An apparatus for controlling an acousto-optical component influencing at least one of illumination light and detection light in a microscope is described. The apparatus comprises a radio-frequency generator for supplying the acousto-optical component with a radio frequency. The radio-frequency generator is configured to compensate deviations in the characteristics of the light due to temperature fluctuations in the acousto-optical component by adapting the radio frequency. The apparatus can be operated by generating a control signal for controlling the radio frequency of the radio-frequency generator; measuring the temperature of the acousto-optical component; adapting the control signal depending on the measured temperature; and sending the adapted control signal into the radio-frequency generator for compensating deviations in the characteristics of the light due to temperature fluctuations and can be used in optical coherence tomography, particularly white light interferometry, optical tweezers in lithography, and distance measurement.

The invention relates to an apparatus for controlling an acousto-optical component in order to influence light passing through, in particular in order to influence the illumination light and/or the detection light in the beam path of a microscope, preferably a confocal laser scanning microscope, having a radio-frequency generator for supplying the acousto-optical component with a radio frequency. Further, the invention relates to a corresponding method as well as uses and applications of both the apparatus and the method, respectively.
Basically, this is about the control of acousto-optical components in order to influence light passing through. Such components typically comprise an acousto-optical crystal on which an electric transducer is provided. Typically, the transducer comprises a piezoelectric material sandwiched by electrodes. By electrically applying radio frequencies, which are usually in the range of 30 MHz and 800 MHz, to both electrodes the piezoelectric material is oscillated so that an acoustic wave (sound wave) is created which, as a result of the arrangement of the transducer, passes through the crystal. After passing through the optical interaction area the sound wave is usually absorbed or reflected on the opposite crystal side. Acousto-optical crystals as used with the acousto-optical components in question here are characterized in that the created sound wave changes the optical property of the crystal, a diffraction grating or a comparable optically active structure, for example in the form of a hologram, being induced by the sound. Light passing through the crystal is diffracted at the diffraction grating created in this way, the light being directed in different diffraction orders or diffraction directions.
In the acousto-optical components in question here one distinguishes between components which influence the entire incident light more or less independent of the wavelength (e.g. AOM, AOD and frequency shifter) and components which, for example depending on the radio frequencies, selectively act on individual wavelengths (e.g. AOTFs).
Often, the acousto-optical components are comprised of birefringent crystals, such as tellurium dioxide, the position of the crystal axis relative to the plane of incidence of the light and its polarization determining the optical properties of the acousto-optical component.
In specific applications, the light uninfluenced by the diffraction, the light diffracted in different diffraction orders, or both the uninfluenced as well as the diffracted light are optionally used.
In the acousto-optical components known from practice, the radio frequency (RF) is supplied to the acousto-optical component usually via a coaxial cable. Thereat, an impedance matching takes place on an electronic circuit board, wherein care has to be taken that no RF reflections occur. As much RF power as possible should reach the crystal which usually has an impedance different from that of the RF cable. From the electronic circuit board, the radio frequency is forwarded to the transducer on the crystal, where the acoustic wave is created.
In the past, the acousto-optical components in question here, mainly in the case of AOTFs, were mostly used to set and control light intensities. Recently, there is a need to use respective components for "cutting out" specific portions of the light from a more or less spectrally broadband light. With regard thereto, reference is made to DE 101 15 488 A1 by way of example only.
The acousto-optical components in question here serve within the above-mentioned uses mainly to cut out specific spectral portions of a continuous or broadband light source for illumination purposes. By way of example only, reference is made to the use in connection with white light lasers, broadband lasers, ultrashort pulse lasers, superluminescent LEDs or other superluminescent light sources, ASE light sources, bulbs, point source LEDs and others LEDs, sunlight or starlight etc. The optical components also serve to cut out specific spectral light portions for detection purposes, for example for use in programmable spectral filters. Also the use of the acousto-optical component within a programmable beam splitter (AOBS) is of importance. Further, it is known from practice that the acousto-optical components in question here change their behavior over the temperature profile, this being mainly attributed to a change in the velocity of sound in the crystal. If one wishes to use the acousto-optical component at changing temperatures, a compensation of the behavior caused by the change in temperature is necessary. Corresponding compensation methods are already known. These methods suggest to heat or to cool the crystal which is exposed to the temperature fluctuations in order to cause a temperature stabilization at the crystal. For this, a special temperature control is provided. In this respect, reference is also made to EP 0 834 762 A2, according to which some sort of dummy radio frequency is provided which is fed in whenever the actual radio frequency is turned off so that the same heat can always be deposited in the crystal via a heating system.
As an alternative to the above-mentioned method, the radio frequency is adjusted according to a measured change in temperature as specified in DE 198 27 140 C2. However, up to now one assumed that the relevant compensation parameter as well as the radio frequency itself, which is required for operating the acousto-optical component, depends on numerous parameters such as on the wavelength of the light to be diffracted, on the angle of incidence of the light in the crystal, on the mounting conditions of the crystal etc. Therefore, up to now, the amount of the change in frequency has been determined iteratively experimentally, or one compiled tables for the compensation parameters depending on the wavelength and on instrumental conditions. In this connection, it has been necessary to individually determine the compensation parameters for each individual device. In this respect, reference is made in particular to section [0014] of DE 198 27 140 C2.
The effort to be made within the scope of error compensation according to the printed prior art is huge since for each laser wavelength used and possibly for each system used special correction parameters have to be stored and handled. On top of that, it is required to supply the drive electronics with information in order to define which specific laser wavelength and which experimental parameters are present so that the compensation parameter related thereto can be inserted. Consequently, according to the printed prior art the temperature compensation cannot be directly performed by the radio-frequency generator but rather has to be supported or even performed entirely by a higher operating level since for temperature compensation all system information required has to be liquid. This is opposed to a simple operability of the system as well as a fast temperature stabilization on small time scales. Thus, it is, for example, necessary in a confocal microscope to provide a higher software level which has information available as to which laser wavelengths are to be diffracted from the crystal, which provide the necessary compensation parameters for the radio-frequency generator so that the radio-frequency generator can perform the frequency control correctly. Accordingly, the temperature compensation as specified in the printed prior art is not performed by the radio-frequency generator but by the computer controlling the same, which computer—mostly in an unchangeable manner—provides the radio-frequency generator with already temperature-compensated radio frequency nominal values. This results in an enormous complexity and error-proneness of the entire system.

