A system and method for handling facsimile transmissions in a digital communications network, such as a GSM network. In general, the process includes first synchronizing incoming binary-coded facsimile information and then recording the degree of bit-rotation exhibited by the facsimile information. Segregated portions of the incoming facsimile information are identified as either a synchronization sequence, facsimile status information, or neither type. If a portion of the incoming transmission is identified as facsimile status information, any bit-rotated condition present in the portion is compensated for prior to further processing. In addition, once the incoming information has been synchronized, every time thereafter that a synchronization sequence or facsimile status information is identified in a portion of the incoming information, this event is used as an indication that the facsimile transmission is still in synchronization.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a system and process for handling facsimile communications in a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, and more particularly, to such a system and process that automatically synchronizes incoming facsimile information, detects a bit-rotated condition and recovers bit-rotated status frames in an unspecified GSM network.
2. Background Art
In the new mobile information age, the cellular phone is delivering more than just voice calls. It is being coupled with portable PCs to send and receive information on corporate intranets, the Internet and online services while on the go for increased productivity and efficiency. Mobile systems are evolving at a rapid pace to provide faster and more sophisticated communications capabilities. The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) digital cellular technology promises to deliver the robust platform and high-bandwidth needed to realize these sophisticated communications capabilities. For example, GSM technology makes the transmission and receipt of facsimiles over mobile phone systems a reality. The Global System for Mobile Communications technically refers to a standard created in 1987. Thirteen European countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding and agreed to the construction of a standardized telecommunications system. GSM, a digital, multi-cellular mobile telephone network system, was developed from this standard. In a GSM network, voice is converted into a coded digital signal, which is transmitted and decoded in the receiving GSM handset. Data and facsimiles are also transmitted digitally, currently at 9600 bps, although this data rate is likely to increase significantly in the near future. Originally, GSM was intended to be established only as a Pan-European system, but today has expanded into many other parts of the world, including to some extent the United States of America. Thus, GSM is rapidly becoming a world-wide network. GSM employs a small Subscriber Identity Module Card (SIM Card) that a user inserts into a GSM handset. These SIM cards contain information such as the user""s telephone number and billing data, among other things. This enables a user to travel anywhere in the world having a GSM system and receive phone calls and other data transmissions using their usual telephone number by simply inserting their SIM Card into an appropriate GSM handset. Essentially, this is accomplished via an international roaming feature whereby bilateral roaming agreements between service providers allow reciprocal access to each others network. Mobile users do not have to deal with various foreign dialing tones, access codes, country codes or incompatible hardware. Once a user turns on their GSM handset and logs onto the local network, the system finds them and routes all incoming calls and data transmissions to them just as if they were home. In regards to the handling of data transmissions over a GSM network, one of the primary ways in which this is accomplished is with the use of a conventional notebook PC, and a PC Card designed for GSM networks. The PC Card provides the necessary interface between the notebook PC and the GSM handset (and so the GSM network). Since a GSM mobile phone and a portable PC are both digital devices, a modem in the true sense of the word is not necessary. What is needed is Terminal Adapter Equipment (TAE) to translate between the different digital formats of the GSM phone and the PC, and to simulate an ordinary modem to the PC by sending signals such as a dial tone and busy tone. This is a primary function of the GSM PC Card, although not its only one.
The European Telecommunications Standard (ETS) standards document xe2x80x9cETS 300 538xe2x80x9d Second Edition, reference RE/SMG-0403045P, xe2x80x9cEuropean digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2); Technical realization of facsimile group 3 transparent (GSM 03.45)xe2x80x9d specifies a standardized xe2x80x9cfax adaptationxe2x80x9d communications interface used to send and receive group 3 facsimiles (faxes) using the GSM. Among other things, GSM 03.45 defines the following set of fax adaptation frames:
a) SYNC framexe2x80x94an adaptation frame explicitly designed to allow synchronization at the remote end, even in adverse transmission environments. This frame is a unique frame used even as an idle frame when there is no information to be sent over the radio path. The SYNC frames are 8 octet (i.e. byte) frames containing the following values (in hex notation) as specified by the ETS: xe2x80x9c3E 37 50 96 C1 C8 AF 69xe2x80x9d.
b) STATUS framexe2x80x94this frame is intended to carry both state identification codes and state specific information that collectively constitute facsimile transmission instructions. The STATUS frame has a unique structured format as shown in the following Table 1:
The IDENT octets are split into two 4-bit fields, each of which specifies the same state identification code for the status information. The duplication within each IDENT octet is done to mitigate the effects of noise in the bit stream. This is also one of the reasons for repeating of the IDENT and INFO octet pairs four times in each STATUS frame, along with facilitating synchronization checking. The state identification codes contained in the IDENT octets identify what type of state specific information is contained in the INFO octets. For example, an IDENT code 11 (in hex notation) indicates that the INFO octets contain a binary coded signal (BCS) under the ETS. The state specific information contained in the INFO octets can be commands, instructions, etc. For example, in the case of an incoming facsimile transmission, the state specific information may represent a standard facsimile control message used in connection with group 3 faxes. In reference to the state specific information, it is noted that the repetition of the above-described INFO octets in a STATUS frame also allows the incoming bit stream to be adapted to the conventional 300 bps rate associated with the standard facsimile control messages.
c) DATA framexe2x80x94this frame is fully unstructured and carries fax coded information (i.e. scanline data) when data is being passed.
In simplified terms, a typical facsimile transmission in a GSM network would involve a sending GSM unit initiating the transmission by sending a series of SYNC frames to a receiving GSM unit. The receiving unit would identify one or more of the incoming SYNC frames and use the frame(s) to synchronize the incoming transmission so that the individual SYNC, STATUS and DATA frames can be recognized in the incoming facsimile information and processed accordingly. In addition, the receiving unit transmits a series of SYNC and STATUS frames back to the sending unit. The sending unit uses these frames to synchronize the incoming facsimile information and recognize state specific information contained in the incoming STATUS frames. This information can include items such as the capabilities of the: receiving unit. For example, the receiving unit might relay the kinds of data compression it can employ/decode, its data transmission speeds, page sizes it can handle, etc. The sending unit would then transmit, among other things, STATUS frames that specify how the facsimile will be sent in view of the relayed capabilities of the receiving unit. Once the facsimile transmission ground rules are established, the sending unit will transmit the facsimile scan line data by transmitting a special sequence of alternating SYNC and STATUS frames which tell the receiving unit the next non-SYNC/STATUS frame is a DATA frame.
In the true-life realization of a GSM network, the aforementioned frames may be bit rotated from 0 bits to 7 bits. Thus, in order to send and receive facsimiles from any network in the world, there must be a provision for determining the degree of bit rotation in the incoming signal and interpreting the signal so as to synchronize the transmission and recognize the STATUS frame information. One way to accomplish this task would be to store all the bit-rotation patterns for every network in the world. For example, this information could be part of a look up table stored in a memory module of a GSM PC Card. However, such a scheme would have many drawbacks and so is not preferred. For example, this look-up table scheme would require the user to specify what network the handset is operating over via some kind of manual input, so that the system can xe2x80x9clook-upxe2x80x9d the bit-rotation pattern for that network and apply it to the incoming signal. The requirement for user input to send or receive facsimiles complicates the use of the system and is considered very undesirable. New GSM networks are also being formed at a rapid pace. This would require frequent updating or replacement of the GSM PC Card to add new network bit-rotation patterns to the look-up table. In addition, not all networks cause the same bit-rotation pattern to occur at all times. This would complicate the look-up table scheme in that some method would have to be employed to determine which one of various possible bit-rotation patterns was associated with the incoming signal. Further, if the bit-rotation pattern of the network was completely variable, then the look up table scheme would not work at all.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method to process potentially bit-rotated facsimile transmissions in a (GSM) network without knowledge of the bit-rotation patterns associated with the particular GSM network involved or the requirement for a user to input information about the network.
The above-described needs are realized with embodiments of the present invention directed to a system and method for handling facsimile transmissions in a digital communications network, such as a GSM network. In general, the preferred process includes first synchronizing incoming binary-coded facsimile information and then recording the degree of bit-rotation exhibited by the facsimile information. Segregated portions of the incoming facsimile information are also identified as either a synchronization sequence, facsimile status information, or neither type. If a portion of the incoming transmission is identified as facsimile status information, any bit-rotated condition present is compensated for prior to further processing. In addition, once the incoming information has been synchronized, every time thereafter that a synchronization sequence or facsimile status information is identified in a portion of the incoming information, this event is used as an indication that the facsimile transmission is still in synchronization. The foregoing process is performed by either a receiving unit receiving a facsimile or by a sending unit receiving facsimile information back from the receiving unit.
The aforementioned synchronizing step is accomplished by first searching the incoming facsimile information for either a non bit-rotated, eight-octet, synchronization sequence, or one of seven other bit-rotated, eight-octet, synchronization sequences. The seven bit-rotated sequences correspond to a version of the non bit-rotated sequence after it has been bit-rotated from one to seven bits, respectively. Specifically, the searching process involves comparing each octet of the incoming facsimile information to the octet occupying a prescribed octet location of each synchronization sequence. For example, assuming the eight octets of each synchronization sequence are sequentially designated by octet locations 0 through 7, the prescribed octet location could correspond to the first octet of each synchronization sequence, i.e. octet location 0. The searching process continues by detecting the first-occurring match between an octet of the incoming facsimile information and one of the compared synchronization sequence octets. The synchronization sequence associated with the matching octet is designated as the selected sequence. The remaining octets of the selected synchronization sequence are then compared to correspondingly located octets of the incoming facsimile information. For example, the remaining seven octets of the selected sequence could be compared to the next seven octets of the incoming facsimile information following the matched octet, in sequence, beginning with the synchronization sequence""s octet location 1 and ending with octet location 7. Whenever all eight octets of the selected synchronization sequence match the correspondingly located eight octets of the incoming facsimile data, that eight-octet portion of the incoming facsimile information is designated as the first-discovered synchronization sequence. This first-discovered synchronization sequence is used to build the first eight-octet, logical facsimile adaptation frame (LFAF). Thereafter, every subsequent group of eight octets of the incoming facsimile information is used to build additional LFAFs. The building of these LFAFs amounts to the aforementioned segregating of the incoming facsimile information.
The step of recording the degree of bit-rotation exhibited by the incoming facsimile information involves noting the number of bits the aforementioned selected synchronization sequence is rotated in comparison to the non bit-rotated sequence. This, in turn, indicates the degree of bit rotation associated with the first-discovered synchronization sequence. An indicator of the number of bits the first-discovered synchronization sequence is rotated is then stored for future use. Preferably, the indicator constitutes a number varying from zero to seven, wherein zero indicates that the first-discovered synchronization sequence corresponds to the non bit-rotated sequence, and one through seven indicate that the first-discovered synchronization sequence corresponds to the non-bit-rotated sequence which has been rotated from one to seven bits, respectively.
The aforementioned step of identifying segregated portions of the incoming facsimile information as either a synchronization sequence, facsimile status information, or neither, preferably involves declaring a LFAF to be a SYNC frame if it contains a portion of the incoming facsimile information reported as being a synchronization sequence, declaring a LFAF to be a STATUS frame if it contains a portion of the incoming facsimile information reported as being facsimile status information, and declaring a LFAF to be an Unknown frame if it contains a portion of the incoming facsimile information not reported as being either a synchronization sequence or facsimile status information. Determining whether a LFAF contains a synchronization sequence entails comparing a designated octet of the LFAF to a correspondingly located octet of the previously selected synchronization sequence and then detecting if there is a match. However, in searching for the original synchronization sequence in the incoming facsimile information, it was critical that all eight octets were found to ensure the transmission was properly synchronized. This is not as critical in the LFAF identification process, and fewer than all the octets of the LFAF could be compared and matched to the selected synchronization sequence, thereby simplifying the process to some degree. In addition, the ability to detect the presence of a synchronization sequence in a LFAF by comparing and matching less than all eight octets has a significant advantage in the LFAF identification process. Namely, it is known that the information contained in octet location 0 of a LFAF created from the incoming facsimile information is susceptible to corruption during transmission in some GSM networks. Thus, by eliminating this octet from the comparing step, the ability to identify the LFAF as containing a synchronization sequence is enhanced. While others of the LFAF""s octets could also be eliminated from the comparison process to further reduce the processing, this also lowers the confidence level that the LFAF actually the selected synchronization sequence. Therefore, it is preferred that all the remaining octets, exclusive of the first, be used in the comparison. In such a case, the aforementioned correspondingly located octet of the selected synchronization sequence associated with the designated octet of the LFAF preferably corresponds to octet location 1 and the remaining octets of the selected synchronization sequence compared to the correspondingly located octets in the LFAF correspond to octet locations 2 through 7. Finally, the process of determining whether a LFAF contains a synchronization sequence concludes by reporting the LFAF contains such a sequence if all the compared octets match, thereby identifying the LFAF to be a SYNC frame. It is noted that once an LFAF is identified as a SYNC frame, this provides an indication that the facsimile transmission is still in synchronization.
The process of declaring a LFAF to be a STATUS frame involves the steps of comparing at least one of the LFAF""s octets residing in either an odd or even octet location with another of the LFAF""s octets residing in either an odd or even location, respectively. In other words, an octet occupying an odd octet location is compared an octet occupying another of the odd octet locations, and an octet occupying an even octet location is compared to an octet occupying another of the even octet locations. The number of these octet pairs compared is a question of what level of confidence is required in ascertaining whether a LFAF is a STATUS frame. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, this process entails comparing the octet at octet location 1 with the octet at octet location 3, the octet at octet location 2 with the octet at octet location 4, the octet at octet location 3 with the octet at octet location 5, and the octet at octet location 4 with the octet at octet location 6. It is believed this pattern of comparison will provide an adequate level of confidence that the LFAF is a STATUS frame if all the compared octets match. However, if desired, the process can additionally entail comparing the octet at octet location 0 with the octet at octet location 2, and the octet at octet location 5 with the octet at octet location 7. It is noted that once an LFAF is identified as a STATUS frame, this fact also provides an indication that the facsimile transmission is still in synchronization.
The general step of compensating for any bit-rotated condition present in a portion of the incoming facsimile information containing facsimile status information is accomplished by rotating the bits of any LFAF declared to be a STATUS frame by the number of bits denoted by the stored indicator. The rotating of bits involves sequentially shifting bits from a front end of the LFAF to a back end of the LFAF until the number of bits shifted equals the number denoted by the stored indicator. This results in placing the STATUS frame in a non bit-rotated condition ready for further processing in the communications system.
The system and method embodying the present invention also include a capability to determine whether the incoming facsimile information is still in synchronization whenever an LFAF is declared to be an Unknown frame and no facsimile scan line data is expected. Preferably, this is accomplished by monitoring what type of frame each LFAF is declared to be and then tracking the number of consecutive LFAFs declared to be Unknown frames. Whenever a prescribed number of consecutive Unknown frames are detected, the incoming facsimile information is declared to be out of synchronization. This prescribed number is preferably five frames. Finally, the incoming facsimile information is re-synchronized by starting the foregoing process over from the beginning. This is done whenever it is determined that the transmission has fallen out of synchronization.
The foregoing process as employed in an appropriate computing environment, be it a firmware adaptation or a general purpose computer, resolves the problems described in connection with handling facsimile transmissions in a GSM network. The process allows bit-rotated STATUS frames to be placed in a non bit-rotated condition prior to being processed in the system. This is done automatically by gleaning the degree of bit rotation from the first synchronization sequence discovered in the incoming facsimile information, and then using this knowledge to compensate for the undesired bit-rotation caused by the particular GSM network the user is employing to receive or send the facsimile. No prior knowledge about the GSM network is necessary and the user does not need to input anything to facilitate the bit rotation compensation process. In addition, as an added benefit of the bit rotation compensation process, synchronization sequences and facsimile status information embedded within the incoming facsimile information are identified and used to confirm that the facsimile transmission is still in synchronization.
In addition to the just described benefits, other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows hereinafter when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures which accompany it.

