidence which shows that windmills were in use in Babylon and in China as early as 2000 B.C. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted patents on windmill devices dating back to the early to mid 1800's.
Generally, in the art, wind turbines have either a vertical or horizontal axis. Typically, most or all of commercial wind turbines today are built with a propeller-type rotor on a horizontal axis (i.e., a horizontal main shaft) in order that they may face directly into a wind. It is generally known that most horizontal axis turbines built today are two or three-bladed, although some have fewer or more blades. The purpose of the rotor is to convert the linear motion of the wind into rotational energy that can be used to drive a generator.
Worldwide interest in renewable energy options, however, has given rise to a significant increase in new wind turbine designs. Some of the most recent models on the market, therefore, are vertical axis wind turbines ("VAWTs"). Vertical-axis wind turbines are typically of a long axis type, allowing large columns of air to be harnessed.
There exist two main types of VAWTs—the Savonius turbine which is a high speed, low torque turbine and the Darrieus turbine, which is a low speed, high torque turbine. Generally, the Darrieus turbine resembles an egg beater, where two vertically oriented blades revolve around a vertical shaft. Generally, the Darrieus models use an airfoil design so that a wind turbine airfoil essentially works in the same way as an airplane wing so that an airfoil has a flat side and a curved side. The result of air passing over the two sides is a force known as "lift." When an airplane speeds down a runway, air passing on both sides of the airfoil wings, the lift force literally lifts the airplane into the air. This will continue as long as there is forward motion over the airfoil to generate the required lift.


A water-like fluid containing safe water and a significant quantity of soluble dietary fiber. The resulting solution is generally optically clear and has physical properties similar to potable water. The fluid is intended as a replacement for bottled, or other water, as a means to ensure proper hydration. Depending on the soluble fiber used the fluid is either non-caloric or extremely low in calories. The amount of soluble fiber is adjusted to a specific amount of water so that consumption of an adequate amount of fluid ensures hydration (e.g., eight 8 oz. glasses per day) will also providing an optimal amount of dietary fiber. This is particularly valuable in stressed situations where the diet may not provide adequate fiber without supplementation. The constant metered supply of fiber provided throughout the day is preferable to, and more convenient than, “bolus” administration of fiber through laxatives, etc. Additionally, the constant presence of soluble fiber in the digestive tract provides the known beneficial effects of moderating the postprandial increase in blood glucose, modulating serum lipid levels, and suppressing appetite.

The present application concerns generally components of the human diet and more specifically water and fiber. Many of the major problems in human health revolve around which dietary components are truly essential for animal and human health and which components are merely hyped by various companies to sell product. A related problem is that of the accuracy of information regarding the appropriateness of a given food, nutrient or nutraceutical for a given individual. Certainly the "one size fits all" scenario is untrue when it comes to pharmaceuticals and nutrition. Further, the Federal Drug Administration has very little control over dietary supplements so that companies compete in making claims and launching new products, which may or may not be helping humans or animals that consume the products. New information constantly comes forth warning of potential interactions between herbal supplements, ethical pharmaceuticals and various disease states. The present inventor is concerned with providing a composition that can be extremely beneficial to humans and animals with few, if any, dangers or drawbacks. In the following description consumption by humans should also be taken to include consumption by domestic animals—primarily dogs and cats. While many of the concepts discussed are applicable to other animals, the digestive systems of herbivores, particularly ruminates, varies tremendously from that of humans. Therefore, the thrust of the present invention is towards carnivores and omnivores whose digestive systems more closely resemble those of humans.
One of the conundrums of human health is that dietary components, which may appear mundane are actually incredibly essential. One such vital component that is frequently overlooked, or given insufficient importance, is water. Although water is not metabolized, it is absolutely essential for metabolism. A majority of the weight of the body is water which serves as the solvent for the chemical reactions of life. Many living cells are more water than anything else. The various nutrients needed for cellular growth and survival enter the cells dissolved in water. After metabolism, the waste products are carried away by water, and death can occur in as little as three to five days without water.
It is generally agreed that the average person should consume at least eight, 8 oz. glasses of water per day—more if the individual is undergoing stress leading to an increased loss of water. Unfortunately, most people drink water, or appropriate hydrating drinks, only when they feel parched. Generally, they do not consume sufficient water to completely reverse dehydration. Further, this thirst response becomes even less effective as one ages. Older people are less likely to drink sufficient water and are more likely to suffer from dehydration. The reader's attention is drawn to "Problem: thirst, drinking behavior, and involuntary dehydration" by John E. Greenleaf (Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 24:645 (1992).