Apparatus and method for operating an acousto-optical component


A communication apparatus includes: a casing into which liquid is injected; two metal plates disposed so as to come into contact with the liquid within the casing; and a transmission/reception unit configured to transmit/receive an electric signal with the two metal plates as antennas, and with the liquid as a medium; with the antennas transmitting/receiving the electric signal to/from a functional module mounted into the casing so as to come into contact with the liquid; and with the functional module being mounted such that the liquid can flow from one of the two metal plates to the other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and method, and functional module, and specifically relates to a communication apparatus and method, and functional module whereby improvement in design flexibility, suppression of increase in manufacturing costs, and elimination of multipath influence with wireless communication can be realized.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been a problem wherein when high-speed high-volume communication, of which communication of video signals is representative, is performed in a constant multipath environment, generally-performed decoding results in loss in signals due to DC offset or the like caused by multipath, which prevents communication from being performed. The constant multipath mentioned here is caused with an environment wherein a transmitter and receiver which perform wireless communication are covered with metal, and examples of such an environment include a case wherein wireless communication is performed within an electronic device.
For example, description will be made how a constant multipath signal changes in a case wherein wireless communication employing ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) modulation is performed within the casing of an electronic device.
White noise (e.g., thermal noise) or colored noise (e.g., noise emitted from another LSI) which is included in the casing, or a signal reflected or diffracted at the wall face or board within the casing is added to radio waves emitted within the casing, and when receiving such radio waves, the original transmitted signal waveform is not reproduced, rather, a distorted waveform is reproduced instead. In particular, a serious problem is caused by deterioration due to reflected waves input to a reception point with the same magnitude as the power of the transmitted signal.
The reflected waves can be regarded as a signal having the same signal waveform as the signal waveform to be received, but having a different route (accordingly, time for transmission is shifted). When such reflected waves are overlapped with the original signal at a reception point, the waveform of the original signal is distorted, interference is caused, and consequently decoding becomes difficult.
Thus, signal waves made up of transmitted waves (original signal), and reflected waves transmitted with a different route from that of the transmitted waves being overlapped, are also referred to as multipath waves, and influence due to multipath waves becomes a serious problem as the speed of a transmission signal increases. Also, with the related art, deterioration in a reception waveform due to multipath caused within the casing of an electronic device, or the like is generally constant over time, and time over which there is influence due to multipath waves is short with a reception waveform, and accordingly, an environment such as within the casing of an electronic device can be understood as being a constant multipath environment.
With such a constant multipath environment, there are the following methods as a method for attempting to improve communication quality.
For example, there can be conceived a method wherein OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) is employed at the time of modulation/demodulation, thereby realizing improvement in communication quality. However, when employing OFDM, fast Fourier transform often has to be performed, and consequently, increase in power consumption causes a problem.
Also, for example, there can be conceived a method wherein SS (Spread Spectrum) and rake reception are employed, thereby realizing improvement in communication quality. However, when employing SS, signal processing of which the speed is higher than a transmission signal has to be performed, and accordingly, this is unsuitable for broadband communication such as transmission of video signals.
Also, for example, there can be conceived a method wherein a multi-antenna is employed, thereby realizing improvement in communication quality. However, in order to obtain the advantage of the multi-antenna, the spacing between the antennas has to be sufficiently separated, and accordingly, for example, in a case wherein a multi-antenna is realized on a board within the casing of an electronic device, placement is restricted, leading to increase in the size of the device, and restriction of design flexibility.
Further, there can be conceived a method wherein a wave absorber is employed, thereby realizing improvement in communication quality (e.g., see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-220264). According to the technique of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-220264, there is provided a wave absorber within the casing, which absorbs electromagnetic waves with a frequency band of extremely-short pulses, and prevents the reflection thereof. This wave absorber is configured of ferrite, urethane, or the like having high absorption characteristics as to a frequency band of extremely-short pulses as a material, and is installed by a plate-shaped wave absorber being adhered to the inner wall of the casing as appropriate, for example.

Communication apparatus and method, and functional module


A battery protection system for an engine-driven system having an engine, a storage battery to provide starting power for the engine, a main switch having a first condition in which the engine is operative and a second condition in which the engine is inoperative, and a load circuit connected to the battery to receive electrical power from the battery. The battery protection system protects the battery from being discharged below a predetermined minimum value sufficient to start the engine.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system to prevent a storage battery intended to provide starting power for an engine from being excessively discharged by load circuits that remain connected across the battery when the engine is not running. In particular, it relates to a protection system to disconnect load circuits from the storage battery of an engine-driven vehicle when the engine is not running and when current through the load circuits causes the battery to become so discharged as to lower its voltage below the value necessary to restart the engine.
2. The Prior Art
Various systems have been used to prevent a storage battery that provides starting current for a vehicle and load current for lights, horns, radios, and other load circuits from being discharged by the load current to a level below that necessary for the battery to restart the vehicle. Such protection systems have typically operated by disconnecting the load circuits from the battery when the charge in the battery drops below a predetermined value. In some systems, the value of the retained charge is considered to be indicated by the terminal voltage of the battery. However, when the engine is running, it is important that the protection system not interfere with normal operation of the vehicle, such as by disconnecting its lights, even if the retained charge drops below the restart level.
Systems discussed by Rickey in U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,296; Frezzolini et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,045; Ciarnello et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,088,940 and 4,137,557; and Sheldrake in U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,001 fail to provide a control switch connected to a protection circuit to keep the protection circuit out of operation when the control switch is closed (corresponding to having the engine running), thus allowing current to reach load circuits as long as the switch is closed, whether or not the battery voltage is high enough to restart the engine.


