A memory device, performs fast data renewal and erasure, and is not easily degraded. In the memory area of a flash memory, each block is divided into physical pages and each physical pages is divided into logical pages. A redundancy portion is provided for each physical page. When supplied with to-be-written data and the logical address of a write destination, a CPU writes this data in an empty logical page and allocates the supplied logical address to this logical page. An old data flag in the redundancy portion in that physical page which includes a logical page having old data stored therein is changed in such a way as to indicate that data in this logical page is invalid. New data writing is done in that logical page to which a logical address is not allocated. At the time of flash-erasing a block, data which is stored in that logical page which is indicated by the old data flag is not transferred.

In addition to a hard disk unit and a floppy (registered trademark) disk, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable/Programmable Read Only Memory) flash memory is used as a recording medium which is accessible (data readable and erasable) by a computer or the like. In case where a flash memory is used to store files under the control of a disk operating system, such as MS-DOS (registered trademark) or Windows (registered trademark), each of which is a product of Microsoft Corporation, the control becomes easy if a scheme using data read/write units (e.g., 512 bytes), which has conventionally been used at the time of using a hard disk unit, is employed.
The unit of the memory capacity of a flash memory in case where data is read or written (this unit being generally called "page" or "sector") is larger than the unit of the memory capacity in case of erasing data (the latter unit being generally called "block"). In case of storing data, the logic state of memory units (cells) can be changed only in one direction (e.g., in the direction from "1" to "0") and setting the memory units to the initial state (e.g., "1") requires an operation to erase the memory contents block by block (flash erase).
In case of renewing or erasing data stored in the flash memory, therefore, that data in a block containing data to be renewed which is not to be renewed is transferred to another block first. Then, the block containing data to be renewed is flash-erased or renewed data is written in that block.
Of flash memories, particularly, a NAND type has a difficulty in sufficiently preventing the occurrence of defective blocks which cannot carry out the proper data storage at the manufacturing stage. To cope with the difficulty of the conventional flash memory, therefore, consecutive logical addresses separate from physical addresses allocated to the respective blocks are dynamically allocated to proper blocks and an address translation table which shows the correlation between the physical addresses and the logical addresses is prepared to avoid complication of external access procedures which may be originated from addresses becoming discontiguous.
In case of renewing or erasing data stored in the flash memory, conventionally, all the pieces of data in a block containing data to be renewed or erased were read out. Therefore, data reading took time, which would eventually make the time needed to rewrite or erase data very long as a whole.
In case of rewriting a file whose amount of data is very small as compared with the memory capacity for one block, the flash memory flash-erases a block that contains lots of pages which store data irrelevant to the file and pages which are not holding data. While a NAND type flash memory can achieve a large-capacity structure at a low cost, it would be too degraded to perform proper data reading and writing by repetitive flash erase.
Therefore, the execution of the aforementioned operation rewrites a small amount of data, which results in inefficient frequent flash erase. This quickens the degrading of the flash memory.
Particularly, the memory capacity of the flash memory larger has become very huge to increase the memory capacity per page and the memory capacity per block considerably larger; for example, the memory capacity has increased to about two Kbytes per page or about 128 Kbytes per block.
Further, the increased memory capacity of the flash memory increases the case where the memory capacity which is physically equivalent to one page (hereinafter called "physical page") is virtually divided into plural memory areas (hereinafter called "logical pages") and is used in that form. In case where a physical page is divided into plural logical pages and is used in that form, even when data to be renewed or erased does not amount to one physical page, a block which holds this data is erased.
This further calls for the need for prevention of inefficient flash erase.

Memory device, memory managing method and program


The present invention provides an epoxy resin composition that serves to produce a cured epoxy resin that simultaneously realizes a high heat resistance, a high elastic modulus, and a low color and to produce a molded article having a good appearance without suffering the formation of white spots on the surface thereof when used as matrix resin in a fiber reinforced composite material. The epoxy resin composition includes an epoxy resin as component [A] and an imidazole compound as component [B] and meets certain conditions (a) to (d).

Epoxy resins have been widely used in various industries as a coating composition, adhesive, electric and electronic information material, advanced composite material, or the like because of their excellent mechanical properties. Epoxy resins have been frequently used particularly in fiber reinforced composite materials composed mainly of a reinforcing fiber, such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, and aramid fiber, combined with a matrix resin.
The use of a prepreg produced by impregnating a carbon fiber base with an epoxy resin is popular in the production of carbon fiber reinforced composite materials. Such a prepreg is laminated in layers or preformed, and then heated to cure the epoxy resin, thereby producing a molded article. If the curing reaction proceeds before the lamination step, the prepreg will suffer deterioration in handling property. Therefore, an epoxy resin to use in a prepreg requires high preservation stability, and dicyandiamide is widely used as curing agent because it is high in latent curing property.
Being lightweight and having high strength and high stiffness, carbon fiber composite materials have been used in a variety of fields ranging from sport and leisure goods to industrial applications such as automobiles and aircraft. With this feature, they have been frequently used in recent years not only in structure members, but for texture-of-cloth decoration realized by arranging woven fabrics in surfaces. For an epoxy resin adopted as matrix resin, therefore, importance is now attached to the low colors of cured products and appearance of molded articles in addition to high heat resistance and good mechanical properties of cured products. If dicyandiamide is used as hardener, however, there occurs the problem of white spots being formed on the surface of the resulting molded article, leading to deterioration in the appearance thereof.
As a method to prevent the formation of white spots attributed to dicyandiamide, Patent document 1 discloses a technique designed to depress the formation of white spots in prepreg by adopting a masterbatch containing dicyandiamide particles with small diameters to allow the dicyandiamide and epoxy resin to be dissolved or compatibilized during the step for impregnating the base. As methods to eliminate the use of dicyandiamide, Patent document 2 discloses a technique that uses polythiol and a urea compound as hardener components and Patent document 3 discloses a technique that employs an acid anhydride as hardener.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Epoxy resin composition, prepreg, and fiber-reinforced composite material


To improve characteristics by achieving size reduction and high Q value with a simple structure. A vibratory gyrosensor 1 according to the present invention includes a supporting substrate 2, which has a circuit element mounted thereon and a wiring pattern having a plurality of lands 4 disposed thereon; and a vibration element 20 mounted on a surface 2-1 of the supporting substrate. The vibration element 20 includes a base portion 22 having a mounting surface 22-2 provided with a plurality of terminals 25 that are connected to the lands; and a vibrator portion 23 extending integrally from a side of the base portion 22 in a cantilever manner and having a substrate-facing surface which is flush with the mounting surface of the base portion 22, the substrate-facing surface being provided with a first electrode layer 27, a piezoelectric layer 28 stacked on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer 29, 30 stacked on the piezoelectric layer. The vibration element 20 is mounted on the supporting substrate 2 by joining the terminals 25 to the lands 4 with metallic projections 26 disposed therebetween.

As consumer-oriented angular-velocity sensors, so-called vibratory gyrosensors are widely used. A vibratory gyrosensor detects an angular velocity by allowing a cantilever vibrator to vibrate at a predetermined resonant frequency, and then detecting a Coriolis force produced in response to an effect of angular velocity using a piezoelectric element.
Vibratory gyrosensors are advantageous in having a simple mechanism, short activation time, and low manufacturing cost. For example, vibratory gyrosensors are incorporated in electronic devices, such as video cameras, virtual reality devices, and car navigation systems, so as to function as sensors for motion-blur detection, motion detection, and direction finding, respectively.
A typical vibratory gyrosensor includes a vibration element which is manufactured by machine-cutting an appropriate piezoelectric material into a predetermined shape. With reduction in size and weight and improvements in functionality and performance of a main apparatus in which a vibratory gyrosensor is to be incorporated, a vibratory gyrosensor requires a smaller size and higher performance. However, it is difficult to manufacture a small vibration element with high precision due to limitations in machining accuracy.
Recently, there has been proposed a vibratory gyrosensor including a cantilever vibration element that is formed by laminating a pair of electrode layers with a piezoelectric thin film layer interposed therebetween on a silicon substrate by means of a thin film technique used in semiconductor processes (for example, see Patent Document 1). Such a vibratory gyrosensor achieves reduction in size and thickness and can thus be combined with a sensor used for other purposes, thereby achieving composition and higher functionality.
With the reduction in size and weight and improvements in functionality and performance of an apparatus in which a vibratory gyrosensor is to be incorporated, a vibratory gyrosensor requires a smaller size and higher performance. For example, by combining a vibratory gyrosensor with another type of sensor, multi-functionality is achieved. Moreover, in the vibratory gyrosensor, the vibration element is mounted on the supporting substrate, and the vibratory gyrosensor is mounted on a control substrate of the main apparatus together with the another type of sensor, thereby achieving size reduction as a whole.
However, in the typical vibratory gyrosensor, the electrodes of the vibration element and terminals provided on the supporting substrate are generally connected to each other by wire bonding. This means that a space is required around the periphery of the vibration element so that the wires can extend within the space. This space is one of the factors that interfere with an achievement of size reduction.
Furthermore, due to the size reduction, a vibratory gyrosensor may be significantly affected by, for example, vibration from the outside. This may be problematic in leading to an increase in cost as the supporting structure for the vibration element becomes more complex. Although an installation condition of a vibratory gyrosensor is determined based on specifications of the apparatus, it is required that predetermined characteristics be stably attained under any condition. In order to attain stable characteristics with high sensitivity in a vibratory gyrosensor, a mechanical quality coefficient Q value (Q factor), which determines the resonant state of the vibration element, must be increased. A mechanical quality coefficient Q value is determined on the basis of the material of the vibration element and the securing structure for the vibration element.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-113643