When the body is dehydrated, nutrients cannot be as readily delivered to the cells, nor can waste products be as readily removed. With dehydration viscosity of the blood is increased so that efficiency of circulation is decreased. Such impaired circulation can ultimately lead to vascular damage and disease. At the same time because the dehydrated body seeks to reverse this situation, more water is removed from the bowel. This causes excessive compaction and hardness of digestive residues with resulting constipation and potential accumulations of toxins in the bowel (which toxins may ultimately be absorbed into the blood stream). Further, there is abundant evidence that constipation may lead to cancer of the colon possible as a result of prolonged contact between cells of the colon and toxin laden feces.
Because of the dehydrated situation of the body, filtration of wastes by the kidneys is reduced resulting in an even more significant buildup of toxic or waste products in the circulation. These wastes can exacerbate vascular damage while the high osmotic level of the blood and the high level of waste products can actually result in kidney damage. Of course, damaged kidneys are even less able to remove wastes and toxins. This results in a "chain reaction" where even more toxins and wastes accumulate and the overall damage becomes greater and greater.
Adequate intake of safe water can the basic problems of dehydration. By "safe water" the inventor means water that meets the safety standards for drinking water promulgated by the federal and state governments in the United States. In other countries appropriate governmental entities set the standards for "safe water." However, even with an adequate intake of water constipation and the damage it engenders continues to be a significant problem. This is due, in a large part, to the life style and diet of our industrialized society. Even with adequate intake of water, it is important that the food consumed have adequate "roughage."
Unquestionably as a society, we are suffering from a deplorable lack of dietary fiber. We are constantly warned by the medical profession and other experts that this lack of fiber can, and does, kill. Our diets are replete with "empty" calories—refined foods loaded with fats and sugars—and contain few whole foods. When it comes to fiber many believe that a daily bowl of cereal is adequate. Our supermarkets and pantries are stuffed with brightly packaged prepared foods that are usually fiber-free or very low in fiber. The presence or absence of dietary fiber greatly influences one's ability to expel solid wastes. About one in 19 individuals in our society has a health condition that requires special attention. This makes the need for adequate fiber even more important to many of these individuals. Due to modern medicine's success in combating contagious diseases we are living longer. But can we live healthier with calorie-laden over processed refined foods that lead to obesity? People try to cure these problems with miracle diets and by consuming a number of supplements in an attempt to replace what refining has removed from food.
Fiber or "roughage" is a component of food that remains undigested as it passes through the gastrointestinal system. The vast majority of dietary fiber consists of polysaccharides of plant origin. The most obvious fiber is the cellulosic wall that surrounds plant cells. Many of these cells are actually called "fibers" hence the original name of this component. However, there are actually two forms of fiber: insoluble fiber—the classic cellulosic material, and soluble fiber—water soluble polysaccharides that are not digested by human or carnivore digestive systems. Both types of fiber bind considerable water and, thus, have a softening effect on the stool. However, soluble fiber may, depending on the precise polysaccharides involved, may be metabolized or partially metabolized by bacteria in the colon. Thus, soluble fiber may not have the same bulking effect on the stool. Both type of fibers tend to increase motility within the gastrointestinal tract thus speeding transit time of wastes and lowering the risk of colon cancer. Like water fiber is essential for human health and is not metabolized by humans.
It has been discovered that dietary fiber appears to moderate the rate at which sugars and fats are absorbed from the intestine. The exact reason for this effect is not completely understood. Perhaps the fiber somehow sequesters these materials and thus slows or prevents absorption. Perhaps by speeding the overall transit of material through the digestive tract, absorption is slowed. In the case of simple sugars slowed absorption translates to a more gradual rise in blood sugar following eating. This is likely important in the managing of diabetes and may also help prevent adult onset diabetes. In the case of fats, the fiber seems to help prevent damaging levels of cholesterol in the blood. This may be due to a binding of bile salts and cholesterol to the fiber so that these materials are excreted with the feces rather than being absorbed or reabsorbed. Adequate fiber clearly lowers the risk of heart disease. Further, fiber tends to bind toxic metals and other toxins so that they are safely removed from the digestive system.