A trigger device for setting a downhole tool includes a retaining member that restricts the downhole tool from setting until it is properly positioned within the well and a force acts upon an actuating member. The retaining member includes an extrudable material that extrudes through an orifice when the force acts upon the actuating member. The extrudable material is preferably one that moves at a known rate so that the amount of time necessary for the downhole tool to set is pre-determined.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention is directed to trigger devices for actuating downhole tools and, in particular, trigger devices having an extrudable material such that when the extrudable material is moved, e.g., compressed or extruded, by an actuating member in the trigger device so that the actuating member moves at a steady, known rate to actuate the downhole tool.
2. Description of Art
Some downhole tools need to be retained in an unset position until properly placed in the well. It is only when they are properly located within the well that the downhole tool is set. Such downhole tools in the past have had trigger mechanisms that are retained in an immovable position while the downhole tool is being "run" into the well and properly placed within the well. One prior technique for holding the trigger mechanism immobile until the downhole tool is properly placed in the well involves disabling the trigger with a mechanical device that is held against movement by a Kevlar® high strength fiber and an associated electrically powered heat source generally powered by stored batteries in the downhole tool. The generation of sufficient heat burns the fibers and releases the trigger so that the tool can set. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,153. One problem with this trigger mechanism is that it is extremely difficult to generate sufficient heat downhole to burn the fibers without damaging adjacent components. This is because the physical size of the battery pack must be large enough to provide sufficient energy to generate the necessary temperature, for the necessary duration, to break the fibers. Another issue is the very high temperatures needed to break the fibers and the effect on the overall design of the downhole tool from having to keep heat sensitive components away from the heated area.
Another prior trigger mechanism includes a battery operated heater coil in a downhole tool to release the trigger by applying heat and melting a plug to start the setting sequence. This design is reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,234. As with the other prior attempt, the size of the battery to provide the required electrical capacity to create enough heat to melt the plug presents a space concern in a downhole tool where space for a large power supply is at a premium. Further, the heat sensitive components must be shielded from the heater coil. The cost and the reliability of a large battery pack is also can be a problem. Additionally, safety is another issue because some batteries need special shipping and handling requirements.
Still other alternatives involve the large battery pack to accomplish a release of the trigger. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,153 also suggests using solder wire that melts at relatively low temperatures to be the trigger material or using the stored power in the battery to advance a knife to physically cut the fiber as opposed to breaking it with a battery operated heat source.
Accordingly, prior to the present inventions trigger devices and methods for actuating downhole tools have been desired in the art which: permit customization of the trigger device such that the amount of time for the trigger device to be activated is predetermined; permit steady movement of the actuating device at a known rate; and permit setting of downhole tools without the need for heat from an external heating source other than wellbore temperature.

Downhole trigger device having extrudable time delay material


A lateral driving faucet water outlet seat comprises a water input outer tube placed; a surface of the water input outer tube being formed with a confining portion; a lower clamping stop having a polygonal outer sides; a limiting unit having a hexagonal engaging portion extended from a lower side of the limiting unit for engaging with the outer side of the lower clamping stop; a top of the engaging portion being enlarged with a resisting ring; an inner edge being formed with a limiting portion at a position corresponding to the confining portion of the water input outer tube for confining the rotation of the water input outer tube; an upper clamping stop having a polygonal outer side; and a water outlet base placed upon an upper side of the combining object; the water outlet base having a water outlet hole for receiving the combining section.

A faucet for cool and hot water is widely used. The installation of the faucet is that a panel is installed on a basin. The handle seats for cold and hot waters are installed at two sides of the panel. A water outlet seat is installed between the two handles. The water outlet seat is communicated to the water inlet tubes of the cool and hot water so as to adjust the volume of the cool and hot water.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the water outlet seat is integral formed with the water tubes. In installation, the water outlet seat is placed at an upper side of the basin and a drain-proof washer, a locking sheet are used to lock a T tube to a lower side of the basin.
The prior art faucets are installed to a basin with a small operating space. Thus it is difficult to assemble the water input outer tube by operating a spanner at the lower side. More time and labors are needed. Furthermore, it is frequently that faucets with special specifications can not be used. Furthermore, in the prior art, the water outlet seat and water tubes are integrally formed. Before completing the installation work, the faucet must be installed to a combining object, and thus it is possible that the worker is hurt or the faucet is destroyed by collision.

Lateral driving faucet water outlet seat


A two-way valve for introducing pressurized air into the air chamber of an air shock absorber, and for maintaining a preselected minimum pressure within the air chamber. The valve includes a valve body and a valve cover mounted thereon. The valve body has an orifice in communication with the air chamber, and the valve cover has a fluid port in communication with a source of pressurized air. The valve cover includes a downwardly extending exhaust seat which surrounds the fluid port. Disposed within a recessed chamber in the valve body are an armature, an elastomeric diaphragm mounted on and supported by the armature, and a spring arrangement operatively positioned between the armature and the floor of the recessed chamber. The diaphragm is adapted to engage the exhaust seat when the pressure outside the air chamber is greater than the pressure inside the air chamber to permit the free flow of pressurized air into the air chamber, is adapted to unseat from the exhaust seat when the pressure inside the air chamber is greater than the pressure outside the air chamber and exceeds a preselected minimum pressure, to permit the controlled flow of air out of the air chamber, and is adapted to engage the exhaust seat when the pressure inside the air chamber reaches the preselected minimum pressure.

The present invention relates in general to a valve by which fluid pressure is introduced into a pressure-receiving vessel, and which can automatically reduce the inner pressure within the vessel and maintain an inner pressure in the vessel at a preselected minimum value. The valve can be used in a variety of applications, including an inlet valve for pressurizing an air chamber in an air chamber shock absorber combination.
Air chamber shock absorbers have been known for many years. Such shock absorbers typically comprise a conventional piston and cylinder type shock absorber and an outer tubular member connected with the outwardly extending end of the piston rod of the shock absorber and disposed in surrounding relation with the cylinder of the shock absorber. A folded flexible air sleeve is provided between the outer tubular member and the outer tubular surface of the shock absorber so as to define therewith an air chamber capable of supporting a portion of the load of the sprung mass of the vehicle on the unsprung mass thereof. One example of such an air shock is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,149,830.
Operation of the air shock requires that at least a minimum pressure be maintained in the air chamber in order for the air sleeve to have a proper rolling action. If, for some reason, the air pressure in the air chamber is lost, the air sleeve may fold in on itself, creating a double fold which causes the shock absorber to lock up, resulting in failure of the load carrying capacity of the shock absorber. Even if the air sleeve does not develop a double fold, the lack of sufficient air pressure increases friction on the sleeve which ultimately results in the destruction of the sleeve. Air pressure may be lost, for example, if a leak develops in the conduit system that typically interconnects two such shock absorbers mounted on a vehicle.
The problem of air pressure loss has been recognized for many years and various solutions have been proposed. One such solution, proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,149,830, is to mount a conventional tire valve, which includes a conventional check valve, on the outer tubular member of the air shock. The tire valve permits pressurized air to be introduced into the air chamber, and the check valve is normally spring pressed to prevent the air in the air chamber from communicating with the atmosphere.
While the conventional tire valve adequately functions to allow the pressurized air to be introduced into and maintained with the air chamber, the valve suffers from several disadvantages. For example, the tire valve requires that the pressurized air filling operation be precisely gauged to prevent overfilling or underfilling of the air chamber. Moreover, the tire valve does not have any means for venting or relieving an increase in pressure in the air chamber, except by manually removing the check valve.