Vibratory gyrosensor having a vibration element provided with terminals


A clock generator module is disclosed. A clock generator module, electrically connected with a mainboard through a connector for communicating with each other, wherein an interface definition of the clock generator communicates with a control logic circuit of the mainboard to generate a required clock frequency.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clock generator module, and more particularly relates to a modular clock generator circuit providing various clock frequencies required. Thus, one particular electronic product is extendable for satisfying various frequencies requirements without incurring high cost on product design, and manufacturing and product management.
2. Description of the Related Art
The available measuring devices, data acquisition device or equipment, comprise a clock generator circuit for either analog input/output functions or digital input/output functions to achieve various functionalities. The clock in an analog input/output circuit is used for providing a sampling or updating clock to an analog-to-digital converter or a digital-to-analog converter integrated circuit. And to use the clock signal in the digital input/output circuit is for digital signal sampling or renewing
The clock circuit is designed so as to allow selection of various frequencies by a user for enjoying or achieving various appliance features, or allowing to achieving various frequencies setup. Some methods of generating clock signal are described as follows.                (a) A time base clock signal generated from an oscillator is transmitted to a frequency divider circuit of a logic circuit to achieve various frequency setup. This method of setting up various frequency results in a poor frequency resolution, but however the manufacturing cost thereof is very low. Further, the functionality of the oscillation is limited to a certain range and is also of accuracy concern. For example, a time base clock signal frequency of 100 MHz, when divided by 2 results into 50 MHz; when divided by 3 results into 33.33 MHz; when divided by 4 results into 25 MHz; when divided by 5 results into 20 MHz; when divided by 6 results into 16.66 MHz, and so on, but however a frequency value between 50 MHz and 100 MHz, for example, a 75 MHz cannot be achieved by the above oscillator.        (b) A DDS (direct digital synthesizer) IC is capable of providing frequency adjustment with high resolution, wherein the adjustable frequency resolution to a degree of μ Hz, and therefore the resulting frequency can be very exquisite. The advantage of this method is the high frequency resolution, for example, are 211.354677 KHz, 301.3445 MHz and other fine adjustment range. But the disadvantage is the high manufacturing cost and the highly complicated manufacturing process for producing a DDS IC. Additionally, the vibration levels are related to the DDS IC.        (c) Use PLL (phase lock loop) technology to generate the clock signal. The PLL locks up the clock signal at a certain frequency and result in an absolute accuracy, however generally speaking, the clock resolution is poorer and the clock vibration levels are related to the PLL IC as well.
The above three methods of generating clock signal have some advantages as well some disadvantages. If an user needs all the three types of clock generators, the user needs to purchase three measuring devices with different types of clock generators, and accordingly, the product management, the cost of design and the production would be expensive.
Therefore, a clock generator module suitable for applying in various circuit board and electronic products without incurring high cost is highly desirable.

Method of supplying a required clock frequency by a clock generator module through interface communication with a mainboard


A display substrate and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The display substrate includes a base substrate and a display element provided on the base substrate. The method includes steps of forming a first protection layer at at least one of outer peripheral sides of the base substrate, and removing the first protection layer before attaching a cover plate to the base substrate on which the display element is provided.

During a manufacturing process of an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel, a base substrate of the OLED display panel is prone to crack due to an external shock when it is cut, and a crack may extend from an edge region to a display region of the display panel in horizontal and vertical directions, causing infiltration of water and oxygen, thereby shortening the service life of the OLED display panel.

Display substrate and method for manufacturing the same

CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler for cooling exhaust gas via a coolant includes at least one channel having an inlet and an outlet, and a casing defining a cooling chamber for carrying the coolant around the at least one channel. The exhaust gas is flowable through the at least one channel from the inlet to the outlet. At least a portion of the at least one channel is variable between a fully compressed position and an uncompressed position. The casing includes a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet through which the coolant enters and exits the cooling chamber. The casing also includes an exhaust gas inlet from which the exhaust gas enters the at least one channel, and an exhaust gas outlet into which the exhaust gas exits the at least one channel.

Many vehicles employ an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) in an internal combustion engine's exhaust gas and to improve fuel economy. In EGR systems, a portion of the exhaust gas is recirculated to the intake manifold of the engine where the exhaust gas displaces the amount of combustible matter or oxygen normally inducted into the engine, thereby reducing the rate of NOx formation. In addition, many EGR systems implement an EGR cooler in which a coolant is used to cool the exhaust gas. This results in lower combustion chamber temperatures, which in turn increases the effectiveness of the EGR system in reducing the NOx formation.

Exhaust gas recirculation cooler and system


An improved thermal printing postage meter includes a base supporting a registration wall and a deck. A thermal print head is fixably mounted to the registration wall above a portion of the deck to define a print station. A thermal ribbon cassette is detachably mounted to the registration wall, the thermal ribbon cassette having a thermal transfer ribbon supply mounted around a supply roller and threaded past the print head in the printing station to a take-up roller. A platen roller assembly supports a platen roller for positioning the platen roller to assume a second position biasing the media against the thermal ribbon and the thermal print head. A first motor drive is provided for rotatively driving the platen roller, wherein rotation of the platen roller simultaneously drives the media and thermal ribbon past the print head. A second motor drive is provided for driving the take-up roller during a print cycle. A microcontroller communicates with the first drive motor and the second drive motor for driving the first and second motor drives at complementary speeds such that the take-up side web tension of the thermal ribbon within the thermal cassette remains constant.

The present invention relates to thermal printing devices and, more particularly, to a method for controlling the take-up ribbon tension of the thermal ribbon cassette.
In the development of a novel thermal printing postage meter consideration was given to utilizing a replaceable thermal transfer ribbon cassette. In utilizing a thermal transfer ribbon cassette in combination with the novel thermal printing postage meter, it is considered advantageous to utilize a postage meter configuration whereby a driven platen would be singularly responsible for displacement the print media, i.e., envelope, and the thermal transfer ribbon in order to insure synchronized printing. In order to further insure print quality, it is considered advantageous to maintain a constant print ribbon tension during the printing cycle.
Conventionally, tension control is provided by a clutched take-up system. However, due to the constantly changing radius of the take-up spool, a fixed input clutch produces a high web tension in the beginning of the cassette tape and a low web tension at the end of the cassette tape. It is further noted that the ribbon once partly relieved of transfer ink due to the printing process is difficult to wind uniformly on the take-up spool. After the printing process that portion of the spent transfer ribbon is severely weakened and distorted due to the printing process, too much web tension can cause induced wrinkles in the printing area as well as uneven winding on the take-up spool resulting in an overly large take-up spool diameter which may also be the result of too low web tension.
For postage meter application, it is a fur advantage to utilize a compact ribbon in order to maximum use of the web ink area which requires overlapping of the supply side and take-up side radii. As a result, it is important that the take-up spool wind properly to avoid collision between the supply side radius and the take-up side radius.

Thermal ribbon cassette tension control for a thermal postage meter


There is disclosed a method of handling a sensor, comprising the steps of: challenging a subset of sensor components under uniform conditions; receiving output signal values from said subset; for each component, determining the statistical moment of order i of the temporal distribution of the output signal value of said each sensor component; and determining one or more pathological sensor components whose sum of the distances of values to other components of the subset is greater than a threshold, the distance between two sensor components being determined by the difference of the ith statistical moment values of the two temporal distributions associated to the components obtained when challenging said subset under uniform conditions. Described developments comprise the use of imaging sensors, key or identifier generation, authentication mechanisms, determination of thresholds, use of helper data files, adjustments of light sources and/or beam shaping, handling of lossy compression and of videos.

Imaging sensors such as cameras or displays are now widespread in consumer electronics devices such as smartphones, computer devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices or the like.
Few known approaches are directed towards the security of such sensors. Some existing approaches describe how to use cameras and/or displays to authenticate users. An imaging sensor is rarely considered for itself.
These existing approaches present limitations.
In particular, there is a need for methods and systems to generate reliably a credential such as an identifier or key from an imaging sensor.