Recovery of bit-rotated frames during facsimile transmissions in a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network


A particle separation system may comprise a vessel having at least one side wall and a bottom wall forming an internal chamber within the vessel, a filtration unit positioned within the vessel and including a first filtration pack including a first plurality of filter elements, an inlet for moving pre-separated fluid into the vessel, and an outlet in fluid communication with the filtration pack for moving processed fluid out of the vessel, a rate of pre-separated fluid flow into the vessel and a rate of processed fluid flow out of the vessel each being between about 10 and about 1000 gallons per minute (GPM) and a flux within the filtration unit is less than or equal to about 0.05 gallons per minute per square foot (GPM/ft2).

Petroleum producers, refiners, construction de-watering systems, gas processors (including onshore and offshore), and chemical manufacturers utilize separation systems to filter, process, and recover chemical products, such as particulates, hydrocarbons, etc., from a variety of raw material process streams. Separation systems of this nature generally have an inlet stream that can comprise a complex heterogeneous mixture of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials that require processing to achieve separation of one or more components with a predetermined efficiency. Developers of separation systems are always looking for ways to increase the efficiency and output and decrease the overall operating costs of such systems.


A beam-relay optical system is provided. The beam-relay optical system may include a single-mode optical fiber. The beam-relay optical system may also include a mode matching component. The beam-relay optical system may also include an optical resonator, where the optical resonator may include a cavity. The beam-relay optical system may also include a relay optical component. The relay optical component may relay an output of the mode matching component to the optical resonator.