Disclosed are a driving device and a driving method for a plasma display panel (PDP). A panel capacitor is formed by a scan electrode and a sustain electrode. The charges are moved from the panel capacitor to a capacitor by turning on a transistor which is connected between the scan electrode and the capacitor. By this method, the voltage of the panel capacitor is steeply reduced so that a discharge is generated in the panel capacitor. When the voltage of the capacitor increases because of the charges moved from the panel capacitor, the gate-source voltage of the transistor is reduced. As a result, the transistor is turned off so that the scan electrode is floated. Accordingly, the discharge is steeply quenched so that the wall charges are precisely controlled. After the capacitor is discharged, the above-noted operation may be repeated.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving device and method for a plasma display panel (PDP).
(b) Description of the Related Art
A PDP is a flat panel display for displaying characters or images using the plasma generated by gas discharge, and several tens to several millions of pixels are arranged in a matrix format on the PDP depending on the PDP size. The PDP is classified as a DC PDP or an AC PDP depending on the waveforms of applied driving voltages and the configurations of discharge cells.
In general, the AC PDP driving method uses a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period sequentially.
During the reset period, wall charges formed during a previous sustain period are erased, and cells are reset so as to readily perform the next address operation. During the address period, cells that are turned on and those that are not turned on are selected, and wall charges are accumulated on the turned-on cells (i.e., addressed cells). During the sustain period, a discharge is created in the addressed cells that allows the addressed cells to take part in image display. When the sustain period begins, sustain pulses are alternately applied to the scan electrodes and sustain electrodes to sustain the discharge and display the images. As used herein, the term wall charges refers to charges that accumulate on the electrodes and are formed proximate to the electrodes on the wall (e.g., dielectric layer) of the discharge cells. The wall charges typically do not actually touch the electrodes themselves because a dielectric layer covers the electrodes. However, for simplicity in description, the charges will be described herein as being "formed on", "stored on" and/or "accumulated on" the electrodes. Furthermore, the term wall voltage, as used herein, refers to a voltage potential that exists on the wall of discharge cells. The wall voltage is caused by the wall charges.
In a conventional PDP, a ramp waveform is applied to a scan electrode so as to establish wall charges in the reset period, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,086. Specifically, a rising ramp waveform which gradually rises is applied to the scan electrode, followed by a falling ramp waveform which gradually falls. Since precise control of the wall charges greatly depends on the gradient of the ramp if ramp waveforms are applied, the wall charges are typically not controlled precisely during any given time frame.

Driving device and method of plasma display panel by floating a panel electrode


A method, system and program product for validating a runtime environment deployed across multiple computing systems is disclosed. The method includes generating, using a validation tool, a first set of checksums corresponding to message flows in a first instance of a runtime module deployed on a first system, the validation tool excluding in the first set of checksums generated any unique system data corresponding to the first system, while reading only common executable data of the runtime module. The method further includes running the validation tool on at least a second system for generating a second set of checksums corresponding to message flows in a second instance of the runtime module deployed on the second system. Further, the method includes comparing the second set of checksums to the first set of checksums to validate that the runtime module deployed on the second system is identical to the first system.

Most large enterprises make use of integrated systems made up of a variety of different computer systems and software applications. Often, separate component programs are deployed widely on many of the computer systems. When a component program is deployed in an inconsistent manner through human errors or deployment errors, a business may get different results depending on which computer system is processing the computer program. As such, there is a need for an efficient way to be able to exchange data effectively in an integrated system as well as a need to be able to manage any inconsistencies in configurations of programs run on one system to the next.

Method, system and program product for validating a runtime environment

International Business Machines Corporation


A gas turbine engine and a turbine stator assembly which is capable of being cooled effectively with a small amount of air. The stator assembly comprises a stator vane disposed to be exposed to a combustion gas passage. The stator vane comprises a cooling passage defined therein. The cooling passage is disposed on an upstream of the gas turbine engine and extending in a radial direction with respect to a central axis of the gas turbine engine. The stator vane also has an inlet communicated to a radially outward end of the cooling passage. The stator vane further has an adjustment member secured to the stator vane so that it covers the inlet. The adjustment member has two apertures for guiding a cooling air radially inwardly through the inlet into the cooling passage. The two apertures are spaced away from each other along a camber line of the stator vane.

Typically, the stator vanes of the gas turbine stator assembly for use in the gas turbine engine each comprise an air-cooling mechanism for increasing a heat resistance of its blades exposed to high-temperature combustion gas generated by the combustors. The mechanism comprises a cooling cavity or passage defined within each blade into which a compressed air from the compressor is introduced for the cooling of the blade. According to this mechanism, an increase of the cooling air consumed for the blade cooling results in a decrease in efficiency of the gas turbine engine. This needs the blade to be effectively cooled with a minimum amount of air. Typically, however, the stator vane is manufactured by molding and therefore it is relatively difficult to form small inlets for introducing small amount of cooling air into the passage of the blade. To solve this problem, JP 2003-286805 (A) discloses another cooling mechanism in which a flow-rate control plate with a number of small apertures is used as a member to be inserted in the air passage within the stator vane in order to effectively cool the stator vane with a limited amount of air. This mechanism needs the insert member and therefore results in a structural complexity and a cost increase.
An alternative may be, as shown in FIG. 5, to place a plate 54 with a small aperture 58 defined therein so that it covers the inlet 53 of the cooling passage 52 defined within each blade 51 of the stator assembly 50 to restrict the amount of air to be supplied into the passage. This arrangement may ensure that only a limited amount of air A be introduced into the cooling passage 52 through the aperture 58 and the inlet 53. Disadvantageously, a numerical analysis conducted by the inventors revealed that the flow of air A entering through the inlet 53 advanced obliquely to cause air stagnation zones S1 and S2 in the front and rear sides of the flow, adjacent the inlet 53. In particular, the front stagnation zone was formed immediately behind the front the wall portions where the high-temperature combustion gas G would hit directly and therefore deemed to be the most needed for cooling, which failed the blade 51 to be cooled effectively.