In fact, it has been suggested that deficiency in dietary fiber is related to numerous disease states including colon cancer, heart disease, cerebral apoplexy, appendicitis, and diabetes. This is apart from those diseases more closely linked to constipation such as intestinal toxemia, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, diverticulitis, varicocele, and cholelithiasis (gall stones). It is believed that dietary fiber performs various useful physiological functions including reduction of serum cholesterol, limitation of insulin secretion, and acceleration of bowel evacuation. All these factors make fiber a very important nutritive substance, the sixth most important nutrient reported by some commentators, although it is not actually metabolized.
It would appear that any water-soluble non-metabolizable carbohydrate polymer could act as dietary fiber. It is important that no human enzymes are capable of hydrolyzing these polysaccharides into simple sugars that would readily absorbed so that the material would not provide a "fiber" effect. Preferentially, the polymers should also not be readily metabolized by bacteria common in the human gut because if bacteria do not metabolize them they will continue to provide a "bulking" effect. However some types of soluble fiber, like the carbohydrates of certain legumes, are metabolized by and do promote the growth of beneficial bacteria. This generally has a positive effect as the beneficial bacterial also tend to lubricate the stool and prevent the growth of other bacteria that may release toxins.
Soluble fiber comes from a wide range of plant sources. Water-soluble plant pectins and pectic materials, galactomannans, arabinogalactans and water-soluble hemicelulose can act as soluble fiber. Many plant "mucilages," gums, and soluble polysaccharides found in grains, seeds, or stems such as psyllium, guar, oat (beta glucans), astragalus (gum traganth), gum ghatti, gum karaya (Sterculia gum), and gum acacia are also soluble fiber. Algal polysaccharides such as agar or carrageenan also behave as soluble fiber as do other indigestible carbohydrates, such as maltodextrins or dextrins, produced by chemical or enzymatic digestion (e.g., partial hydrolysis) of starch, gums and other carbohydrate polymers. Soluble cellulosic ethers and other derivatives such as carboxymethy cellulose behave as soluble fiber as do indigestible carbohydrate polymers artificially prepared using bacterial enzymes. Non-digestible storage carbohydrates such as inulin are also important soluble fibers. A number of companies are now providing an entire range of "soluble fiber" materials. For example, TIC Gums of Belcamp, Md., Novartis Nutrition of Minneapolis, Minn. and Imperial Sensus of Sugar Land, Tex. provide soluble fiber compounds of food grade.
Soluble "fiber" is known to provide a novel opportunity for improving the characteristics of fiber-poor refined foods. Fiber was removed from food products because in many cases it made the foods coarse, unpalatable or difficult to process. Adding insoluble bran or other similar fiber to foods may provide more roughage but can also degrade the favorable properties of the foods. For example, cakes or pastries made from flours high in insoluble fiber may have inferior taste and texture. Excess insoluble fiber may upset the digestion and lead to a number of digestive problems. On the other hand, soluble fiber is generally well tolerated, often improves the texture or other physical characteristics of the food product and is generally innocuous. Consequently, there are a growing number of food products, ranging from baked goods to "shake-like" beverages, contain added fiber in the form of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber can restore the benefits of fiber to our highly refined diet.
There are a number of "medical" or laxative products on the market that are based on soluble fiber. Various different brands are based on psyllium seed carbohydrates or on soluble cellulose derivatives (e.g., carboxymethyl cellulose). These products are replete replete with sugas, dyes, artificial flavors, and artificial sweeteners. Generally, they do not comfortably fit into a "normal" diet. Usually they are powders that must be mixed with water to make a more or less thick, murky, slimy or even gritty solution. Further, their directions are rife with warnings such as "TAKING THIS PRODUCT WITHOUT ADEQUATE FLUID MAY CAUSE IT TO SWELL AND BLOCK YOUR THROAT OR ESOPHAGUS AND MAY CAUSE CHOKING. DO NOT TAKE THIS PRODUCT IF YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY IN SWALLOWING, IF YOU EXPERIENCE CHEST PAIN, VOMITING, OR DIFFICULTY IN SWALLOWING OR BREATHING AFTER TAKING THIS PRODUCT SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION."
Despite the tremendous benefits of soluble fibers such a warning points out that dry packaged soluble fiber products are not the safest way to obtain soluble fiber. Fluid ingestion is an important, even vital, part of consuming soluble fiber. Further such a warning makes it clear that a safe and effective means for administration of soluble fiber is still needed because many consumers routinely disregard label directions and warnings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.