Optical interferometry has been developed as a technique by which to improve resolution of stellar imaging. Several observatories in the world are equipped to perform optical interferometry. These observatories have been designed primarily for stellar observations. Within the United States, observatories include the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer (NPOI), the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA), and the Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer (MROI). In addition, there are two optical interferometer observatories in other parts of the world, including Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in Chile and Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) in Australia.
The CHARA telescope array, for instance, is laid out in a Y-pattern with two telescopes per arm, with each arm being about 200 meters in length. Pair-wise combinations of the telescopes permit fifteen different baselines ranging in length from about 30 meters to about 300 meters, with several baselines having similar lengths but lying in different orientations. From each telescope, a 6 inch diameter collimated beam is propagated through an evacuated pipe back along the arm of the Y to a 94 meter building at the vertex that encloses about 1,000 square meters of optical laboratory floor space. A majority of this space is occupied by six optical delay lines. The space also contains beam combiners, cameras, and other equipment.
Each delay line includes a series combination of a discretely-selectable segment, which has five possible settings ranging from 0 meters to approximately 146 meters, and a continuously-variable segment including a cat's-eye retro-reflector mounted on a cart that moves on rails 46 meters long. A total delay ranging from 0 meters to approximately 146 meters is therefore possible. The long continuously-variable segment of the optical delay is needed to interferometrically image stars as the stars move across the sky. The beam transport pipes and the optical delay lines are major cost and facilities drivers in existing laboratories.
Many high-value commercial and military satellites orbit the Earth in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) at an altitude of 34,800 kilometers. There may be economic and national security motivations for wanting to obtain resolved images of geosynchronous satellites (geosats) from the ground. A typical geosat body, called a bus, may have a maximum dimension of 2 to 10 meters. Antennas and solar panel widths may be of similar size. Solar panel lengths, for example, may be from 10 to 100 meters. However, even with the largest telescopes available, which may have apertures of 8 to 10 meters and may be equipped with adaptive optics to compensate atmospheric turbulence, only the largest features of geosats may barely be resolvable. Indeed, only a few of the largest stars may be resolvable.


A variable valve characteristic mechanism has a valve operation cam pivotally supported on a camshaft and a driving mechanism rocking an interlocking mechanism around the camshaft, the interlocking mechanism rocking the valve operation cam by a driving cam integrated into the camshaft. The engine valve starts to open and close in a damping portion of the valve operation cam, and the driving mechanism rocks the valve operation cam via the interlocking mechanism, thereby controlling an opening timing and a closing timing of the engine valve. A cam swelled portion of the driving cam has a constant velocity portion in which a lift velocity is constant, and the constant velocity portion is provided over an angular width where the opening timing in a most advanced angle position of the opening timing of the engine valve and the opening timing in a most retarded angle position of the opening timing are included.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valve operation device of an internal combustion engine, and particularly, to a valve operation device having a variable valve characteristic mechanism which controls valve operation characteristics including an opening timing of an engine valve having an intake valve or an exhaust valve.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variable valve operation device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,076, for example, is related to such the valve operation device. The variable valve operation device has a camshaft interlockingly rotating around a crankshaft, a rocking cam rockably supported on a camshaft to open and close an intake valve or an exhaust valve, a control member on which a rocker lever being rocked by a rotational cam integrally rotating with the camshaft to rock the rocking cam is pivotally supported, and an actuator rocking the control member rockably supported on the camshaft. And, the actuator rocks the rocking cam around the camshaft via the control member, and thus an opening timing and a closing timing of the intake valve or the exhaust valve and the most lift amount are controlled.
Generally, a cam swelled portion of a valve operation cam which opens and closes an engine valve has a damping portion which has a low lift velocity, that is, a ratio of a change in height of the cam swelled portion with respect to a change in rotational angle of the camshaft and which includes a constant velocity portion, in order to decrease the slapping sound caused by a crash of a cam or a cam follower into the engine valve due to a valve clearance when the engine valve starts to open and to decrease the slapping sound which is caused when the engine valve is seated in a valve sheet 24 for closing.
In addition, when the damping portion is provided on the rocking cam (corresponding to a valve operation cam) of the conventional art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,076, a rocking angular velocity is responsible for the slapping sound in the damping portion of the rocking cam. Hereinafter, in relation to the conventional art, this will be described for the opening timing of the engine valve with reference to FIGS. 13 and 15. A position with respect to a rotational angle of the camshaft changes according to rocking positions G1 and G2 of the control member. Here, it is assumed that the opening timing of the engine valve is more advanced in the rocking position G1 than in the rocking position G2. As for the cam swelled portion of the rotational cam (corresponding to a driving cam), in rotational positions α1 and α2 corresponding to the opening timing (when the valve clearance is 0) in the damping portion of the rocking cam when the control member is disposed in the rocking positions G1 and G2, as shown in FIG. 13, a lift velocity of the cam swelled portion of the rotational cam (here, the lift velocity corresponds to the rocking angular velocity of the rocking cam which is rocked by the rotational cam via the rocker lever) has a positive acceleration. If this causes the lift velocity to increase according to the rotation of the camshaft, in the rocking position G1, the rocking cam rocks at the rocking angular velocity based on the lift velocity of the rotational cam in the rocking position G1. Accordingly, even when the slapping sound when the engine valve starts to open is set to be decreased based on the valve clearance, in the rocking position G2, the lift velocity of the rotational cam becomes large than that in the rocking position G1, and thus the rocking angular velocity of the rocking cam becomes also large than that in the rocking position G1. For this reason, in the rocking position G2, there may be a case in which a damping function of the damping portion is not fully performed in the rocking position G2 and the slapping sound is caused by the valve clearance. Further, a similar phenomenon may be caused in the closing timing of the engine valve, and thus there may be a case in which the slapping sound is caused when the engine valve is seated in the valve sheet.

Valve operation device of internal combustion engine


An insert for receipt within a plate aperture having an inner wall along the plate aperture includes a body and collar. The body has inner and outer surfaces. The inner surface defines an insert aperture having a longitudinal axis. The collar extends from the outer surface in a first radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and extends along only a portion of the outer surface in a second radial direction transverse to the first radial direction and the longitudinal axis. The collar defines a first radial distance from the longitudinal axis at a first position of the collar and a second radial distance from the longitudinal axis at a second position of the collar that differs from the first radial distance. A fixation system includes the plate and insert which is receivable within the plate aperture such that the collar contacts and is slideable along the inner wall.

Plates for osteosynthesis or arthrodesis are often fixed to bone substantially parallel to a longitudinal bone axis using screws or other fixation elements. Such plates are firmly fixed to a plurality of bone parts or fragments to prevent their movement relative to each other.
Spherical-head screws cooperating with radiused apertures in plates have been used to bring the plate into compression onto a bone until the friction of the plate on the bone stabilizes the assembly. These assemblies allow screws to be implanted during a surgical operation within the plate aperture at multiple angles relative to the plate to compress separated bone parts or fragments. The shortcoming of these systems is their low resistance to compression stresses exerted parallel to a plane generally defined by the plate.
A second generation of assembled screw-and-plate systems called monoaxial-locking and polyaxial-locking systems have relied on a threaded engagement of a screwhead with a plate aperture such that the strength of the assembly no longer depends on the compression of the plate against the bone. These systems allow for the assembly to take place away from the bone section being repaired and, in some instances, the possibility of selecting an angle of screw implantation during an operation while achieving strength sufficient for postoperative stresses.
Inserts have been added to monoaxial or polyaxial screw-and-plate systems in which the insert has a threaded engagement with any of the plate and the screw. In some such systems, a screw has been threaded into an insert to lock the insert, by way of friction, to a plate at an angle corresponding to a desired angle of implantation for the screw. To enhance the locking of these inserts, an outer surface of inserts has been given radial offsets. Such offsets have extended along an entire arcuate surface within a plane through a longitudinal axis defined by the inserts which creates friction that diminishes the control of the insert when attempting to set the desired insertion angle.
Thus, there exists a need for a better way in which to align fasteners for fixation within plates.


Several complete fingerprint coils are attached to a support. The support is then rolled into a cylindrical shape such that a ray connecting the centers of each of pair of coils aligns with a component of a magnetic desired to be minimized or eliminated. In order to create this alignment, the support must have a length larger than the circumference of the cylinder which it forms, thereby causing a predetermined overlap. Since the coils are complete, there is no need to solder half-turns of coils to make a complete coil as was the case in previous coils. Since there are no solder points which are typically weaker than the remaining coil, the coil assembly is more resilient and less prone to breakage, making it more reliable.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to design and manufacture of coil assemblies for magnetic resonance imaging.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
In designing coils, such as whole-body RF coils for creating MR images of a subject, it is highly desirable to reduce the stray RF fields produced outside of an area of interest. These stray RF fields create magnetic fields which cause interference in other electrical equipment, may induce eddy currents in nearby conductive materials, and may affect the data acquired.
One such way of reducing these fields is to use shielding, such as a passive RF shield. In MR imaging an RF transmitter coil typically has cylindrical shape encompassing a portion of the subject desired to be imaged with a Z axis passing through the length of the coil. For sake of clarification, the mathematical definition of "cylinder" will be employed throughout the remainder of the specification. This defines a cylinder to be a surface drawn by a line rotating parallel to a fixed center line and tracing out a fixed planar closed curve. This could result in a cylinder having a cross-section which is circular, elliptical, egg-shaped, or oval. The X and Y axes are orthogonal radii of the cylinder. Typically the RF shield is designed such that several coils, each which resemble a fingerprint, known as `fingerprint` coils, are disposed on the outside surface of a cylindrical body, and several are disposed on the inside surface of the cylinder body. One set has `fingerprint` coil centers which are perpendicular to an X axis through the cylinder, while the others are perpendicular to the Y axis. The magnetic flux created by these coils nulls out components of the stray fields oriented along their respective axes.
Conventional designs are constructed by disposing the coils on a flat surface and rolling such that the ends are connected. Due to the nature and geometry of the coil assembly used in shielding, half of each turn of a `fingerprint` coil, "a half-loop", is disposed near either end of the flat surface. This requires that each half-loop to be electrically connected to its other corresponding half-loop to be functional. This requires soldering, and becomes very time consuming. The connection points of the half-loops typically are not as strong as other points, and the coils may break and fail at these locations as a result of stress placed on the coil.
Currently, there is a need for constructing coil assemblies which is less time-intensive, is simpler, and results in a coil assembly having increased life and reliability.