Gas turbine and turbine stationary blade for same


Embodiments for an improved horse, livestock, and other quadrupeds garment and method of use are disclosed. The EquiVest comprises a one-piece water-resistant vest having an open-oval-neckline with bib-tab design for slipping over the animal's head. Optionally, the garment includes hardware for attaching overlapping side panels. Coupled with the side panel attaching hardware, the bib-tab design provides side tabs with a hook-and-loop mechanism in a secure fit. The vest covers the top-line, both sides, abdominal area, center-front chest, and hind area to allow the horse to have complete ease of movement while maintaining a stable core body temperature.

The present disclosure relates generally to a protective covering for animals. In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a vest or jacket that slips over the animal's head through an open-oval-neckline in the garment secured with side release hardware, and a hook and loop closure. The center front bib-tab, goes between the front legs and fully encloses the chest and abdominal area. In particular, horses that live outdoors or in unheated barns or young, sick or thin horses that need to be shielded as much as possible from weather conditions would benefit from this garment. This is particularly important because horses are challenged to maintain a normal body temperature if their hair becomes wet and the conditions are cold and windy. Therefore, EquiVests, as defined in the present invention, are used as a means to protect the external surface and skin of the horse while providing immediate full torso and abdominal warmth.
Current blankets previously described are conventionally shaped as generally rectangular or blankets that are draped over the back of the animal, and then secured to the animal using various, buckles straps, extensions or hoods. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,563 discloses a blanket having a belly wrap that extends across the underside of the blanket, and a front flap that is secured to the blanket using a girth strap. Such a belly wrap, however, only pulls the blanket around the back and sides, leaving large amounts of abdominal and underside of the animal exposed. Additionally, the front flap is a narrow strip that leaves much of the chest exposed, while also requiring connection of multiple straps and fasteners. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,300 and U.S. Pub. No. 2008/0216454 disclose blankets that require straps to attempt to pull the side portions of the blanket towards the middle of the belly of the animal, leaving much of the belly exposed and requiring intricate positioning and tensioning of multiple straps. These and other garments, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,028, leave much or all of the chest and abdominal regions exposed, while requiring elaborate fastening systems. In addition, all of the current blanket straps tear off and can cause legs to be trapped and/or injured, tearing both fabric and straps. There is, therefore, a need for a more effective animal vest or jacket that is easy to use and set up providing for full weather and insect protection from the garment.
A need exists for a lightweight, horse covering which is easily placed on and taken off the horse, minimizes any rubbing and friction which takes place between the covering and the horse's coat, which can be worn in warm and cold weather, and will protect the horse from wind, rain, cold, snow, warm weather biting insects, or abdominal dirt. A need particularly exists for such coverings which will cover the horse's chest, shoulders, full barrel, and hind area.

EquiVest: an improved equine all weather protective garment


The addition of an aqueous solution containing one or more cations intended in a metal oxide ceramic product to a base to precipitate a calcinable metal oxide ceramic precursor reduces gelation problems during the precipitation of the precursor.

It is known, in general, to produce ceramic precursor powders by precipitation of such a precursor from a homogeneous solution containing the desired cations as generally indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,323 at Col. 1, lines 5-50. However, as indicated in that patent, the products can be aggregated powders which can require further treatments such as milling and/or washing with "organic solvents". Of similar teaching is U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,818 at Col. 1, lines 17-38 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,092 at Col. 1, line 61 to Col. 2, line 3. One example of a literature reference in this area, which describes the fabrication of alumina-zirconia compositions from an aluminum chloride/zirconium chloride solution by the addition of ammonium hydroxide as the basic precipitation agent at a pH of up to 9, is described in Ceramic Bulletin, Vol. 68, No. 5, 1989, pp. 1017-1020.
It has been found by the present inventors that the addition of such aqueous solutions containing ceramic precursor metal cations to a basic precipitation agent can produce gelation, especially if very dilute solutions of the cations (such as employed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,680) are not used. For example, when yttria-stabilized zirconia is the intended product and an aqueous solution is formulated containing a predominant (e.g., about 92%) of a zirconium salt and a much lower amount (e.g., about 8%) of a yttrium salt, gelation problems can occur between pH readings of about 6 and 9 if relatively concentrated solutions are used (e.g., about 15 gm to 40 gm of metal cation (expressed as oxide per 100 ml water).
One approach to solving such gelation problems is advocated in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,818 which advocates the use of a "substantially anhydrous" reaction medium with the solution of ceramic metal precursor compounds being added to the base rather than the converse. Water has been implicated in the formation of "hard agglomerates" in the washing of certain ceramic powders (i.e., zirconia) formed by the sol-emulsion-gel method (see J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 73(9) 2760-2763 (1990)).

Process for producing ceramic precursor powders without gel formation


Method and system to manage the state maintenance and the traffic maintenance of a Signalling Gateway Process (SGP), and of the corresponding Signalling Gateway (SG) or SGs served by such SGP, in scenarios where traditional Switched Circuit Network (SCN) signalling is transported over data networks, such as IP-networks. The method and the system for implementing the method involve defining a set of messages exchanged between a SGP and one or a set of concerned (connected) Application Server Process (ASP); driving the corresponding state-machines by the reception of such messages; and defining procedures for sending such messages and for receiving such messages. These messages can, optionally, convey also information about the destination routing parameters served by the SGP that become available or unavailable in the SCN through such SGP.