Example embodiments relate to a turbocharger for a combustion machine, having a bearing housing, in which a rotor shaft is mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotor axis of rotation. An exhaust-gas turbine with a turbine wheel is arranged rotationally conjointly on the rotor shaft and which has an impeller blade arrangement with multiple turbine blades, and with a turbine housing is mechanically fixed to the bearing housing and which surrounds the turbine wheel With respect to a meridional view of the exhaust-gas turbine, the turbine housing and the turbine wheel are designed and adapted to one another such that the following condition is satisfied:

Exhaust-gas turbochargers are increasingly being used to increase power in motor vehicle internal combustion engines. More and more frequently, this is done with the aim of reducing the overall size and weight of the internal combustion engine for the same power or even increased power and, at the same time, of reducing consumption and thus CO2 emissions, with regard to ever stricter legal requirements in this respect. The principle of action consists in using the energy contained in the exhaust-gas flow to increase a pressure in an intake tract of the internal combustion engine and thus to bring about better filling of a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine with atmospheric oxygen. In this way, more fuel, such as gasoline or diesel, can be converted in each combustion process, i.e. the power of the internal combustion engine can be increased.
To this end, the exhaust-gas turbocharger has an exhaust-gas turbine arranged in the exhaust tract of the internal combustion engine, a fresh-air compressor arranged in the intake tract and a rotor bearing arranged therebetween. The exhaust-gas turbine has a turbine housing and a turbine impeller arranged therein, which is driven by the exhaust-gas mass flow. The fresh-air compressor has a compressor housing and a compressor impeller arranged therein, which builds up a boost pressure. The turbine impeller and the compressor impeller are arranged for conjoint rotation on the opposite ends of a common shaft, referred to as the rotor shaft, and thus form what is referred to as the turbocharger rotor. The rotor shaft extends axially between the turbine impeller and compressor impeller through the rotor bearing arranged between the exhaust-gas turbine and fresh-air compressor, and is rotatably mounted in said rotor bearing in the radial and axial directions in relation to the rotor shaft axis. According to this construction, the turbine impeller driven by the exhaust-gas mass flow drives the compressor impeller via the rotor shaft, thereby increasing the pressure in the intake tract of the internal combustion engine in relation to the fresh-air mass flow behind the fresh-air compressor, and thereby ensuring better filling of the combustion chamber with atmospheric oxygen.

Turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, and turbine housing

Abstract: L      cover              L      axTip        >      1    -                            Tip          clr                          R          in                    ×                        3                    π                4            ×                        1                      (                          1              -                                                R                  out                                                  R                  in                                                      )                          .


A method and apparatus for making a thermoplastic air bag cover having a hidden tear seam. A molten thermoplastic is injected into a mold cavity of a mold having a shape defining the air bag cover. An insert having a shape defining the tear seam is extended into the mold cavity before the molten plastic completely solidifies. The resulting air bag cover is cooled to a temperature beneath the softening point of the plastic. The completed air bag cover is then removed from the mold. The thickness of the air bag cover at the tear seam is within a range of 0.2 to 0.4 millimeters.

Presently, when air bag covers are provided in automobiles on the driver side of the vehicle, the air bag is stored in the steering column behind an air bag cover. During automatic inflation of the air bag, the air bag cover moves away from the steering column to permit its safety function between the steering column and the operator of the vehicle. Air bag covers may also be provided on the passenger side of the vehicle as well.
Recent practice in the automotive industry is utilization of all plastic fabricated air bag covers. Conventional air bag covers used in conjunction with occupant restraint systems often include noticeable or visually perceptible tear seams or scores disposed on the exterior surface of the air bag cover. The tear seams or scores represent selected weakened surfaces where the inflating air bag initially separates or breaks through the air bag cover and moves away from the steering wheel to perform its safety feature.
Typically, a tear seam is formed into an air bag cover by injecting plastic into an injection mold in which the mold cavity includes a projection defining the tear seam. An example is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,935 issued to Proos et al. However, with this method it is difficult to inject the plastic over the projection, resulting in swirl lines caused by turbulence. Also, it is very difficult to have molten plastic flow over the projection, therefore, the thickness of the tear seam is limited, typically 0.4 millimeters or more.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,380, issued to Hamada et al., discloses an air bag cover having a hidden tear seam of less than 0.4 millimeters. However, this air bag cover is manufactured utilizing RIM (Reaction Injection Molding) technology. With RIM, a mold cavity supporting a mesh screen is injected with two liquid materials that chemically react to form a thermoset product. However, a product manufactured utilizing RIM molding is relatively more expensive, less durable and heavier than a product manufactured utilizing thermoplastic injection molding.


A sewing machine is disclosed in which an expenditure of lower thread is calculated from an expenditure of an upper thread. The expenditure of the upper thread is determined from the amount of rotation of a rotary tension disc. A pair of Hall elements deliver two phase signals, a phase difference therebetween is utilized to determine the direction of rotation, thus removing the likelihood of an error being caused by a rotation in the reverse direction. When the amount of leftover lower thread reduces below a given value, an alarm is issued. Where a plurality of needles are used, an expenditure of an upper thread is obtained for each tension disc, and the total expenditure is obtained.

The invention relates to an apparatus for detecting amount of leftover lower thread which may be utilized in an industrial sewing machine, for example.
A prior art for an apparatus for detecting amount of leftover lower thread of the kind described is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 26,455/1990, for example.
In the prior art practice, an apparatus for detecting amount of leftover lower thread in a sewing machine comprises an optical detector located adjacent to a bobbin on which a lower thread is disposed as a winding for detecting the level of transmitting or reflected light which varies with the amount of winding of lower thread on the bobbin or the leftover amount thereof, thus directly deriving the amount of leftover lower thread.
However, the use of an optical detector of this kind requires a bobbin or a shuttle race which is machined to a special configuration, and a customary bobbin or shuttle race cannot be used with such detector. An optical detector is susceptible to a malfunctioning caused by a contamination thereof caused by fragments of thread or by oil which is unavoidable in an industrial sewing machine. Since an industrial sewing machine is designed for continuous operation over a prolonged period of time under nearly unmanned condition, the detector may fail to detect the exhaustion of the lower thread as a result of a malfunctioning thereof to allow a continued operation of the machine. Then there results a number of unsewn fabrics, requiring a repeated sewing operation and thus degrading the production efficiency.

Apparatus for detecting amount of leftover lower thread in a sewing machine


An image forming apparatus capable of efficiently performing an image forming processing even in a case where a post-processing apparatus performs a post-processing during a both-sides printing. A first time period needed by a first both-sides image forming processing and a second time period needed by a second both-sides image forming processing are computed in a case where a post-processing unit performs a post-processing on a recording sheet formed images on both sides thereof. The first time period and the second time period is compared, and any one of the first both-sides image forming processing and the second both-sides image forming processing is selected based on the comparison.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, capable of performing both-sides printing on a recording sheet, a method therefor, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a case where a conventional image forming apparatus performs both-sides printing on recording sheets, a both-sides printing method is known that as an initial step, an image is formed on the first surface of each of some recording sheets and thereafter as a subsequent step, an image is alternately formed on the first surface of a recording sheet and second surface of a recording sheet (for example, see, U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,786).
There exists an image forming apparatus capable of connecting to various kinds of post-processing apparatuses. In a case where the image forming apparatus is connected to a post-processing apparatus performing a stapling processing and/or a post-processing apparatus performing a sorting processing, a processing capacity for each of the post-processing apparatuses per unit time is made higher than an image forming capability of the image forming apparatus so as to prevent the image forming apparatus from being kept waiting for an image forming processing thereof. On the other hand, in a case where the image forming apparatus is connected to a post-processing apparatus performing a time-consuming processing on the assumption of being performed a both-sides printing mode such as a bookbinding function, the post-processing apparatus is made to have a capability half of or more than half of an image forming capability of the image forming apparatus in a one-side printing mode so as to substantially prevent the image forming apparatus from being kept waiting for the image forming processing thereof.
In the meantime, recently, the image forming apparatus is required to improve image quality for the both-sides printing thereof, and a problem is pointed out that images formed on the first and second surfaces have different sizes from each other because a recording sheet shrinks during thermal fixing performed along with the image formation on the first surface of the recording sheet. In order to cope with this problem, a method is proposed to switch a rotational speed of a polygon mirror for the image formation between the first and second surfaces (for example, see, U.S. Pat. No. 6,839,078).
A high-speed image forming apparatus requiring high-quality images needs to have a configuration to change the rotational speed of the polygon mirror during the both-sides printing. However, it needs a lot of time to change the rotational speed of the polygon mirror because the polygon mirror is made to have a large inertia to stably rotate at a high speed. As a result, in a case where the image formation on the first and second surfaces of a recording sheet are alternately performed sheet by sheet, it is necessary to perform a speed-changing processing of the polygon mirror at every such occasion, thereby making the image forming processing itself of the image forming apparatus becomes slower.
This problem can be solved by performing the image formation on the first surfaces of a plurality of sheets at one time and subsequently performing the image formation on the second surfaces at one time instead of alternately performing the image formation on the first and second surfaces. This is because, if such configuration is employed, the rotational speed of the polygon mirror changes for less number of times, the image forming apparatus can reduce a time period for the image forming processing.
However, the image forming apparatus having the configuration as described above successively performs the image formation on the second surfaces of the plurality of recording sheets. Accordingly, in a case where a post-processing is performed by a post-processing apparatus having a processing capability half of a processing capability of the image forming apparatus in a one-side printing mode, the post-processing apparatus may cause the image forming apparatus to be kept waiting for the image forming processing thereof. In addition, it becomes necessary for the post-processing apparatus to be provided with a buffer for storing the recording sheets so that the post-processing can be done while the image forming apparatus is performing the image formation on the first surfaces.
On the other hand, when the image formation is performed on thick sheets, the number of the sheets for image formation per unit time may sometimes be reduced so that a fixing unit can apply sufficient heat to the thick sheet. In such case, it is less likely to cause the image forming apparatus to be kept waiting for the image forming processing even where the image formation is performed alternately on the first and second surfaces to repeatedly change the rotational speed of the polygon mirror, and even where a time-consuming post-processing is executed, waiting time for the processing can be reduced.