An elevator car operating panel for registering elevator calls has a plurality of touch sensitive buttons freely configurable to correspond to floors of a building according to a specified configuration. The buttons are configured to be lighted with light of a first color when active in the specified configuration so as to be visible, and are configured to not be lighted when inactive in the specified configuration so as to be invisible.

The present invention concerns an elevator with a car operating panel to register elevator calls
In the new generations of inexpensive elevators for small buildings, there was introduced the concept of a car operating panel with a keypad exhibiting ten digits (0 to 9). This 10 digits-keypad system has reached the target of a unique factory produced car operating panel for all elevators, with evident cost and logistic advantages.
As an added feature, due to the presence of a 10 digits-keypad and several displays, the car panel could also be used as a maintenance tool.
Unfortunately, together with the advantages concerning the logistic and maintenance, derived by the fact that always the same car operating panel can be delivered, some important and advantageous features of the old customized car operating panels have been lost.
Unequivocal action of a button: a button identified by a certain number or letter had in the past only the function to place a call to the floor corresponding to said number. With a 10 digits-keypad solution this is no longer possible, since the button identified by the number 1, for example, is used in combination with other buttons to place elevator calls to the floors 12 or −1.
Multi-button input: the user interface of the elevator was a one-action machine-man interface. With a 10 digits-keypad solution the user interface of the elevator becomes a two-action machine-man interface, since, for example, to place a call to the floors 12 or −1, the user must push two buttons sequentially.
Optical acknowledgment: Because one button serves for different inputs, the optical acknowledgment of a pressed button and of a registered call would be equivocal.
Limits of the shaft: these are with a 10 digits-keypad solution no longer recognizable. The user cannot recognize if the uppermost floor of a building is the floor 6, 7, 10 or 12.
Nonexistent floors: the indication of all the 10 digits on the car operating panel disturbs the customers possessing elevators in buildings with only few floors, since they get confused by the presence of the highest digits (9, 8 . . . ), which do not correspond to any floor in the building.
It is necessary therefore to develop a standard car operating panel, which can be fully customized at the elevator installation itself and do not need special customizing operations in the factory. Said car operating panel can preferably be used without adding special components and exhibits also preferably a maintenance interface to change the elevator parameters.
An attempt to attain these goals is for example shown in German patent document DE 19539288 C2, in which a freely configurable and customizable car operating panel for elevator is disclosed, which exhibits freely programmable touch sensitive buttons and a maintenance mode for elevator service.
Such a car operating panel exhibits, however, the disadvantages of being expensive, not user-friendly, complex to be configured, and not esthetically attractive. Furthermore, this apparatus exhibits a difficult fabrication and assembly and cannot be produced using well-established components. The advantages for logistic are therefore lost.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a car operating panel for an elevator installation which is freely configurable, inexpensive, user-friendly, assembled using well-established standard components and esthetically attractive for the users.


At a terminal assembly associated with a physical access point, payment device data is obtained from a reduced-functionality payment device, and the data is identified as emanating from such a device. In response, the payment device data emanating from the reduced-functionality payment device is converted into an authorization request or an access request, of a format consistent with full-functionality payment devices. The authorization request or access request is dispatched into a payment infrastructure which is configured to handle same, but is not configured to handle the reduced-functionality payment device.

There is an interest in employing cash alternatives in a variety of environments. Such cash alternatives can include, for example, payment devices such as payment cards and the like. Indeed, devices, such as electronic devices, and particularly electronic payment devices (for example, so-called "smart cards") may be useful for a variety of payment and other applications. Cash alternatives are sometimes used within an infrastructure, such as a transit infrastructure (e.g., subway, metro, or underground; bus system). Some such infrastructures are designed to accept cards conforming to the standards of the global payments industry.
One such standard is set forth in the EMV standards, discussed further below, which define the interaction between smart cards and smart card processing devices for financial transactions. There are standards based on ISO/IEC 7816 for contact cards, and standards based on ISO/IEC 14443 for contactless cards. MasterCard PayPass® is an EMV compatible, "contactless" payment feature based on the ISO/IEC 14443 standard that provides cardholders with a way to pay by tapping a payment card or other payment device, such as a phone or key fob, on a point-of-sale terminal reader. MasterCard PayPass® includes the MasterCard PayPass® M/Chip and MasterCard PayPass® Mag Stripe specifications. The latter is one example of a specification that allows chip payments (in particular, contactless chip payments) to use authorization networks (proprietary and shared) that presently support magnetic stripe authorizations for credit or debit applications. PayPass® is a registered mark of, and the PayPass® specifications are available from, MasterCard International Incorporated of Purchase, N.Y., USA.

Mechanism to allow the use of disposable cards on a system designed to accept cards conforming to the standards of the global payments industry


The invention relates generally to harvesters and, more particularly, to a combine for harvesting row crops, which has been modified, to collect and measure grain continuously from a plurality of strip test plots.

The invention relates generally to harvesters and, more particularly, to a combine for harvesting row crops, which has been modified, to collect and measure grain from two or more separate small strip test plots.
It is common in the seed industry to grow and collect data on a large number of test varieties to evaluate the individual varieties for possible advancement toward commercialization. Frequently, each variety being evaluated is grown at a plurality of locations to collect data under a range of growing conditions. Among the data collected are the weight of the grain harvested from the strip test plots and the moisture of the grain at harvest. Each strip test plot typically consists of one or several rows of a length of approximately 20 feet. Each plot or row of plots is separated from the next row of plots by an open area which is usually an unplanted or grassy section of land or planted with plants that are not the desired plants for harvest.
It is known in the prior art to modify conventional harvesters by the addition of a weigh bucket which receives and weighs the grain collected off of each strip test plot, measures the moisture of a sample of the collected grain, and then discharges the grain into a bulk reservoir where it is commingled with grain harvested off of other strip test plots. The data collected is typically stored in a local memory device for subsequent processing.
The process of measuring and collecting grain begins with the advancement of the harvester through the strip test plot, and then stopping the harvester at the end of the strip test plot, measuring the collected grain and then beginning advancement into the adjacent strip test plot. The ground travel of the harvester is stopped while the threshing and cleaning action of the harvester is continued in order to process the entire quantity of grain collected through the harvester for delivery to the weigh bucket. After all of the grain collected off of the subject strip test plot has been processed and delivered to the weigh bucket, the harvester can then be advanced into the next strip test plot. The dwell time between strip test plots is, accordingly, a function of how quickly the collected grain is threshed and cleaned by the harvester and conveyed to the weigh bucket.
The prior art also includes harvesters that have the capacity to collect grain from two separate strip tests through the use of a dual harvester, e.g. a harvester that has two separate halves. This harvester reduces the time to complete strip plots as two strips are done at once.
One example of a dual strip plot harvester has the clean grain tank positioned at the top of the harvester. This requires that two separate weigh buckets be positioned beside the cab of the harvester or above the clean grain reservoir so that grain will discharge directly into the reservoir after the grain has been measured. This positioning of the weigh bucket can increase substantially the already tall height of the harvester with the result that the weigh bucket must be moved from its operative position or totally removed to permit the harvester to comply with federal regulations for travel on the highway and to pass through the door of machine sheds or other equipment shelters.
Additionally, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,454 which shows a harvester with unconventional grain flow for collecting and measuring grain grown on strip test plots. The conventional harvester places a single weigh bucket for measuring grain at the grain storage location. The '454 modifies the placement of the weigh bucket by reversing the grain flow of a lateral conveyor and locating the weigh bucket at a low position inside the vertical confines of the harvester. Thus reducing the time required for moving harvested grain to the weigh bucket and the waiting time required between harvesting of successive strip plot tests.
This single harvester saves time in speeding the weighing step but does not allow for more then one strip plot to be processed at a time. The two dual harvesters save time by harvesting more strip plot rows to be harvested at the same time but all prior art's harvest speed was limited by the dwell time which is dependent on the time needed for threshing, cleaning and data collection from the harvested grain in the harvester. When the dwell time was completed only then could the prior art harvester begin harvesting the adjacent plot.
However, the dual harvester like the single harvester can only harvest as quickly as the length of dwell time needed to complete the grain threshing, cleaning and data collection of the plot. When this is completed then the prior art harvester could begin harvesting the adjacent plot.
The prior art has addressed the dwell time concern in U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,243 entitled method and apparatus for continuously harvesting grain from a row of mature grain plants comprised of plant segments and alley segments (plant segments are the plants in the plots and alley segments are the border lanes between the strip plots). The U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,243 is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. The invention underlying this patent is a method and apparatus for continuously harvesting the grain instead of stopping the ground travel of the harvester in the border lane for dwell time. The object of the invention was to enhance the harvesting operation by continuously have the combine travel at a constant speed through the field—thorough the strip plots and border lane without stopping in the border lane for dwell time. Thus avoiding the stopping and starting of the harvester in the border lanes, but unfortunately exchanging the starting and stopping of the travel movement for the stopping and starting of grain moving parts of the combine. This system of stopping or interrupting the grain moving parts of the combine is inefficient and cause unnecessary wear and tear on the harvester. In an alternative embodiment of an invention in U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,243 teaches the addition of a movable blocking gate that is located along the grain handling assembly which blocks the flow of grain along the grain handling assembly. In this embodiment, the combine continuously travels and the grain flow is interrupted by closing a newly inserted additional structure onto the combine, a blocking gate. The blocking gate like the cross auger is operated by a controller that is capable of selectively and separately operating each of the grain moving parts. When the controller is activated the blocking gate is moved vertically to block the grain flow. The patent in the drawings locates the blocking gate between the cross auger and the drag chains; however, the written description in column 2 at lines 34 and 35 describes the gate as being located between the cross auger and the head. Regardless of the gate's location it is an additional piece of equipment that is not essential for harvesting crop. Additionally, the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,454 teaches the use of two conventional separate collection bins to permit separate evaluation of the harvested grain in each row segment.
There remains a need for an improved continuously traveling harvester which does not require the interruption of the grain moving parts nor the addition of a gate that is not essential to the harvester's ability to harvest.
Furthermore there is a need for a continuously traveling harvester that does not utilize two separate bins but instead has one unit adapted to keep the grain segregated. This unit or two separate bins can adapted for weighing and data collection by a single evaluation mechanism.