There is an ongoing integration trend between Switched Circuit Networks (SCN) and Internet Protocol (IP) networks that, using the effective way to transport user data provided by IP networks, intends to get a less restrictive and network independent way of providing and deploying telecommunication services.
The term SCN is used in this invention to refer to a network that carries traffic (normally, telephony traffic) within channeled bearers of pre-defined sizes. Examples of SCN include Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN), Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN) or Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs), such as a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network.
The term IP network is used in this invention to refer to a network that carries traffic (normally, data traffic) within data packets. The term Data Network can also be used across this invention to refer to this kind of packet oriented network.
A goal in such integration trend is to grant inter-operation between endpoints (signaling end-points or voice/multimedia terminal devices) allocated in SCN and in IP networks.
Other goals in such integration trend is to allow allocation of nodes/functions, traditionally located in the SCN, into the IP network; thus allowing telecommunication operators to expand their networks and to speed up the deployment of new or existing services. An example could be the allocation of a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) node, such as Home Location Register (HLR) node, into an IP network.
In this context, the transport of traditional SCN signaling protocols over IP networks was viewed as one of the main areas of concern and was addressed by the Signaling Transport (SIGTRAN) Working Group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). The intention of SIGTRAN Working Group is to define an architecture and related protocols to support transport of SCN signaling over IP in order to provide a smooth and transparent interworking between telecommunication nodes regardless their allocation: SCN or IP network.
Examples of traditional SCN signaling protocols regarded to be transported over IP networks are: Q.931; Signaling System Number 7 (SS#7) Message Transfer Part (MTP); MTP layer-3 (MTP3) user-part protocols, like Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) or Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP); SCCP-user protocols, like Mobile Application Part (MAP) over Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP); etc.
In this scenario, two kinds of nodes were identified by SIGTRAN: nodes performing functions related to signaling conversion, named Signaling Gateways (SGs), intended to provide an interwork between nodes located in the SCN and nodes located in the IP network; and nodes performing functions related to signaling application located in the IP network (IP-located nodes), named Application Servers (ASs).
These nodes (SGs and ASs) can, depending on the approach, be seen as physical or just functional (logical) entities.
There are, however, some ambiguous definitions in SIGTRAN drafts related to the physical or logical condition related to the terms: SG and AS. So, sometimes the terms SG or AS are used to refer to the physical machine (host) where, respectively, the SG or AS functionality is implemented; and sometimes the same terms are used to refer to the logical entity that implements, respectively, the SG or AS functions, regardless if such SG and/or AS functions are carried out by means of one or more SG-hosts and AS-hosts.
Hereinafter, in this invention the terms SG (or the term SG-node) and AS (or the term AS-node) will be used to refer, to the logical entity that performs, respectively, an SG function and an AS function, regardless if such functions (SG or AS) are distributed over one or more hosts each; and the terms SG-host and AS-host will be used to refer to physical entity (physical machine or physical node) that, respectively, implements (contains) an SG function and an AS function.
Therefore, the term SG can coincide in this invention with the term SG-host if the SG is not distributed across of more than one SG-host.
In the same way, the term AS can coincide in this invention with the term AS-host if the AS is not deployed across of more than one AS-host.
According to SIGTRAN definitions, an ASP and an SGP are processes instances that implements, respectively, the functionality of an AS and of an SG. That is to say: In an SG node, a specific process instance performing the specific SG functionality is called Signaling Gateway Process (SGP). Similarly, in a AS node, a specific process instance performing the specific AS functionality is called Application Server Process (ASP).
In addition to this, and in order to avoid a single point of failure, an AS may be comprised of one or more ASPs distributed over one or more physical hosts using an active/standby or load-sharing traffic handling mode. Besides to this, and as explicitly defined in some SIGTRAN drafts, an ASP can be configured to process signaling traffic related to more than one AS (i.e.: to serve to more than one AS).
Much like the AS model, an SG may also be comprised of one or more SGPs distributed over one or more physical hosts using an active/standby or load-sharing traffic handling mode.
However, no explicit reference is given in SIGTRAN drafts about that a given SGP can be configured to process signaling traffic related to more than one SG (i.e.: to serve to more than one SG), and no reference at all is given about how such SGP configuration data can be known and handled in the ASPs.
Examples of ASPs are process of Media Gateway Controller (MGC), IP-based Service Control Point (SCP, node of Intelligent Networks), or IP-based Home Location Register (HLR, node of GSM networks).
The internet-standard defining the general architecture for SIGTRAN (RFC2719) specifies a set of 3 elements that would have to be implemented by any node involved in the transport of SCN signaling over IP networks (SG and AS), and that will have to be performed by the process(es) that implement its functionality (ASPs and SGPs).
These elements are intended to interact each other in a layered way within the same node's serving process (SGP or ASP), and each one of them is intended to communicate with its respective peer element in the interworking node's serving process (SGP or ASP) by using the services provided by the adjacent lower element in its node.
These elements (from top to bottom in the aforementioned layered structure within the same node) are: the SCN adaptation module, the Common Signaling Transport and the standard IP transport.
The first element (the SCN adaptation module) is intended to be specific for the type of SCN protocol to be transported; being the latest two elements (the Common Signaling Transport and the standard IP transport) intended to be common regardless of the SCN protocol to be transported.
For this extent, SIGTRAN Working Group has developed a set of internet-standards (although some of them are still internet-drafts) that define: a set of User Adaptation layers (UA) (one per type of SCN protocol to be transported), that implements the aforementioned SCN adaptation module; and a transport protocol, the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP, defined in internet standard RFC2960) to be used over IP (instead of other well known transport protocol such as: Transmission Control Protocol TCP or User Datagram Protocol UDP), that implements the aforementioned Common Signaling Transport, and that is able to run directly over IP.
So, the final structure of a SGP⇄ASP communication is: UA-specific-protocol over SCTP over IP (UA/SCTP/IP).
Regarding more specifically User Adaptation layers (UA), SIGTRAN is defining, among others, four internet-drafts:
SS7 MTP3-User Adaptation Layer: ("draft-ietf-sigtran-m3ua") (M3UA)
SS7 MTP2-User Adaptation Layer ("draft-ietf-sigtran-m2ua") (M2UA)
ISDN Q.921-User Adaptation Layer ("draft-ietf-sigtran-iua") (IUA)
SS7 SCCP-User Adaptation Layer ("draft-ietf-sigtran-sua") (SUA)
Each aforementioned UA draft defines its specific messages, to be exchanged between the UA layer in an SGP and the corresponding peer UA layer in an ASP, and the related procedures.
Although there is one UA draft per SCN protocol to be transported over IP-networks, some messages (and related procedures) are common for all UA layers.
These common messages belong to a set of defined management messages (named MGMT messages), and to a set of defined maintenance messages (named Application Server Process Maintenance messages, or ASPM messages).
Therefore, MGMT and ASPM sets of messages have to be supported and implemented in all nodes involved in the transport of SCN signaling (SG or AS) by the UA layers of serving processes (regardless its process type: SGP or ASP).
Additionally a set of addressing abstractions have been defined to be used in ASPM messages in order to represent and identify the signaling end-points allocated in the IP network.
These addressing abstractions identifies the range of signaling traffic that is to be handled by each AS; or in other words, the range of SCN routing parameters that are handled in the IP network by each specific AS; and are used to route incoming SCN messages received in a Signaling Gateway serving process (SGP) to the corresponding Application Server serving process (ASP) that is serving to the AS identified by the SCN routing parameter(s) in the incoming message.
So, each AS is uniquely identified in an SGP by means of an addressing abstraction that, in turn, represents a determined set of SCN routing parameters. In this context, if a specific ASP wants explicitly to specify it is serving to a specific AS (or set of ASs), such ASP includes the corresponding addressing abstraction(s) that represent to such AS(s) in the corresponding ASPM message sent to the SGP.
Examples of such addressing abstractions are Routing Context (RC) (used in ASPM messages by M3UA and SUA), and Interface Identifier (II) (used in ASPM messages by M2UA and IUA).
A Routing Context (RC) is an integer that uniquely identifies a certain set of SS#7 routing parameters (such as OPC, DPC, SIO, SSN, CIC_range, etc.) and routing parameters values.
A given set of such routing parameters and parameter values is known in SIGTRAN terminology as Routing Key (RK); and there is established a one-to-one relationship between a RC and RK.
An Interface Identifier (II) is an integer or text that identifies a physical interface at the SG for which the signaling messages are sent and received.
Regarding more specifically to the defined ASPM set of messages, such set is further divided into two sub-set of messages: Application Server Process State Maintenance messages (ASPSM messages), and Application Server Process Traffic Maintenance messages (ASPTM messages).
The set of mandatory ASPSM messages, together with its meaning, is given below:
ASPUP. Sent from the UA layer in an ASP to the peer UA layer in an SGP to indicate that it is ready to receive and to send maintenance messages.
ASPUP-ACK. Acknowledgement for ASPUP message, sent from the UA layer in the SGP to the peer UA layer in the ASP.
ASP-DOWN. Sent from the UA layer in an ASP to the peer UA layer in an SGP to indicate that it is not ready to receive nor to send maintenance messages.
ASPDOWN-ACK. Acknowledgement for ASPDOWN message, sent from the UA layer in the SGP to the peer UA layer in the ASP.
The set of ASPTM messages, together with its meaning, is given below:
ASPAC. Sent from the UA layer in an ASP to the peer UA layer in an SGP to indicate that it is active and ready to process signaling traffic for a particular AS(s), the AS(s) being identified by RC(s) parameter(s) or II(s) parameter(s) included in the message.
ASPAC-ACK. Acknowledgement for ASPAC message, sent from the UA layer in the SGP to the peer UA layer in the ASP.
ASPIA. Sent from the UA layer in an ASP to the peer UA layer in an SGP to indicate that it is not active nor ready to process signaling traffic for a particular AS(s), the AS(s) being identified by RC(s) parameter(s) or II(s) parameter(s) included in the message.
ASPIA-ACK. Acknowledgement for ASPIA message, sent from the UA layer in the SGP to the peer UA layer in the ASP.