Image forming apparatus, method therefor, and program


When a semiconductor sensor element used for detecting high-energy x-rays and gamma rays and an amplifier are connected via wires, the capacitances vary depending on the wires, thereby causing a sensitivity variation. To solve this, a structure for making the capacitances uniform is proposed.

For high-energy x-rays and gamma rays which have high transmittance, a sensor, made from materials having a high absorbing ability, that is having a high atomic weight, is used. Examples of these materials are CdTe, CdZnTe, HgI2, PbI2 and TlBr, and sensor elements made from these materials are arranged linearly or two-dimensionally, and current is read from an electrode attached to each element. The current which is read is pre-amplified, signal processing is performed thereon, and two-dimensionally arranged image signals are generated.
Normally in the case of a linear sensor, elements are arranged in a row, and signals are guided to the pre-amplifier via the wires disposed at equal spacing. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-236210, it is proposed that the sensor sections are arranged in shifted positions in order to increase resolution in the linear sensor.
In the case of a semiconductor sensor, the capacitance between the pre-amplifier and the sensor has a major influence on the read signals, but in the case of a visible light sensor which can handle a large signal current amount, the influence thereof is minor, and can be adjusted in the signal processing in a subsequent step.

Ultra-high resolution pixel electrode arrangement structure and signal processing method

Abstract: If a staggered arrangement is used for high resolution, the capacitances by wiring are different from element to element, so dummy sensor mounting sections (2) are provided to electrode sections (3) to make the capacitance uniform. The width of the connection section is decreased depending on the wiring length so as to make the capacitance uniform.

National University Corporation Shizuoka University


A thermostat for a conditioned space includes a sensor that measures a value of a performance variable of the conditioned space, a user interface that receives a setpoint value from a user and displays information to the user, and a controller. The controller receives values of the performance variable from the sensor over a time period, stores the values of the performance variable, receives the setpoint value from the user interface, and determines a value of a manipulated variable based on the setpoint value and the values of the performance variable. The controller is configured to adjust an operation of HVAC equipment that affect the conditioned space based on the value of the manipulated variable. The controller is configured to determine a smoothed value of the performance variable based on the values of the performance variable and cause the user interface to display the smoothed value.

The present disclosure relates generally to control systems for an HVAC system. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a control system configured to reduce displayed temperature swings generated by oversized heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) control systems.
Many control algorithms for HVAC systems are based on operator established set points and permissible variation about the set points. The range of temperatures between the lowest permissible temperature and the highest permissible temperature is generally referred to as a "deadband." The control algorithm may actuate a cooling system in response to sensing a temperature higher than the highest permissible temperature. The control algorithm may actuate a heating system in response to sensing a temperature lower than the lowest permissible temperature. Many HVAC systems have minimum on/off times to reduce cycling of the HVAC equipment and wear on the HVAC equipment. However, many HVAC systems are oversized for the controlled space. Accordingly, actuation of the cooling system or the heating system may cause the temperature of the controlled space to be outside of the deadband range because, the piece of HVAC equipment must keep operating after the temperature of the controlled space has returned to the deadband range if the piece of HVAC equipment has not yet met the minimum on/off time, which causes the piece of HVAC equipment to overshoot the deadband. Some systems may include an operator interface that displays a temperature of the controlled space to an operator and allows the operator to modify parameters such as temperature set points. In oversized systems, the temperature of the controlled space displayed to the operator may be above or below the temperature set point and/or the deadband range due to the overshoot, which can cause operator frustration.

Building control system with oversized equipment control and performance display


An adjunct processor (100) is embedded in a telecommunications switching system (10) wherein port circuits (106-108) are interconnected with each other and with a control processor (101) by a TDM bus (105). The adjunct processor is physically incorporated into the switching system, is connected directly to the TDM bus, and communicates with the control processor exclusively via the TDM bus. The adjunct processor is made up of a telecommunications feature module such as a conventional voice-mail system (200), an arrangement (210, 220, 240) for interfacing the feature module to the TDM bus whereby the adjunct processor emulates a port circuit in its connection to the TDM bus, and an arrangement (203) for interfacing the feature module to the control processor whereby the adjunct processor emulates a telephone in its interactions with the control processor.

Adjunct processors are used in conjunction with telecommunications switching systems to provide to users telecommunications features and services that the switching systems and their intelligence (i.e., their control processors) are not designed to provide. A well-known illustrative example thereof are voice-mail systems. The adjunct processors are interfaced to users through the switching systems, and hence the control processors of the switching systems and the adjunct processors must have a capability of communicating with each other. The communications connections between the switching systems and the adjunct processors are typically accomplished through special control links. Illustrative examples thereof include the SMSI, DCIU, and ASAI links of AT&T PBXs. Consequently, in order for a switching system to be usable with an adjunct processor, it is generally required that the switching system provide and support the special control link.
From a cost standpoint it is desirable to physically incorporate the adjunct processor into the switching system. This eliminates the cost of a separate cabinet for the adjunct processor. It also eliminates the need for long cables and associated circuitry (e.g., amplifiers) for interconnecting the switching system and the adjunct processor. Furthermore, it often allows the adjunct processor to be powered from the power supply of the switching system, thereby eliminating the need for a separate adjunct power supply. An illustrative example of such a physically-incorporated adjunct processor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,408. The incorporated voice-mail system disclosed therein has the additional advantage that its voice ports connect directly to the internal communications bus of the switching system, thereby eliminating the need for line-interface circuits for the voice-mail system voice-ports. Nevertheless, even when so physically incorporated into the switching system, the adjunct processor requires a special control-link connection to the control processor of the switching system.
Some arrangements for connecting an adjunct processor to a switching system have been proposed that avoid the need for a special control link. An illustrative example thereof is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,718. Therein, a voice-mail system is interfaced to a switching system through a digital feature-telephone set. The feature-telephone set is conventionally connected to the switching system by means of one or more digital telephone lines and digital line-interface circuits. The voice-mail system monitors the display of the feature-telephone set to obtain control information from the switching system, and activates keypad signals on the feature-telephone set to provide control information to the switching system.
Unfortunately, an arrangement of this nature does not facilitate incorporation of the adjunct processor into the switching system. Quite the opposite: it requires a complex interface arrangement comprising a digital line-interface circuit, a digital telephone line, a digital feature-telephone set, and telephone-set display-and keyboard-interface circuitry, to permit the adjunct processor and the control processor of the switching system to communicate with each other. Whatever advantage is gained by elimination of the special control link is offset in large measure by the cost and bulk of this additional interface equipment.

Adjunct processor embedded in a switching system


A perforated fabric for modifying the effective electrochemical surface area of a cell is described. The size and pattern of perforations in the fabric determine the effective electrochemical surface area of the cell. In practice, the modified cell comprises a layer of perforated fabric placed between the anode and the cathode along with a suitable electrolyte absorbent separator material. Electrodes are then assembled into a cell using typical techniques with a spirally-wound configuration being preferred. The present perforated fabric provides for the production of cells with variable effective electrochemical surface areas while using a single manufacturing line. A preferred cell chemistry comprises a fluorinated carbon electrode present in an alkali metal system with the preferred perforated fabric comprising a Fluorpeel fabric, which is a woven fiberglass cloth impregnated with PTFE polymer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy. More particularly, the present invention relates to modifying the effective electrochemical surface area of a cell using a mechanically perforated, ion-impermeable fabric disposed between the anode and the cathode. A preferred perforated fabric for a cell having a fluorinated carbon electrode is a Fluorpeel fabric, which is a woven fiberglass cloth impregnated with synthetic resinous fluorine-containing polymers. This material is able to perform its attenuating function while maintaining structural integrity in fluorinated carbon electrode chemistries, which are known to experience swelling during discharge. 2. Prior Art
It is known to use a mechanically perforated film disposed between the anode and the cathode to control the volume of electrolyte passing between the electrodes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,520 to Rosansky describes a self-limiting cell including a non-porous, non-electrolyte permeable separator barrier having a predetermined number of openings to dictate the cell's specific design parameters. The prior art separator barrier is made of polyethylene or polypropylene materials and is described as being useful in a wide variety of cell chemistries including lithium-oxyhalide cells having a carbonaceous cathode current collector.
The problem with using polyolefines as separators, and particularly as film separators, is that polyolefinic films possess relatively low mechanical strength and are prone to tearing and puncture, especially during cell swelling. This can defeat the intended purpose of providing the cell with a self-limiting structure in the first place. A perforated separator that ruptures during cell discharge can, at the very least, cause an inaccuracy in the cell's intended discharge performance and, at the worst, cause an internal short circuit condition that may render the cell inoperative and possibly create an explosive venting condition.
Therefore, there exists a need for an electrochemical cell having a discharge modifying structure that is capable of withstanding mechanical stresses such as those caused by electrode swelling, elevated temperatures and shock and vibration forces of the kind experienced in well drilling operations, and the like without the modifying structure rupturing or otherwise becoming structurally compromised.