Research plot harvester for continuous plot to plot grain evaluation


Metal binding proteins, associated compositions and methods for their production and use are disclosed. The metal binding proteins include have amino acid sequences analogous to at least one metal binding protein, and conservative amino acid substitutions thereof from a brine shrimp (Artemia). Also provided are the associated nucleic acid sequences encoding metal binding proteins.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to unique metal binding proteins having high binding affinity for heavy metals. More particularly, the present invention is directed to compositions including the unique metal binding proteins and to associated methods of production and use where reduction or recovery of heavy metals is desired.
2. General Background and State of the Art
Metal recovery and metal remediation and the associated need for efficient and safe methods for clean up of metal waste is a continuing environmental and business concern due to the toxicity and potential risk to human health posed by metal contaminants, as well as the economic value of precious heavy metals. Indeed, as the discharge of toxic wastes such as heavy metals from agricultural, industrial and other commercial operations continues, the need for effective, safe and low-cost metal remediation methods increases. In a recent report by the U.S. EPA, metal contamination remains and historically has been a key concern at many contaminated sites (USEPA Work Assignment #011059, Mar. 5, 1997, Contract #68-W5-0055). In addition, there are numerous published reports of damage to wildlife, livestock, plantlife as well as danger to human health as a result of metal poisoning from contaminated soil or waste matter (Impact of Lead-Contaminated Soil on Public Health by Xintaras, C. May 1992 at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/cxlead.html). For example, a primary concern to humans is the health hazard created by lead (Pb) contamination. Exposure to lead can occur through a variety of methods such as by ingestion of lead from food, water, soil, or even inhalation of dust. Lead poisoning is extremely dangerous and potentially fatal, with symptoms including seizures, mental retardation and behavioral disorders. Therefore, methods for metal remediation are extremely valuable both for their protection of our environment as well as for protection from diseases.
Recovered metals from various waste, discard or recycling efforts provide immense economic value as well as augmenting environmental pollution control. Metal recovery can be from innumerable and varied sources such as from waste electronic devices (transistors, chips, transformers, bus bars, cathodes, and microprocessors, populated computer circuit boards PCBs, motherboards). Costs associated with hazardous disposal of industrial waste in the absence of metal reclamation are enormous. Therefore, metal recycling or reuse of metal extracted from scrap or discarded metal-containing items not only reduces the volume and cost of metal waste requiring specialized disposal and handling efforts, but the reclaimed metal can also be resold or reused to provide additional economic value.
Prior art attempts at treating metal contamination have traditionally employed cleanup technologies which consist primarily of physically removing and then disposing of contaminated matter. These methodologies are not only labor intensive and less efficient, but also carry a high expense associated with removal and disposal of large or bulk quantities of contaminated waste. Metal contamination is especially difficult to remediate because unlike other types of waste such as chemical or organic matter, metals cannot be directly destroyed or converted. For example, current technologies for remediating metal contaminated soils consist primarily of landfilling or soil excavation with physical or chemical separation of the metal contaminants. Treatment of contaminated ground water usually involves flushing, filtration or chemical extraction to remove the contaminating metals. As a result, the cost of soil or ground water remediation is high, ranging in the hundreds to thousands of millions of dollars in projected five-year costs per site (U.S. EPA, 1993).
In addition, the risk to humans and the environment from heavy metal contamination is not limited to soil or ground water, but also includes other sources such as industrial waste, sludge waste, wastewater, radionuclides (such as from research and medical waste) and mining waste. Depending on the physical and chemical form of the metal contaminant to be removed, as well as the cost-benefit analysis for a particular remediation approach, which of the existing technologies is better suited for a particular site will vary. However, due to the high cost of traditional cleanup technologies, there still remains a great need for a less-expensive, safe and effective heavy metal recovery and cleanup technology.
There are some technologies currently available for the recovery or remediation of heavy metal contaminated waste. In general, these technologies combine one or more of the following general approaches: isolation, immobilization, toxicity reduction, physical separation or extraction of metal contamination from a waste product. Isolation technologies utilize a containment strategy in an attempt to confine a contaminated site or area so as to prevent further spread of the toxic metal waste. Immobilization technologies reduce the mobility of metal contaminants and include systems which provide an impermeable barrier to separate underlying layers of soil (containing the metal contaminants) from the topsoil layer. Also used are physical barriers which restrict the flow of uncontaminated groundwater through a contaminated site. Additionally, there are toxicity reduction processes which generally use chemical or biological techniques to decrease the toxicity or mobility of metal contaminants. Included in toxicity reduction processes are biological treatment technologies, which apply newer biotechnical approaches.
Metal remediation is a relatively new application of biological treatment technologies and includes processes such as bioaccumulation, phytoremediation, phyotextraction, and rhizofiltration. All of these biological-treatments use certain plants and microorganisms to remediate metals through either adsorption, absorption, or concentration of contaminating metal ions. For example, in bioaccumulation, plants or microorganisms actively take up and accumulate metals from contaminated surroundings.
In phytoremediation, specific plants that have developed the ability to selectively remove metal ions from soil are used. Such plants include certain "hyperaccumulator" species such as the alpine pennycrass plant, which is capable of accumulating metals at levels of 260 times greater than most plants before showing toxicity symptoms. Most hyperaccumulator plants, however, are very slow growing and have specific growth requirements. Some of these growth requirements are not conducive to the use of these plants at sites or in situations where metal recovery or remediation is needed. Furthermore, there are very few plant species known or available for recovery or remediation use. Therefore, given the persistent and high incidence of metal contamination at environmental and waste sites (˜75% of Superfund Sites contain metal ions as a form of contamination, U.S. EPA, 1996), more efficient methods and approaches for removing heavy metals from contaminated sources are still needed.
More recently, in an attempt to meet these needs, biotechnological approaches have been employed as an alternative strategy to metal recovery and remediation. Included in these biotechnology approaches are the use of tobacco plants that have been manipulated to express metallothionein genes (Maiti et al., 1991). Metallothioneins (MTs) are small metal binding proteins ubiquitously distributed throughout the animal kingdom. They have high metal binding affinities and are believed to be important in controlling the intracellular levels of free metal ions. However, little else is known about their function or biological purpose. MTs were first discovered in 1957 in horse tissue. Since then, they have been identified in species ranging from fungi and shellfish to mice and humans.
The structural features of MTs include a high cysteine composition and lack of aromatic amino acids. The cysteine residues are responsible for the protein's high affinity metal ion binding capabilities. In general, prior art MTs have a high degree of amino acid sequence similarity. However, the proteins or known gene sequences encoding the prior art proteins have been used primarily in either the research setting or in disease treatment methodologies.
Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide novel metal binding proteins and associated methods for their production. This technology would allow for the efficient, cost effective, safe and simple removal of heavy metals from environmental waste or other materials contaminated with heavy metal.