Method and system for the management of signaling gateways and signaling gateway processes in transport of SCN signaling over data networks


A suspension system for connecting a wheel mount to a frame of a vehicle wherein the wheel mount is provided with a rigid extension above the wheel spindle on the wheel mount extending into proximity of the chassis and overlapping the chassis, the linkages connected between the end of the rigid extension and the frame using parallel pin means at each end. Both the extension and the linkage may be made double or otherwise more rigid. A second generally horizontal linkage is connected by similar parallel rotation-permitting pins at one end to the wheel support and at the other to the frame. Suspension systems are usually symmetrical so that wheels on opposite sides of the frame are connected by similar linkages.

The "grip" or contact patch of a tire is directly related to the camber angle of the wheel relative to the vehicle frame. The camber angle is affected by many variables related to the dynamics of the vehicle system. Some of these are the car's roll center, the amount of centrifugal force being exerted, the amount of spring and shock resistance, and the degree of the turn.
In the prior art, many people have attempted to design a vehicle suspension system to maximize the contact patch between a tire and the road. Typically the suspension system employed between the wheel support and the frame have consisted of parallel A-frames each pivotally supported both to the wheel support and the vehicle frame. None has provided a fixed non-pivotal rigidly connected as an extension to the wheel support. In the prior art there have been many attempts to improve upon vehicle suspension systems, but in one way or another each of these systems has increased the complexity of the structure, thus complicating adjustment and maintenance and making its use impractical. Many such systems have made manipulation of one wheel support associated with a particular axle dependent in some way upon manipulation of other wheel support along its common axle. In some systems interdependence has actually produced harmful effects on the wheel mount for one wheel when achieving desirable effects on the other. There is consequently still a need for a simple system providing maximum contact patch and acting independently on each of the wheel supports so that each wheel along a given axis can achieve good camber position for straight-away runs and effective adaptation for handling curves.


A method for manufacturing a solid electrolytic capacitor having a solid electrolyte layer containing an electrically conductive polymer layer formed by electrolytic oxidative polymerization, comprising: forming a dielectric layer on a surface of an anode element containing a valve metal; forming an electrically conductive precoat layer on the dielectric layer; and performing electrolytic oxidative polymerization in an electrolytic polymerization solution containing a monomer, a dopant agent and a chelating agent to form the electrically conductive polymer layer on the electrically conductive precoat layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods for manufacturing solid electrolytic capacitors each including a solid electrolyte layer containing an electrically conductive polymer layer formed by electrolytic oxidative polymerization.
2. Description of the Related Art
With respect to a solid electrolytic capacitor having an anode element made of a valve metal, a dielectric layer formed on a surface of the anode element, and a solid electrolyte layer containing an electrically conductive polymer layer and formed on the dielectric layer, the chemical oxidative polymerization method and the electrolytic oxidative polymerization method have been conventionally known as a method of producing the electrically conductive polymer layer. The former chemical oxidative polymerization method refers to a method of producing an electrically conductive polymer by allowing an oxidizing agent to act on a monomer and chemically oxidative polymerizing the monomer, and the latter electrolytic oxidative polymerization method refers to a method of producing an electrically conductive polymer by passing an electric current through an electrolytic polymerization solution containing a monomer to electrolytic oxidative polymerize the monomer. Generally, the electrolytic oxidative polymerization method can control conditions for polymerization easier than the chemical oxidative polymerization method and can produce an electrically conductive polymer excellent in electrical conductivity, mechanical strength and homogeneity, while the electrolytic oxidative polymerization method needs to use a more complicated manufacturing apparatus.
In order to form an electrically conductive polymer layer for use in a solid electrolytic capacitor by electrolytic oxidative polymerization method, an electrically conductive precoat layer of manganese dioxide produced by thermal decomposition of manganese nitrate or an electrically conductive polymer produced by chemical oxidative polymerization is first formed on a dielectric layer, because the dielectric layer, which is formed on the surface of a valve metal constituting an anode element, is an insulating material. Then, for example, the electrically conductive precoat layer and a metal plate of stainless steel or the like are used as an anode and a cathode, respectively, and an electric current is allowed to flow between the anode and the cathode in an electrolytic polymerization solution containing a monomer and a dopant agent also serving as a supporting electrolyte, so that the monomer is subjected to electrolytic oxidative polymerization to form an electrically conductive polymer layer (see, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. H04-74853).
However, there is a problem in which even using a solid electrolyte layer containing an electrically conductive polymer layer formed by electrolytic oxidative polymerization as described above, leak current in the resulting solid electrolytic capacitor is not reduced as expected, and when the electrolytic oxidative polymerization using the electrolytic polymerization solution described above is performed on an industrial scale, the production rate of solid electrolytic capacitors with large leak current becomes high.