Perforated film for modifying the electrochemical surface area of a cell


The present invention relates to the use of a polypeptide (CD27L) for diagnosis of epithelial-related cancers, in particular kidney cancer e.g. renal cell cancer and colorectal cancer, e.g. colon cancers, as well as in methods of treatment of such cancers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of a polypeptide (CD27L) for diagnosis of epithelial-related cancers, in particular kidney cancer e.g. renal cell cancer and colorectal cancer, e.g. colon cancers, as well as in methods of treatment of such cancers. Several publications and patent documents are referenced in this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. The disclosure of each of these publications and documents is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Treatment of most cancer types is usually via surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or biological therapy. However, some tumours become refractory to such treatments, as the cancer cells develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs or lose their hormone sensitivity, leading to recurrent or metastatic disease which is often incurable. More recently, attention has focused on the development of immunological therapies (Green et al. (2000) Cancer Treat. Rev. 26, 269-286; Davis (2000) Immunol. Cell Biol. 78, 179-195; Knuth et al. (2000) Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 46, S46-51; Shiku et al. (2000) Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 46, S77-82; Saffran et al. (1999) Cancer Metastasis Rev. 18, 437-449), such as cancer vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), as a means of initiating and targeting a host immune response against tumour cells. In 1998, the FDA approved the use of herceptin (Stebbing et al. (2000) Cancer Treat. Rev. 26, 287-290; Dillman (1999) Cancer Biother. Radiopharm. 14, 5-10; Miller et al. (1999) Invest. New Drugs 17, 417-427), a mAb that recognises the erbB2/HER2-neu receptor protein, as a treatment for metastatic breast cancer. In combination with chemotherapy, herceptin has been shown to prolong the time to disease progression, when compared to patients receiving chemotherapy alone (Baselga et al. (1998) Cancer Res. 58, 2825-2831). The identification of other suitable targets or antigens for immunotherapy of other cancers, for example epithelial-derived cancers, has become increasingly important.
Kidney Cancer
There are three main types of kidney cancer—renal cell cancer that develops in the lining of the renal tubules which filter blood, Wilm's Tumor, found mainly in children under 5 years, and transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and/or ureter, that develops in the lining of the bladder, ureters or renal pelvis. Respectively they account for approximately 80%, 5% and 7% of all kidney cancer cases.
As kidney cancer grows, it may invade organs near the kidney, such as the liver, colon, or pancreas. When kidney cancer spreads, cancer cells may appear in the lymph nodes. For this reason, lymph nodes near the kidney may be removed during surgery. Kidney cancer may spread and form new cancers, most often in the bones or lungs.
Surgery is the main treatment for kidney cancer. The aim of surgery is to remove all or as much of the cancer as is possible and to 'stage' the cancer accurately so that the need for any further treatment can be assessed. In radical nephrectomy, the whole kidney along with the cancer is removed. The adrenal gland, which is attached to the kidney, is also removed along with the fatty tissue surrounding the kidney. Nearby lymph nodes are also removed as this helps the doctors decide which stage the cancer is. In a partial nephrectomy, only the part of the kidney that contains the cancer is removed and is less commonly performed. In some circumstances, removal of secondary metastases may be done to relieve symptoms such as pain. However, it does not usually help in terms of prognosis and will only be attempted if the cancer is easy to get to and surgery can be performed without causing any serious side effects. Arterial embolisation is a procedure done to block the artery of the kidney containing the cancer. This procedure may be done to control a primary tumour which surgery cannot remove or occasionally prior to an operation to make surgery easier.
Radiotherapy is sometimes used instead of surgery for patients who are too ill to undergo a major operation. In some circumstances it may be used to help with symptoms that arise as a result of recurrent or advanced cancers. However, renal cell kidney cancers are not particularly sensitive to radiotherapy and its use is not routine because studies have not shown that it improves prognosis.
Immunotherapeutic treatment most commonly uses cytokines interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha for the treatment of advanced (metastatic) kidney cancer.
Colorectal Cancer
Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men and women in the United States. Surgery is the main treatment for colorectal cancer. Radiation therapy is often used after surgery to kill unremoved deposits and to prevent local recurrences. Adjuvant chemotherapy may also be used, with drugs such as Fluorouracil (5-FU), optionally with leucovorin or levamisole, and Irinotecan (CPT-11). There are no generally approved immunotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of colorectal cancer, despite the fact that immunotherapy may offer the greatest potential after surgical resection in the adjuvant setting. Edrecolomab (monoclonal antibody 17-1 A, or Panorex), however, is an adjunctive therapy for colorectal cancer which is in clinical trials in the UK and the US, and which has already been approved in Germany. Identification of new suitable targets or antigens for immunotherapy of colorectal cancer is therefore highly important.

Methods for diagnosis and treatment of epithelial-derived cancers


An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system includes a control and display module operational with a UPS when carried by a housing of the UPS and when remote from the housing. An orientation sensing switch carried by the module senses a horizontal or vertical position of the module and provides a signal to a module processor for providing performance diagnostics of the UPS in a horizontal or vertical format as appropriate. The UPS system housing includes support arms extendable from the housing for providing added stability to the housing when in a vertical position. The control and display processor receives manual input from user buttons on the module and communicates with a UPS processor carried by the housing. The UPS includes a battery positioned within the housing for access by removal of a front housing panel for avoiding movement of the UPS system during replacement of batteries.

An uninterruptible power supply, well known as a UPS, is typically used as a buffer between commercially supplied power and an electrical load, such as a computer, that requires precise or uninterrupted power. If line voltage varies or is interrupted, power to the load is maintained for a limited amount of time to operate the load during the interruption or to provide time to shut down the load without resulting damage. A UPS typically comprises a rectifier, inverter, and battery charger. The UPS uses the commercially supplied AC power to charge a DC battery. The computer or electronics equipment, the load, then draws its AC power from the DC battery through the DC to AC inverter using appropriate circuitry. This isolates the load from power surges or brownouts and also furnishes a source of power during brief outages.
There is an ever increasing need to protect consumer electronic products such as the computer and home entertainment equipment. Further, there is a need to integrate the UPS within the packaging style of product, and provide operational information to the consumer during normal and interrupted power operations for the consumer equipment relying on protection through the UPS.
With increasingly smaller and less expensive computer equipment, there has been an increasing emphasis on the need for smaller and less expensive UPS systems. Typically, small UPS systems are included in one of three categories; stand-by, on-line, and line interactive.
A stand-by UPS maintains its battery with a low charge rate, and only becomes active when the power source fails. Normally, power is passed from the alternating-current power source to the UPS output. Surge suppression capability is similar to a suppression power strip. All high power components are normally off, and are only used for a few minutes when the power source fails. With such an arrangement, heat build-up in the UPS is seldom a concern. On the other hand, since the UPS circuitry is only used when the power fails, a failure in the backup supply may not be noticed until backup power is needed, thus defeating the primary purpose of the UPS.
An on-line UPS converts the alternating-current power source to direct-current at the battery level, then regenerates alternating-current from the battery supply. Since the output power is being generated locally, the power source is effectively de-coupled from the UPS output, thus resulting in excellent surge suppression. Since the power generation circuitry is normally active, any failure in that circuitry is most likely to happen when the power source or main power is available. The UPS can switch back to the main power and the user can be notified that backup is not available before it is needed. Thus, there is no false sense of security as in the stand-by type systems. However, the on-line system requires a battery charge circuit with enough power to charge the battery and supply the alternating-current output under full load. Such a feature adds cost for providing the UPS system. Further, with high power components running continuously, heat build-up becomes a factor.
The line-interactive UPS is a stand-by supply that charges the battery by running alternating-current generation circuitry in reverse. It usually includes an extra winding on a power transformer that can be used to boost or cut the input voltage to keep the output voltage within a nominal range during power surges and brownouts. The line-interactive is currently popular in the small UPS market, very likely because of the lower number of component parts required for the UPS. Typically, all UPS systems must generate a sixty cycle alternating-current output, and consequently will have a relatively heavy, bulky transformer in order to operate at this frequency.
There is thus a need to provide a reliable UPS that fits within the consumer product lines including computers and home entertainment systems, and to provide such a UPS at a price that complements the products being protected.

Uninterruptible power supply system with removable front panel display and control module


A system and method for effecting modular investment position calculation is disclosed. The system and method comprise a data architecture having multiple stored calculation components. The calculation components include base calculation components and variant calculation components. A calculation spine is assembled by a master control module based upon information received by the master control module indicating that a variant version of a base calculation is to be performed. The calculation spine includes at least some of the base calculation components and at least one of the variant calculation components. The calculation spine is executable by the at least one programmable processor using data received by the processor such that, when the calculation spine is executed, the variant version of the base calculation will be performed using the data.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to financial calculations and, more particularly, to a system and method for modular investor position calculation.
2. Background
Complex financial investments often require implementation of large processes to facilitate calculation. Current systems may be able to execute calculations, but are generally inflexible, making it difficult to enact even small changes or introduce integration with other external systems. Small changes to one aspect of a calculation may require time intensive re-testing of all other steps to ensure that the change will not cause an error somewhere else in the lengthy calculation process. In addition, these calculations are often broken into smaller independent calculations that are often spread out among a plurality of different systems or processes, oftentimes including human participants. This requires substantial work to be performed in ensuring proper communication between independent sub-systems and sub-processes, adding unneeded complexity. Centralizing these large processes is one viable solution to this problem, but, as mentioned above, the resulting size of the centralized calculation processes makes it inflexible to even small variations.