Metal binding proteins and associated methods


An induction generator (100) for a remote switch which comprises a U-shaped magnetic diverter (102) with first and second limbs as well as a coil core (104) with an induction coil (106) arranged between the limbs. A movable magnetic element (110) is provided for switching the induction generator (100). When the magnetic element (110) is in its first position, the magnetic element (110) is connected with the first limb and the coil core (104) and, when the magnetic element (110) is in its second position, the magnetic element (110) is connected with the coil core (104) and the second limb.

DE 101 25 059 A1 describes an inductive voltage generator which comprises a mechanical energy storage device. The energy storage device stores actuation energy until a transition point has been reached, after reaching which a permanent magnet of the induction system undergoes an abrupt movement. As a result of this movement the magnetic flux changes abruptly and at the beginning or end of its movement the permanent magnet strikes the core.
An inductive voltage generator can be used in connection with a remote switch. At present, however, a great deal of mechanical energy is needed in order to be able to produce enough electrical energy to operate the remote switch.

Induction generator and method for producing an induction generator


An apparatus for roadside spraying of herbicides or other liquids in a manner which ensures uniform application of the herbicide without resorting to atomization of the sprayed liquid. The apparatus provides means for uniformly applying the herbicide in a plurality of swaths at different distances from the spraying apparatus. The apparatus uses a means for vibrationally altering the directions of the sprayed liquid streams to ensure uniform coverage. The direction altering means allows the amplitudes of the direction alterations to vary in accordance with the target distance of sprayed liquid stream.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for spraying of liquids. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a roadside spraying apparatus which minimizes atomization and resulting drift of sprayed herbicides or other liquids, mounted on a detachable frame fixed to a vehicle, and controllable by the operator of the vehicle by means of a control panel, which panel regulates the flow of the liquids as well as the direction in which the liquids are sprayed.
Many state highway departments, counties and cities, have for several years been mechanically cutting undesirable weeds, grass and brush in their right-of-ways. However, while such cutting has been primarily accomplished by hand labor or mechanical means, it can be costly and time consuming. In order to minimize these problems, many publicly funded organizations have attempted to spray their right-of-ways with herbicides that would control the undesirable plant growth.
Herbicides used primarily for control of broadleaf weeds and some unwanted grasses are used extensively on the right-of-way, leaving desirable grasses alive for erosion control. These herbicides, such as MSMA and 2-4-D, are termed selective since they do not kill the desirable grasses. Other herbicides used primarily for control of vegetation on shoulders and in the roadway are intended to kill all vegetation and hopefully prevent its regrowth for some period of time. Such herbicides are termed residuals. Other liquids, including fertilizers, may also be advantageously applied along a roadway; however, since application of liquid herbicides is more common, Applicant concentrates this discussion upon the application of herbicides.
Such application almost invariably involves spraying a liquid from an apparatus comprising some type of nozzle. As liquid is sprayed from a moving nozzle, it is generally applied to strip-like areas of ground called swaths. A swath, in this context, also refers to the spray pattern produced by the nozzle and applied to the corresponding strip of ground.
The equipment which has been used for roadside spraying of herbicides in the past has generally been of three common types. Handgun-type sprayers are still in common use today for lack of anything with more versatility. Another common type of equipment comprises a long boom extending out from the side of the vehicle and across the right-of-way. An example of such a long boom is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,995,307 issued to J. J. McMahon. Another has been the use of an off-center nozzle mounted to the side of the truck. The use of the off-center nozzle is discussed further below.
The long-extending boom has been used widely because of its ability to reach 25 to 30 feet into the right-of-way. Some designs have provided the boom in sections to give the operator more flexibility as to where he could spray the herbicide. This has also allowed the operator to save chemicals. This type of unit, however, does not lend itself to many right-of-way applications because of hills, back slopes and obstructions in the areas to be sprayed. Common obstructions including trees, bluffs, road signs and the like are a major problem. The extended boom is vulnerable to contact with such obstructions causing extensive down time and delays accompanied by losses in production. It is also very expensive to replace such booms.
Hydraulic cylinders mounted along the extended boom can be utilized for raising the boom over obstructions but may make herbicide application even more cumbersome. Upon encounter obstructions, the driver may have to slow the speed of the vehicle to raise the boom. The slower vehicle speeds will likely be accompanied by increased concentration of applied herbicides. The raising of the boom, furthermore, increases the distance which the herbicide must be sprayed before contacting the roadside area at which it is targeted. This increase in distance consequently decreases the precision of the application since there is a greater chance that wind and other natural forces will cause the herbicide to drift off-target. The uniformity of the herbicide application may likewise be affected. In some situations, it is necessary to use two operators to operate a long-boom sprayer. This increases the costs due to the extra labor required. Also, long boom apparatuses generally require the vehicle to have greater gross vehicle weight since an extended spray boom may require heavier axles and generally heavier duty vehicles for support.
The off-center nozzle, in many cases, has advantages over the long booms. The operator of the off-center nozzle can spray without worrying about obstructions in the right-of-way except for those immediately beside the vehicle. In the event that protective measures are not taken to guard against such immediately adjacent obstructions, however, damage to the nozzle can occur upon encountering an obstacle immediately adjacent the roadway. The off-center nozzle can be mounted anywhere to the side of the vehicle and the spray pattern can cover an area beginning immediately beside the truck and extending from 10 to 30 feet out into the right-of-way. Wind velocity tends to dramatically affect the distance, however, and in such circumstances the spray might not extend past 10 to 15 feet from the vehicle. This type of nozzle also does not give the operator much versatility to place a herbicide only in selected areas existing across the right-of-way. In practice, the weeds are often in spotted areas lying 20 to 40 feet away from the spray truck and the operator has no way to get the herbicide to the target, especially if the wind velocity overpowers the spray. The operator also, in certain situations, needs to spray the herbicide beyond undesirable, taller growing vegetation, but the taller vegetation might prevent the spray from reaching the vegetation beyond. This may cause excessive amounts of herbicide to be unnecessarily used, which may increase the costs of the spraying program and may also overtreat some of the vegetation causing undesirable results.
The same problems also exist with controlling undesirable brush. A long extending boom is not often used for this purpose. Generally, the use of a handgun and the off-center spraying means are used in such situations. Spotted applications to the soil under the undesirable brush with the use of a handgun, spraying specially selected herbicides, provide easy control of brush. In such situations, rain carries the chemical herbicide into the root zone to be picked up by the brush. The herbicide can subsequently interfere with the natural processes in the plant causing its ultimate death. However, spotted application of such herbicides by handguns is slow, which increases application cost and, in most cases, the herbicide is overapplied, resulting in excessive killing of low growing desirable ground cover.
With the development of new herbicides, especially new selective herbicides, it has become more important to eliminate the problem encountered with extended booms, off-center nozzles and handguns. In the case of certain chemicals, it is necessary to apply them from 1 to 11/2 quarts per acre or 43,560 square feet. In the case of other currently used chemicals, it is necessary to apply them at 4 to 8 ounces to control more susceptible tall growing vegetation. Greater amounts of these herbicides and others may kill or damage desirable vegetation and may consequently leave partially to totally bare ground. Such problems often prevent many highway departments, counties and cities from going into vegetation management programs with the new herbicides to eliminate the more costly program of hand labor and mechanical cutting. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide for controlling the composition and concentration of herbicides during their sprayed application. Concentration, in this context, refers to the amount of herbicide sprayed per unit area of ground while composition refers to the type or types of herbicide.
Furthermore, as the concentration of the herbicide applied at each elemental target area is critical, controlling the uniformity of the application is advantageous. Poorly controlled, non-uniform applications result in greater concentrations being applied to some elemental target areas than others. This forces a herbicide treatment program to be limited by the effects of the greater elemental concentrations in order to avoid adverse effects of over-treatment at those elemental areas. The resulting quality of the overall herbicide treatment program is thus constrained and must fall short of optimization. It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for roadside application of herbicides while also controlling the uniformity of the application.
In many applications it is also advantageous to apply different herbicides or different concentrations of herbicides to locations at different distances from the roadside. For instance, it may be desired to apply a herbicide to an area immediately adjacent to a roadway which will kill all vegetation. At areas further from the roadway, however, it may be desired to apply a selective herbicide to kill broadleaf weeds but leave low growing grass unharmed. Furthermore, an operator of a roadside spraying apparatus will want to apply different herbicides to different areas as roadside vegetation changes during a single pass. Therefore, any roadside spraying apparatus allowing the application of different herbicides to different areas must not have any time lags between the time of the decision to apply a different herbicide and the time of the actual application of that herbicide. Therefore, it is an object of one embodiment of the present invention to enable an operator to apply different herbicides in different swaths with little or no time delay.
Additionally, when applying herbicides, it is often critical to confine the application to the area which is intended to be treated in order to avoid undesirable effects on adjacent vegetation, waterways, livestock, or other items which are not targets of the herbicide treatment. Previous spraying apparatuses utilize angle spray nozzles which spray liquid in an atomized spray. Such atomization enables uniformity of treatment and treatment of greater areas per single nozzle; however, in the process of atomization, various sized liquid droplets are randomly created. The smaller sized liquid droplets tend to drift beyond the area of application, and undesirable effects may result. The present invention is directed at minimizing this problem of drift without sacrificing uniformity and while optimizing other advantageous characteristics of a roadside sprayer.
By spraying liquid herbicide in aerial streams, some prior art has minimized such atomization and drift. For the purposes of this invention, aerial streams are airborne streams of liquid which are virtually unaccompanied by atomized droplets. Nozzles which spray liquids in such aerial streams are called straight stream nozzles, or zero degree angle nozzles. Stream spraying, unfortunately, creates problems of uniformity and breadth of possible application. For instance, an unmodified single stream being sprayed from a moving vehicle would apply liquid to only a very narrow streak along the roadside. Multiple streams enable application to broader roadside areas, but tend to apply liquid nonuniformly in multiple parallel narrow streaks along the roadside. Uniform application of herbicides is necessary in order to optimize performance and economic considerations of a roadside spraying operation. Such streaked application produces nonuniform concentrations of the herbicide and, thus, diminishes the desired effect of the herbicide. Other inventions have attempted to address this problem by rapidly altering the direction of aerial streams but have fallen short of the goal of uniform application for numerous reasons. It is, therefore, another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for applying liquid uniformly to a broad roadside while minimizing atomization and drift.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for spraying liquid in multiple aerial streams which are scattered in a manner that optimizes uniformity of the application of the liquid on a roadside throughout the course of application and across the breadth of the targeted roadside.
As right-of-ways may be quite broad, it is another object of the present invention to provide vehicle mountable apparatus for spraying herbicide onto swaths along a roadway, which apparatus maximizes the width of an aggregate swath treatable at one time.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide for protection of a roadside spraying apparatus when encountering an obstruction along a roadway.

Roadside spraying apparatus for minimizing drift


Provided is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) actuator in which a cantilever piezoelectric actuator and a comb actuator are combined to perform dual shaft drive. The MEMS includes: a stationary comb fixed on a substrate; a movable comb disposed separately from the substrate; and a spring connected to the movable comb and the substrate to resiliently support the movable comb, wherein the movable comb includes a piezoelectric material layer in a laminated manner to be perpendicularly moved by a piezoelectric phenomenon and laterally moved by an electrostatic force to the stationary comb, whereby the MEMS actuator can be used in a driving apparatus of an ultra-slim optical disk drive since the movable comb is made of a piezoelectric material to simultaneously perform focusing actuation to a Z-axis as well as planar actuation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) actuator and, more particularly, to a MEMS actuator that a cantilever piezoelectric actuator and a comb actuator are combined to perform dual shaft drive. The MEMS actuator can be used in a driving apparatus of an ultra-slim optical disk drive.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A conventional actuator used in an optical pickup driving apparatus is a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator including a magnetic circuit for applying a magnetic flux to a coil to generate a Lorentz force, a bobbin for fixing the coil and optical parts, a wire suspension for supporting the bobbin and damping vibrations transmitted to the bobbin, and a printed circuit board (PCB) for transmitting input and output signals of a servo system and supplying current to the coil. However, it is difficult to manufacture the conventional VCM actuator in an ultra-small size due to a structure that the bobbin for winding the coil, a support member for supporting the bobbin, and the magnetic circuit including a magnet, a yoke plate and so on should be required.
A single shaft control ultra-small actuator mainly uses a MEMS comb actuator or a cantilever piezoelectric actuator depending on purpose.
The comb actuator using an electrostatic force applies a voltage to a pair of combs perpendicularly projected from a planar surface and inserted into each other so that the electrostatic force generated between the two combs uniformly produces power depending on relative movement between the combs. The electrostatic comb-drive actuator has an advantage of providing uniform power with respect to movement of one comb.
The cantilever piezoelectric actuator is manufactured mostly using PZT ceramic, and used in various fields that a microscopic location control apparatus is required. This actuator has an advantage capable of readily performing precise control since displacement of the actuator is determined depending on a driving voltage applied to a piezoelectric material. In particular, it is possible to compose the ultra-fine actuator since its displacement can be controlled by tens of nanometers. The cantilever piezoelectric actuator has been used for obtaining and controlling ultra-fine driving force such as driving force of an atomic force microscope (AFM), a nano drive actuator, a MEMS structure and so on.
However, the conventional actuators have disadvantages that only single shaft can be controlled, its application range is limited, especially, the piezoelectric actuator should have high drive voltage in order to obtain large displacement using the PZT ceramic, and therefore, it is difficult to manufacture the actuators in a small size.

Piezoelectric and electrostatic microelectromechanical system actuator

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


Disclosed is an optical spectrum analyzer which has: a pulse oscillator for generating a pulse; an optical switch for switching a signal light in response to the pulse; an optical circulator which has at least three input-output ports and in which the output of the optical switch is connected to a first port of the optical circulator; a plurality of fiber gratings which are in series connected to a second port of the optical circulator to which a signal light entered into the first port is output, the fiber gratings having different Bragg wavelengths, respectively; and an optical detector which is connected to a third port of the optical circulator to which a reflected light from the fiber gratings is output.

Recently, along with the development of high-performance optical amplifiers, an optical amplification repeater transmission system in which a signal light is transmitted a long distance by being amplified has been researched. To realize a further big capacity, a WDM transmission system in which signal light multiplexed of many wavelengths is transmitted through one optical fiber is advantageous. In the optical amplifiers, where the WDM signal light can be wholly amplified, the upgrading such as the increase in number of channels is very easy by using many laser diodes having different wavelength, thereby realizing a low cost.
However, to simply increase the number of channels may cause the shifting of designed levels in the whole system, therefore requiring the readjusting of output power or amplitude ratio of the optical amplifier. This is similarly caused in the case that the number of channels is reduced due to any trouble. To automatically conduct the readjustment, the current number of channels used needs to be supervised.
It is known to analyze the number of channels and optical spectrum in WDM signal light by using a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer (refer to H.Toba, et al.,"16-channel Optical FDM Distribution/Transmission Experiment utilizing Er.sup.3+ -doped Fiber Amplifier", Electronics Letters, vol.25, No.14, pp.885-887(1989)) In this interferometer, two mirrors are located being opposed in parallel to transmit only a light with a frequency (wavelength) an integer times of the longitudinal mode of a resonator. Varying the position of one mirror by a piezo-element, the interval of the interferometer is repeatedly scanned to analyze an optical spectrum.
Furthermore, it is known to detect the power of a backward amplified spontaneous emission light and thereby control the output of a pumping laser to be constant to make the gain constant regardless of the variation in the number of channels (refer to Y.Nakabayashi, et al., "Er: Doped Fiber Amplifier for WDM Transmission Using Fiber Gain Control", Technical Report of IEICE, OCS94-66, OPE94-89(1994)).
However, in the conventional method, the reliability for long time operation may be reduced since they include mechanical moving elements due to the construction of the interferometer. Further, to scan around 30 nm corresponding to the band of erbium-doped optical fiber amplifier (EDFA), the resonator length of the interferometer needs to be less than 40 .mu.m, therefore making the fabrication difficult.
On the other hand, in the conventional method for controlling output of an optical amplifier, while the gain can be controlled, the number of channels and the shifting of wavelength cannot be supervised.