A method and corresponding apparatus for accurately determining the offset of the carrier frequency of a received signal from a nominal frequency (the offset due to for example Doppler shifting), such as is done in a ranging receiver when acquiring or tracking a signal transmitted by a beacon (such as a satellite) of a positioning system. The method amplifies a conventional correlation by performing a special noncoherent integration of the real and imaginary components of the output of a conventional (coherent) correlation calculation, resulting in a complex phasor having a phase that bears information about the offset of the carrier frequency from the nominal carrier frequency.

Spread spectrum communication in its basic form is a method of taking a data signal that is used to modulate a sinusoidal carrier and then spreading its bandwidth to a much larger value, e.g. in a global positioning system (GPS) application, the spreading is achieved by multiplying a single-frequency carrier by a high-rate binary (−1,1) pseudo-random noise (PRN) code sequence known to GPS users. Thus, the signal that is transmitted includes a data component, a PRN component, and a (sinusoidal) carrier component.
At the receiver of such a signal, a synchronized replica of the transmitted PRN code is required to de-spread the data sequence. Initial synchronization, called acquisition, is followed by fine synchronization, which is called tracking.
The present invention relates primarily to acquisition, not tracking. Acquisition is the process by which the replica PRN code is synchronized (to within a small timing offset) with the code conveyed by the received signal either for the first time or after losing a previously acquired signal, and also by which the carrier frequency of the received signal is determined. Thus, to acquire a signal, an acquisition system must accurately determine any frequency-shifting of the received signal from the transmitted frequency in order to accurately wipe off (remove) the carrier signal. Frequency-shifting can be caused by relative motion of the transmitter and receiver (Doppler-shifting) as well as by clock inaccuracies (so that a transmitter and receiver sometimes do not agree on what is in fact the same frequency). The carrier frequency-shifting results in a modulation of a code component after carrier wipe-off in the receiver. Thus, in acquiring a signal, it is also necessary that the replica code sequence be not only time-aligned with the received code sequence, but also modulated to compensate for the frequency-shifting so as to fully eliminate the PRN sequence and leave behind only the data conveyed by the received signal. The acquisition process is therefore a two-dimensional search, a search both in code phase and in frequency.
For some GPS signals (the civil GPS or C/A (course acquisition) code signals), the search interval in the frequency domain can be as large as +/−6 kHz. In addition, the phase of the received code relative to the replica can be any possible value of code phase, due to uncertainties in position of the satellite and time of transmission of the received signal. A PRN code period is typically 1023 chips, the term chips being used to designate bits of code conveyed by the transmitted signal, as opposed to bits of data. Thus, the acquisition module of a receiver must search a 12 kHz-wide interval with 1023×ks different code phases, where ks denotes the number of samples per chip.
Ordinary GPS receivers, i.e. those designed only for operation with unobstructed satellites, search for the frequency shift with a granularity of around 1 kHz. Thus, such receivers must search 12×1023×ks different code/frequency combinations.
A GPS receiver designed for indoor operation must have an operating mode with equivalent noise bandwidth on the order of 10 Hz in the acquisition stage. Even with an equivalent noise bandwidth as small as 10 Hz though, for reliable tracking some post-detection filtering must still be performed as well as some further refining of the value determined for the carrier frequency in the acquisition stage. The granularity of 10 Hz requires that the receiver search 1200×ks×1023 different code/frequency combinations and makes the sequential search so time-consuming as to be unrealistic, motivating the use of parallel and fast search methods.
Because of the granularity used for the carrier frequency in the acquisition stage, the tracking stage often includes a preliminary fine frequency process for refining the carrier frequency determination, before initiating tracking. An alternative is to provide a more precise signal acquisition, but to do so is problematic, because signal acquisition is based on performing a correlation of the received signal with a replica, a correlation that includes an estimate of the offset of the carrier frequency from a nominal carrier frequency (due to the Doppler shifting and clock inaccuracies mentioned above), and since the received signal is modulated not only by the PRN code (for example at 1.023 MHz for a coarse acquisition signal) but also by the navigation message at a bit rate of 50 Hz, the correlation becomes corrupted if a signal fragment is used that is longer than 20 ms (the duration of a navigation data bit). Thus there is an apparent limit of 50 Hz for the precision with which the carrier frequency can be acquired. It is possible to overcome the apparent limit by performing multiple correlations, but then signal acquisition takes longer.
What is needed is a method of fast acquisition by a GPS receiver (or, more generally, any ranging receiver, i.e. not necessarily a ranging receiver used with the Global Positioning System but including for example ranging receivers used with GLONASS, the Russian version of a global positioning system) that includes a more precise estimate of the carrier frequency than is typically provided (i.e. to within a few Hz, as opposed to 50 Hz), and so abbreviate or eliminate the need for any preliminary fine frequency process in the tracking loop of the receiver.

Method and apparatus for acquiring a ranging signal of a positioning system


A light-emitting semiconductor device (10) consecutively includes a sapphire substrate (1), an AlN buffer layer (2), a silicon (Si) doped GaN n.sup.+ -layer (3) of high carrier (n-type) concentration, a Si-doped (Al.sub.x3 Ga.sub.1-x3).sub.y3 In.sub.1-y3 N n.sup.+ -layer (4) of high carrier (n-type) concentration, a zinc (Zn) and Si-doped (Al.sub.x2 Ga.sub.1-x2).sub.y2 In.sub.1-y2 N emission layer (5), and a Mg-doped (Al.sub.x1 Ga.sub.1-x1).sub.y1 In.sub.1-y1 N p-layer (6). The AlN layer (2)--is 500 .ANG. in thickness. The GaN N.sup.+ -layer (3) is about 2.0 .mu.m in thickness and has an electron concentration of about 2.times.10.sup.18 /cm.sup.3. The n.sup.+ -layer (4) is about 2.0 .mu.m in thickness and has an electron concentration of about 2.times.10.sup.18 /cn.sup.3. The emission layer (5) is about 0.5 .mu.m in thickness. The p-layer 6 is about 1.0 .mu.m in thickness and has a hole concentration of about 2.times.10.sup.17 /cm.sup.3. Nickel electrodes (7, 8) are connected to the p-layer (6) and n.sup.+ -layer (4), respectively. A groove (9) electrically insulates the electrodes (7, 8) from each other. The composition ration of Al, Ga, and In in each of the layers (4, 5, 6) is selected to meet the lattice constant of GaN in the n.sup.+ -layer (3). The LED (10) is designed to improve luminous intensity and to obtain a purer blue color.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting semiconductor device that emits blue light and uses a group III nitrogen compound.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has been known that an aluminum gallium indium nitride (AlGaInN) compound semiconductor may be used to obtain a light-emitting diode (LED) which emits blue light. Such a semiconductor device is useful because it has a high luminous efficiency resulting from direct electron transition and because it emits blue light, which is one of the three primary colors.
By irradiating an electron beam into an i-layer, to which magnesium (Mg) is doped and heat treatment is carried out, the formed i-layer serves as a p-type layer of the AlGaInN semiconductor device. As a result, an LED with a double hetero p-n junction structure including an aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) p-layer, a zinc (Zn) doped indium gallium nitride (InGaN) emission layer and an AlGaN n-layer, becomes useful instead of a conventional LED of metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) structure which includes an n-layer and a semi-insulating i-layer.
The conventional LED with a double hetero p-n junction structure is doped with Zn as an emission center. The luminous intensity of this type of LED represents a fair improvement. However, further improvement in luminous efficiency is desired.
The emission mechanism of an LED with an emission layer doped with only Zn, or only an acceptor impurity, as the emission center is electron transition between conduction band and acceptor energy levels. However, a large difference in their energy levels makes recombination of electrons through deep levels dominant, and such deep level recombination does not contribute to emission. This results in lower luminous intensity. Further, the wavelength of light from the conventional LED is about 380 to 440 nm, shorter than that of pure blue light.
Further, an emission layer doped with Zn in its emission center exhibits semi-insulative characteristics. Its emission mechanism is explained by recombination of an electron through acceptor level injected from an n-layer and a hole injected from a p-layer. However, the diffusion length of the hole is shorter than that of the electron. This results in a high ratio of holes disappearing in a non-emission process before recombination of the hole and electron occurs in the emission layer. This phenomenon impedes the desired obtention of a higher luminous intensity.

Light-emitting semiconductor device using group III Nitrogen compound having emission layer doped with donor and acceptor impurities


A convenient two-step dipping technique for preparing high-quality thin films of a variety of perovskites is provided by the invention. Thin films of Mi.sub.2 (M=Pb, Sn) were first prepared by vacuum-depositing MI.sub.2 onto ash glass or quart substrates, which were subsequently dipped into a solution containing the desired organic ammonium cation for a short period of time. Using this technique, thin films of different layered organic-inorganic perovskites (RNH.sub.3).sub.2 (CH.sub.3 NH.sub.3).sub.n-1 M.sub.n I.sub.3n+1 (R=butyl, phenethyl; M=Pb, Sn; and n=1, 2) and three-dimensional perovskites CH.sub.3 NH.sub.3 MI.sub.3 (M=Pb, Sn; i.e. n=.infin.) were successfully prepared at room temperature. The lattice constants of these dip-processed perovskites are very similar to those of the corresponding compounds prepared by solution-growth or by solid state reactions. The layered perovskite thin films possess strong photoluminescence, distributed uniformly across the film areas. Similar results are achieved starting from spin-coated MI.sub.2 films, which were dipped into appropriate solutions of the organic ammonium cations. The process of the invention can be used for a variety of organics and inorganics, even if they have incompatible solubility characteristics or even if the organic component is susceptible to thermal decomposition on heating. Thin perovskite films prepared by the method are attractive candidates for emitter materials in electroluminescent devices.