Optical spectrum analyzer and method for controlling output of optical amplifier


One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for efficiently creating and accessing an A-Buffer with a GPU. The A-Buffer is organized in arrays of uniformly-sized tiles. Each array represents a group of pixels, and each tile within an array includes the set of fragments at a specific depth complexity that are associated with the pixels in the pixel group represented by the array. The size of the tiles may be selected to be the minimum necessary for efficient memory access. The GPU determines the number of tiles in each array by calculating the maximum of the depth complexity associated with the pixels in the pixel group represented by the array and creates a corresponding prefix sum image to allow the GPU to efficiently locate the array associated with a given pixel group in the A-Buffer for addressing purposes. Advantageously, structuring the A-Buffer by both pixel proximity and depth complexity improves memory locality, thereby improving the overall rendering performance of the graphics pipeline.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of graphics processing and more specifically to a system and method for structuring an A-Buffer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical computing system includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a graphics processing unit (GPU). Some GPUs are capable of very high performance using a relatively large number of small, parallel execution threads on dedicated programmable hardware processing units. The specialized design of such GPUs usually allows these GPUs to perform certain tasks, such as rendering 3-D scenes, much faster than a CPU. However, the specialized design of these GPUs also limits the types of tasks that the GPU can perform. The CPU is typically a more general-purpose processing unit and therefore can perform most tasks. Consequently, the CPU usually executes the overall structure of the software application and configures the GPU to perform specific tasks in the graphics pipeline (the collection of processing steps performed to transform 3-D images into 2-D images).
One task that may be performed when transforming 3-D images into 2-D images is to determine the visible color of each pixel in the image. To accurately determine the color at each pixel, the fragment of each pixel intersected by an object may be evaluated to create a portion of the overall color of the pixel that includes a variety of effects, such as transparency and depth complexity of field. In some approaches, objects may need to be rendered in a specific order to ensure that the visible color of each pixel in the generated image is realistic. However, in other approaches the fragments corresponding to each pixel may be collected, sorted, and reduced to an image which accurately displays advanced effects irrespective of the order in which the objects are rendered. One structure that computing systems may implement in these various approaches is an A-Buffer—a memory structure that maintains a collection of fragments associated with each polygon that intersects the pixels in an image frame being rendered for display.
In one approach to organizing an A-Buffer, the CPU is used to create and address, in software, a linked list of fragments per pixel. One drawback to this approach is that the A-Buffer structure is not conducive to some of the most frequent fragment access patterns. For example, when a polygon is rendered, many of the corresponding fragments are located in adjacent pixels at the same depth complexity. As is well known, memory accesses are usually most efficient if they can be grouped such that successive accesses target data that is closely located within the memory—known as memory locality. Thus, an efficient memory structure would enable fragments of this nature, located at the same depth complexity, to be simultaneously accessed. However, since each pixel in the A-Buffer has a separate linked list, fragments corresponding to adjacent pixels at the same depth complexity may be far apart in memory, leading to poor memory locality. Consequently, accesses to the A-Buffer may be inefficient.
Another drawback to this approach is that the CPU ends up performing many of the A-Buffer operations rather than the GPU. As is well-known, graphics processing efficiency is increased when graphics processing operations are consolidated in the GPU. This problem can be addressed by having the GPU create and address the A-Buffer using the linked list approach detailed above, but such a solution does not address the depth complexity locality problem. Furthermore, linked list operations are not usually performed efficiently in hardware, such as the raster operations unit in the GPU, and, therefore, such a solution would not necessarily improve the overall efficiency of A-Buffer operations.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is a more effective technique for creating and accessing an A-Buffer.

System and method for structuring an A-buffer


A DC-DC converter includes a high-side switch coupled between a first power supply and an output terminal, a low-side switch coupled between a second power supply and the output terminal, an inductor coupled to the output terminal, and a reverse current monitoring circuit that determines that a reverse current from the inductor to the output terminal occurs when the output terminal becomes a high voltage during a state in which the high-side switch and the low-side switch are in a dead time.

The present invention relates to semiconductor device, and more particularly to a DC-DC converter that converts an incoming voltage to a desired voltage.
When power is supplied from a battery to a load such as an ECU (Engine Control Unit) mounted in a vehicle, a DC-DC converter for performing voltage conversion is used.
There are two types of converters in DC-DC converter: a step-up type DC-DC converter and a step-down type DC-DC converter. Both DC-DC converters have switches for controlling the current flowing through the load, and by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) controlling of the switches, the desired output voltage is obtained.
Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of DC-DC converter, particularly a high power-efficient DC-DC converter considering the reverse current generated when the load is a low power consumption. Referring to FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1, by PWM controlling of a switching element (MP1) connected to the power supply (VDD) and a switching element (MN1) connected to ground (GND), the current flowing through the load is controlled. When MP1 is on and MN1 is off, current flows from VDD through the inductor (L101) to the load and capacitor (C101). When MP1 is off and MN1 is on, current flows to the load through GND and L101 due to the energy stored in L101. At this time, when the current flowing through the load is small (below the critical current), the direction of the current flowing through L101 is reversed. That is, current flows from L101 to the GND direction. In Patent Document 1, this backflow is detected by the comparator 16.


A door holder and a door closer and, in particular, and improvements in door holders and closers for use in screen doors, storm doors or any type of door which has the need for a device for maintaining the door in a particular orientation and/or for self-closing of the door.

Screen door and storm door closers are known in the art. Door holders, are utilized for holding side pivoted, i.e., hinged, doors open against the self-closing action of such a door closer. This self-closing action of the door closer is caused by a coil spring which is either elongated or compressed, depending on the type of mechanism, when the door is opened.
Such self-closing mechanisms usually consist of a cylinder connected at one end to the door frame, a spring loaded piston rectilinearly displaceable in the cylinder, and a piston rod fixed to the piston and extending from the second end of the cylinder. The free end of the piston rod is rotatably or pivotally connected to the door itself.
These types of self-closing mechanisms function as air enters the cylinder freely as the door is opened. The air escapes at a controlled rate through an orifice as the door is closed by the force of the spring, thus slowing the rate at which the door is closed by an air cushioning or damping action, much like a gas spring.
The more advanced of the known door closers have a mechanism for holding the door open after it has been manually swung open to a predefined position. This allows for a person carrying groceries or other objects to conveniently walk through a door without having to continuously overcome the force of the closing spring. One of the only complaints in the use of such door closers is the ease with which a person can set the door closer to stay open or conversely, the ease with which a door being held open can be released.


This invention relates to a method for driving converts of an uninterrupted power supply (UPS), characterized in that the generating circuit of driving signal for power factor correction generates two driving signals (DRV1, DRV2) to drive the switch transistors (Q9, Q11) of the positive and negative power factor correction branch respectively, the holding and shifting circuit of driving pulse-width after the generating circuit of driving signal for power factor correction holds and shifts the pulse-width of the two driving signals, and drives the switch transistors (Q10, Q12) parallel to the aforesaid switch transistors in the positive and negative power factor correction branch respectively. Since a circuit for holding the pulse-width is introduced, the currents of the switch transistors of the two parallel boost converters are maintained substantially the same, thereby improving the reliability of the uninterrupted power supply system. As a result, this invention can be widely used in any application where a UPS is desired.

Recently, an UPS of three-phase four-wire high-frequency link has been proposed in some controlling strategies, which include peak value current control and mean value current control, etc. With such improved controlling strategies, the content of the quintic or septic harmonic waves and the like can be significantly reduced. Although these controlling strategies may effectively improve the input power factor, they have their respective drawbacks. In case of the peak value current controlling strategy, the wave shapes of the three-phase input currents are different from each other, and the overall current of the harmonic waves is large. The mean value controlling strategy is widely used and has a smaller overall current of harmonic waves in comparison with the peak value controlling strategy. However, a drawback of this strategy is that the input voltage is restricted and the switching frequency cannot exceed 20 KHz in high power applications.
FIG. 1 shows an uninterrupted power supply system using a mean value injection control, which comprises AC input ends U, V and W, a rectifying circuit, a battery branch, a power factor correction branch and an inverter branch. The input end of the rectifying circuit is connected with the AC input ends U, V and W, while the input end of the inverter branch is connected in parallel with the positive and negative ends on the DC side of the power factor correction branch. The power factor correction branch is placed between the battery branch and the inverter branch, and it includes a positive and negative boost converter circuit, a generating circuit of driving signals for power factor correction and positive and negative DC bus capacitors C1 and C2. The positive and negative boost converters include inductors L1, L2, L4 and L5, forward diodes D1 and D4, and positive and negative boost converter switch tubes Q9–Q12 respectively. The inductors L1, L2, L4 and L5 of the positive and negative boost converters are connected in series with the diodes D1–D4 respectively on the positive and negative DC bus. The positive DC bus capacitor C1 and the positive boost converter switch tubes Q9 and Q10 are cross-connected on the positive DC bus and the neutral line and placed before and after the diode D1 of the positive boost converter respectively. The negative DC bus capacitor C2 and the negative boost converter switch tubes Q11 and Q12 are cross-connected on the negative DC bus and the neutral line, and placed before and after the diode D4 of the negative boost converter. The input ends of the generating circuit of driving signals for power factor correction are connected with the positive and negative output voltage sampling signals REC1 and REC2 after the input voltage is rectified, the feedback signals V1 and V2 of the positive and negative DC bus capacitor voltage, and the sampling signals I1 and I2 of the induced current of the positive and negative boost converter respectively, while its output ends are connected with the control ends of the switch tubes Q9 and Q11 of the positive and negative boost converter. The positive and negative boost converter is formed with two symmetrical boost converter circuits in parallel, each of which includes an inductor (L1 or L2 or L4 or L5), a forward diode (D1 or D2 or D3 or D4) and a switch tube (Q9 or Q10 or Q11 or Q12). A driving signal shifting circuit is provided after the generating circuit of driving signal for power factor correction for regulating the phase of the driving signal. The signals from its input end and output end are sent to the controlling ends of a first positive boost converter switch tube (Q9), a first negative boost converter switch tube (Q11), and a second positive boost converter switch tube (Q10), a second negative boost converter switch tube (Q11), respectively.
However, there is only replacement without holding the width of the Pulse it may result in uneven current of those two voltage increase converters, and thus the system reliability is low.

Uninterrupted power supply and the method for driving its converters