Organic-inorganic perovskites have recently attracted much attention due to their unique electrical, magnetic, and optical properties, as well as their excellent film processability. Layered perovskites, (RNH.sub.3).sub.2 (CH.sub.3 NH.sub.3).sub.n-1 M.sub.n I.sub.3n+1 (M=group IVB metal), naturally form a quantum-well structure in which a two-dimensional semiconductor layer of corner-sharing MI.sub.6 octahedra and an organic ammonium layer are alternately stacked. The excitons, resulting from the low-dimensionality of these semiconductor sheets, have a binding energy of several hundred milli-electron-volts, which enables strong emission even at room temperature. Their strong room temperature photoluminescence, along with significant photoluminescence wavelength tunability make the organic-inorganic perovskites attractive candidates for emitter materials in electroluminescent devices. Era et al., in Appl. Phys. Lett., V. 65, p. 676, have recently (1994) reported an electroluminescent device using the layered perovskite (C.sub.6 H.sub.5 C.sub.2 H.sub.4 NH.sub.3).sub.2 PbI.sub.4 as an emitter material. At liquid nitrogen temperature, an electroluminescent intensity of 10,000 cd/m.sup.2 was obtained at a current density of 2 A cm.sup.-2, using an applied voltage of 24 V.
Proper processing is essential in order to generate the material quality and morphology required to observe strong luminescence or to build devices. Single crystals and deposited thin films are two of the most useful forms for studies of optical and electrical properties. In general, when high-quality single crystals are required, crystal growth from the melt phase is often used. However, as a result of the organic ammonium cations, which decompose at relatively low temperature (<250.degree. C.), organic-inorganic perovskites are typically made using solution chemistry techniques. Crystals resulting from solution methods are often, however, too small or of insufficient quality to be useful in device applications.
For the preparation of thin films, the spin-coating technique is suitable for processing many organic-inorganic perovskites because they are often substantially soluble in conventional organic solvents. Spin-coating can be considered a special case of solution crystal growth. It allows the formation of perovskites on a substrate, while the solvent is evaporating off. Using this method, high-quality, highly oriented layered perovskite thin films can often be obtained. However, control of film thickness, uniformity, and surface morphology is difficult using spin-coating. In addition, while simple organic ammonium salts are soluble in a range of organic solvents, including those which can dissolve the inorganic MI.sub.2 salt, for more complex organic cations, the choice of solvent becomes more limited. Furthermore, solvent techniques are not always compatible with the MI.sub.2 salt, due to problems with solubility, strong solvent coordination or the stability of the metal valence state.
Vacuum evaporation techniques have also recently been employed to grow oriented thin films of layered perovskites through a dual-source vapor deposition process. The benefits of this technique are that it is possible to precisely control the thickness and smoothness of the thin film surfaces. However, the preparation of various perovskites using different organic components is limited because each organic component easily contaminates the inside of the evaporation equipment. In addition, in some cases, the organic salt might not be thermally stable up to the temperatures required for evaporation, making this approach impractical for these systems. Even when it is possible to evaporate the organic salt, it is often difficult to balance the organic and inorganic rates, an important criterion for achieving the correct compositions of the resulting perovskite films. It is even more problematic that for each new organic-inorganic system, a re-establishment of the rates has to be carried out empirically.

Two-step dipping technique for the preparation of organic-inorganic perovskite thin films

International Business Machines Corporation


A jack extension tube for use on power seat adjuster mechanisms for vehicles is provided comprising an elongated tube having a first section and a second section spaced from the first section. A threaded member includes a knurled outer surface and is frictionally retained in the first section by inwardly extruding the tube onto the threaded member, the threaded member being engageable longitudinally from one end of said tube by a jack screw. The second section of the tube includes a pair of transversely oriented opposing apertures formed in the tube sidewalls and adapted to receive a pin-like member or fastener. The material defining the apertures is extruded in the transverse direction followed by collapsing the tube sidewalls so that the opposing flanges abut one another. Thus, the flanges provide a continuous, enlarged, work-hardened bearing surface to support the pin-like member or fastener.

The present invention concerns a jack extension tube for use on power seat adjuster mechanisms for vehicles, and in particular, to a jack extension tube having improved strength and fatigue resistance
Jack extension tubes are used in power seat adjuster mechanisms for vehicles to operably connect a vehicle seat to a powering mechanism to move the seat. By varying tube length, jack extension tubes allow a particular seat adjuster mechanism to be used with seats on different vehicle models. Further, the tubular oonstruction allows cost savings and weight savings over solid rod-like parts. However, some prior art jack extension tubes have been known to fail due to stresses that occur as the seat adjuster mechanism is used and/or as people repeatedly sit on the vehicle seat.
Two known prior art jack extension tubes in particular are described in this application in the attached Figures. In both of these jack extension tubes, one end includes a pair of punched or drilled transverse holes, and the other end includes a nut that is press-fit into the tube, after which the tube is clinched to further secure the nut in place. However, the material forming the holes tends to tear or fatigue and prematurely fail. Also, the nut tends to prematurely fail by pulling out and/or by loosening over time.
Thus, an improved jack extension tube with improved strength solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


The present description relates to a comparator (2) comprising a ring of gates (110A, 110B, 110A′, 110B′, 106, 108) in series, wherein: each gate implements an inverting function between a first input (100) and an output (102) of the gate; at least one (110A′, 110B′) gate is controllable and is associated with another gate; each controllable gate (110A′, 110B′) comprises a control input (116) coupled with the output (102) of said associated gate, and prevents switching of its output (102) to a high state if its control input (116) is in the high state, and to a low state otherwise; and the control input (116) of each controllable gate (110A′, 110B′) receives the output (102) of said associated gate if an even number of gates separates these two gates, and receives the complement of said output if not.

Dynamic comparators serve to perform the comparison of two signals, in a synchronized manner with a signal, typically a clock signal, and to produce a binary signal whose binary state indicates the result of this comparison.
Dynamic comparators are for example used in successive-approximation analog-digital converters. In such a converter, the dynamic comparator synchronously produces an output signal that is representative of the comparison of an analog signal to a threshold quantification voltage. This makes it possible to quantify the residue of the analog signal that is digitized by the converter, in each step of the search by dichotomy for the digital code associated with the analog signal.
As an example, a successive-approximation analog-digital converter comprises a charge distribution node to which are connected first electrodes of a plurality of capacitors with increasing values. The node is charged with the analog signal to be digitized while a given low voltage, typically a zero voltage, is applied on the second electrodes of the capacitors. Then, a high voltage is applied on the second electrode of the capacitor of higher value and the voltage on the charge distribution node is compared, by a dynamic comparator, with a quantification voltage. If the voltage of the charge distribution node is greater than the quantification voltage, the second electrode that was polarized by the high voltage is repolarized at the low voltage; otherwise, the high voltage is maintained. Then, these operations are repeated from the strongest capacitor to the weakest capacitor, until the digital code associated with the analog signal to be digitized is obtained, from high or low polarizations applied on each of the second electrodes of the capacitors.
Among dynamic comparators, dynamic latched comparators are known. A dynamic latched comparator, for example the dynamic latched comparator illustrated on the Wikipedia page relative to comparators, typically comprises two feedback inverters, the outputs of which are initialized at a high level during a preliminary phase, and a differential pair connecting the inverters to the ground, the two input transistors of the differential pair receiving the two signals to be compared. Thus, the highest-value signal received by the input transistors of the differential pair induces a greater current in the corresponding inverter, which causes faster switching of the output of this inverter to the low level, and maintenance of the output of the other inverter at the high level.
However, in a dynamic latched comparator, the manufacturing dispersions between the transistors, in particular between the input transistors of the differential pair, lead to comparison errors, therefore to quantification errors when the comparator is implemented in a successive-approximation analog-digital converter. Furthermore, the gate-drain capacitor of each of the input transistors of the differential pair causes a charge inrush on the input of the comparator, which depends on the switching of the inverter of the comparator associated with this transistor. This charge inrush, commonly called kick-back effect, is detrimental to the precision of the comparator, therefore to the quantification of an analog signal when the comparator is implemented in a successive-approximation analog-digital converter.
Among dynamic comparators, edge pursuit dynamic comparators are also known.
FIG. 1 shows an example of an edge pursuit dynamic comparator. More particularly, FIG. 1 corresponds to FIG. 2 of the article by M. Shim et al. titled "Edge-Pursuit Comparator: An Energy-Scalable Oscillator Collapse-Based Comparator With Application in a 74.1 dB SNDR and 20 kS/s 15 b SAR ADC" and published in IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 52, No. 4, April 2017.
The comparator of FIG. 1 rests on an elementary inverter structure made up of a standard CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) inverter polarized by a first N-channel MOS transistor connected between the source of the N-channel MOS transistor of the inverter and a reference potential, and of a second P-channel MOS transistor connected between the source of the P-channel MOS transistor of the inverter and a supply potential. The gates of these first and second transistors receive a same polarization voltage, chosen among two voltages VINP and VINM compared by the comparator. By cascading these elementary structures and alternating the polarization voltage VINP or VINM of the cascaded elementary structures, for example such that the upstream elementary structure is polarized by the voltage VINP and the downstream elementary structure is polarized by the voltage VINM, the following four cases are observed:                rising input edge ("E1" in FIG. 1) on the upstream elementary structure and VINP greater than VINM ("VINP>VINM" in FIG. 1): rapid fall ("F1-d" in FIG. 1) of the output of the upstream elementary structure and rapid rise ("F1-u" in FIG. 1) of the output of the downstream elementary structure,        rising input edge on the upstream elementary structure and VINP less than VINM: slow fall of the output of the upstream elementary structure and slow rise of the output of the downstream elementary structure,        falling input edge ("E2" in FIG. 1) on the upstream elementary structure and VINP greater than VINM ("VINP>VINM" in FIG. 1): slow rise ("S2-u" in FIG. 1) of the output of the upstream elementary structure and slow fall ("S2-d" in FIG. 1) of the output of the downstream elementary structure, and        falling input edge on the upstream elementary structure and VINP less than VINM: rapid rise of the output of the upstream elementary structure and rapid fall of the output of the downstream elementary structure.
The comparator of FIG. 1 comprises two branches, each comprising four elementary structures. The two branches are looped on one another by two gates A and B of the NAND type, so as to form a ring structure. In one of the branches (the top branch in FIG. 1), the elementary structures are alternatively polarized by the voltages VINP, then VINM, whereas it is the reverse in the other branch (the bottom branch in FIG. 1). Furthermore, the input of each NAND gate that is not connected to the output of a branch receives a synchronization signal START.
The operation of this comparator is as follows. In the initial state, the signal START is in the low state, as a result of which the output of each gate A and B is in the high state and the output of each branch, including the output COMP of the comparator, are also in the high state. The passage to the high state of the signal START, that is to say, a rising edge on the signal START, causes the output of each gate A and B to go to the low state, that is to say, a falling edge is provided to the ring structure of the comparator by each of the gates A and B. These two edges will propagate at different speeds in the ring, which depend on the polarization voltages VINP and VINM. The two edges then propagate in the ring (arrows 11 in FIG. 1) of the comparator until the rapid edge rejoins, or catches up with, the slow edge, which results in a stabilization of the outputs of the elementary structures of the two branches, the outputs of the gates A and B, and the output COMP of the comparator. For example, in the configuration of FIG. 1, the output COMP stabilizes at the high level when the voltage VINP is greater than the voltage VINM, and at the low level when the voltage VINP is less than the voltage VINM.
In a comparator of the edge pursuit type, the sequence of transitions on the two branches tends to average the kick-back effect. This makes it possible to decrease the negative influence of this kick-back effect relative to the case of a dynamic latched comparator. Similarly, the comparison errors caused by manufacturing dispersions, as well as temporal noise, are reduced relative to a dynamic latched comparator. More precisely, the more the number of elementary structures per branch increases, the more these comparison errors and this temporal noise are smoothed.
However, one drawback of the comparator of FIG. 1 is that the stabilization time of its ring, and therefore of its output COMP, increases with the decrease in the gap between the voltages VINP and VINM that are compared. The increase in stabilization time is not desirable, in particular as it causes an increase in consumption.

Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives


A rugged micromodule cable includes central strength yarns, micromodules stranded around the central strength yarns, additional strength yarns positioned around the stranded micromodules, and a jacket of polymeric material surrounding the additional strength yarns. The micromodules each include sheathing surrounding a plurality of optical fibers. The strand profile of the micromodules is tight, having an average lay length of less than 250 mm, and the sheathing is thin-walled, having an average thickness of less than about 200 micrometers. The strand of the micromodules, the positioning of the additional strength yarns, and bonding between the additional strength yarns and the jacket mitigate lengthwise movement of the optical fibers in the rugged micromodule cable.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to fiber optic cables, and more specifically to rugged fiber optic cables supporting micromodules.
Micromodules typically include thin-walled tubular sheaths that contain sets of optical fibers. Micromodule cables are fiber optic cables that typically contain a plurality of such micromodules within an overall cable jacket. Such cables may be used in controlled indoor environments, such as in datacenters, and are particularly easy to work with because the optical fibers within the micromodule sheaths tend to be highly accessible. For example, often the sheaths are designed to be torn open with the bare fingers of a technician. Loose placement of the sheathing around the optical fibers in the micromodules, loose placement of the micromodules within the overall cable jacket, and loose placement of other components within the jacket may facilitate flexibility of the micromodule cable and ease of access to contents of the micromodules, which may be well suited for the indoor environment.
However, some of these same attributes of micromodule cables that are beneficial in a controlled indoor environment, such as a datacenter, may prove to be detrimental to operating with a micromodule cable in more rugged environments. Fiber optic cables designed for rough environments, such as to be pulled through sewer channels, along roadways, or over rocky terrain, may include layers of metal armor and the optical fibers may be stored in durable, yet relatively inflexible, plastic buffer tubes. Such cables are well suited to handle challenging environments, but may not be convenient for operators and technicians to open and work with the optical fibers therein. Optical fibers in conventional micromodule cables placed in such challenging environments may move around, such as being drawn lengthwise through the cable, and may be more susceptible to pulling out of connectors or assemblies to which they are attached. A need exists for a fiber optic cable that combines the ease of access and handling of a conventional micromodule cable with the toughness and durability of a more rugged cable.


The present invention provides a method for determining ethanol thresholds for a flexible fuel control system for a motor vehicle capable of operating on more than one type of fuel. Preferably, the ethanol threshold is determined from an off-idle purge-free cell from a matrix of fuel adaptive memory cells normally used to compensate for car-to-car variations in required fueling. The ethanol threshold is periodically reduced to compensate for levels of alcohol creep indicated by the amount of purge-free adaptive memory elevation. If the learned value of percent alcohol content of the fuel is less than the ethanol threshold, gasoline operating parameters are implemented for the internal combustion engine. The off-idle purge-free cell also provides a basis for interpolating an on-board diagnostic (OBDII) ethanol threshold. As such, the OBDII monitors are only enabled if the learned value of percent alcohol content of the fuel is less than the OBDII ethanol threshold.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to fuel control systems and, more particularly, to a method of determining ethanol thresholds for a flexible fuel control system for a motor vehicle capable of operating on more than one type of fuel.
2. Discussion
Environmental and energy independence concerns have stimulated the development of alternative transportation fuels, such as alcohol fuels, for use in automobiles. Alcohol fuels include methanol and ethanol. A flexible fueled vehicle capable of operating on gasoline, or alcohol fuel, or any mixture of the two fuels, is therefore in demand. Modifications to the engine are necessary when operating on different fuels because of the different characteristics of each fuel. For example, an engine operating on ethanol or E85 (a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) requires approximately 1.4 times the amount of fuel relative to gasoline at stoichiometry due to a lower energy content of the ethanol.
Air/fuel ratio in internal combustion engine design is typically considered to be the ratio of mass flow rate of air to mass flow rate of fuel inducted by an internal combustion engine to achieve conversion of the fuel into completely oxidized products. The chemically correct ratio corresponding to complete oxidation of the products is called stoichiometric. If the air/fuel ratio is less than stoichiometric, an engine is said to be operating rich, i.e., too much fuel is being supplied in proportion to the amount of air to achieve perfect combustion. Likewise, if the air/fuel ratio is greater than stoichiometric, an engine is said to be operating lean, i.e., too much air is being supplied in proportion to the amount of fuel to achieve perfect combustion. Alcohol fuels have a lower air/fuel ratio than gasoline at stoichiometric, so that the engine must be compensated for in the rich direction as the percentage of alcohol in the fuel increases.
With low concentrations of ethanol in the fuel, it is not necessary to modify the vehicle operation from that of pure gasoline. Also, the Environmental Protection Agency requires on-board diagnostics (OBDII) monitors to be operational at low ethanol concentrations but not at high ethanol concentrations. Therefore, it is necessary to identify ethanol thresholds for delineating between the two (i.e., high and low ethanol) operating environments.
When the ethanol concentration of fuel is learned based on an oxygen sensor feedback system such as that disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/959,797, entitled "Method of Determining the Composition of Fuel in a Flexible Fueled Vehicle" to Nankee II et al. which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein, the fueling is modified by the product of a long-term fuel adaptive memory value and an alcohol composition multiplier. This product should be constant for any given ethanol concentration. If the fuel's ethanol concentration is increased gradually, the increase can go undetected if a detection threshold is used that forces the alcohol composition multiplier to reach a fixed value. This gradually undetected increase is referred to as "alcohol creep".
Previously, alcohol composition thresholds were fixed values that assumed the alcohol composition multiplier, which sets engine operating parameters based on the percent alcohol content of the fuel, represented the true alcohol concentration. If the alcohol concentration creeps up and the long-term fuel adaptive memory is elevated, i.e., the multiplicative correction which accounts for vehicle-to-vehicle variation, the increase in alcohol content goes undetected and the OBD II monitors undesirably remain enabled.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system for improving vehicle operation by comparing alcohol thresholds to the product of the alcohol composition multiplier and the adaptive memory, or to decrease the alcohol composition multiplier's threshold as the adaptive memory increases.

Method of determining ethanol thresholds in a flexible fueled vehicle