Method for manufacturing solid electrolytic capacitor and solid electrolytic capacitor


A hub locking system for a part-time four-wheel drive vehicle including a wheel hub, drive axle, and clutch meaner and an automatic actuator remotely operable by an operator to induce movement of the clutch member axially inwardly and a biasing means acting against the clutch member opposing operation of the automatic actuator to urge movement of the clutch member outwardly. A manual override allows manual operation when the automatic actuator is not actuated and includes a first member mounted for shifting axially inwardly and outwardly in the system and when shifted inwardly urges the clutch member against the force of the biasing means. A second member is mounted contiguous the first member and is manually rotatable. A ramp shaped cam is interposed between the first and second members and when the second member is rotated, it directly urges the first member to shift axially to actuate the clutch member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements to hub-lock system for vehicles which are convertible between two-wheel and four-wheel drive, the hub lock system being actuated automatically or manually, and the manual portion of the system having a minimum number of operating parts for reliable operation.
2. Background of the Invention
Vehicles having four-wheel drive capability that are designed for on-road and off-road use typically provide optional engagement/disengagement of two of the four wheels. The wheels to be disengaged generally are provided with a drive line from a transfer case to the wheels. For on-road use and to avoid unnecessary energy consumption, and wearing of out-of-service drive line components, a first disconnect system disconnects the propeller shaft from the transfer case and a second disconnect system disconnects the axles from the wheels. This latter disconnect system is the hub lock system of the present invention.
Originally hub lock systems were manually actuated. A driver-operator would stop the vehicle, engage the transfer case disconnect system and then manually turn a dial located in each wheel hub to activate the hub lock. Subsequently, mechanism was developed to automatically activate the hub locks. Several versions of automatically actuated hub locks have been developed. One version relies on cam actuation whereby a cam mechanism is powered by rotation of the axles. Other systems involve pressure, or vacuum, actuated systems to shift a clutch member into position to provide interlock between the drive axle and the wheel, or to shift into a disconnected position. Further examples of automatic connect/disconnect systems include electromagnetic devices which also provide shifting of clutch members into connect or disconnect states.
Many four-wheel drive enthusiasts want both the convenience of automatic engagement/disengagement and the security of manual engagement. Prior patents illustrating hub lock systems having both automatic and manual actuation are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,353,890 and 5,520,272.
Although the basic concept of having a hub lock system which may be automatically actuated from a remote location by a vehicle operator with a manual override thus is known generally, previous devices often have had more complex structure and more parts than may he desirable for positive operation and reliability from a maintenance standpoint. Such prior devices also may have been more expensive to manufacture due to their complexity.


This invention relates to an improved hydrogenation process for the preparation of etheramines. In the process, cyanoethylated alcohols, i.e., the reaction product of an alcohol with (meth)acrylonitrile, are contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a sponge cobalt catalyst. The improvement in the process resides in effecting the hydrogenation process utilizing a cyanoethylated alcohol feedstock contaminated with byproduct acrylonitrile and utilizing a solvent that solubilizes byproduct (meth)acrylonitrile present in the feedstock. Specific classes of solvents employed are ethers and amides.

Cyanoethylethers are widely used as a feedstock for the production of primary amines. These cyanoethylethers are commonly produced by the reaction of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile with an alcohol. Diaminopropyldiethyleneglycol (DAPDEG) is a valuable diprimary amine produced by a two step process involving the cyanoethylation of diethylene glycol followed by hydrogenation of the thus formed bis(2-cyanoethyl)diethylene glycol. One of the problems encountered during the hydrogenation of cyanoethylated alcohols, and, particularly in the hydrogenation of bis(2-cyanoethyl)diethyleneglycol, is the continuous loss of catalyst activity and selectivity to the product.
The following patents and articles are representative of the art in the cyanoethylation of alcohols such as glycols.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,004 discloses the hydrogenation of cyanoethers in the presence of ammonia and sodium hydroxide over a nickel catalyst at elevated pressures (800-2000 psig) and temperatures of 90-160° C. It is suggested that the hydrogenation may be carried out in the presence or absence of a solvent. To minimize cleavage, the nitrile is added incrementally to the hydrogenation reactor. High yields of diamines (95-98%) are obtained.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,653 disloses a process for the catalytic hydrogenation of nitrites formed by the cyanoethylation of glycols or the cyanoethylation of amines in the presence of a sponge or Raney cobalt catalyst. Lithium hydroxide is added to achieve high rates of primary amine formation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,507 discloses a process for the separation of unreacted acrylonitrile in a process for the cyanoethylation of glycols. In the process, a primary of secondary amine is added to the reaction medium. The process may be carried out in the presence or absence of a solvent which solvents include alcohols and hydrocarbons.

Aminopropylation of alcohols in the presence of amide or ether solvents


A pixel capable of compensating for the threshold voltage of a driving transistor, the voltage drop of a first power source and degradation of an organic light emitting diode is provided. The pixel includes an organic light emitting diode; a second transistor (e.g., a driving transistor) coupled between the first power source and the organic light emitting diode to control the current supplied to the organic light emitting diode; a third transistor coupled between a first electrode of the second transistor and the first power source; a first transistor coupled between a gate electrode of the second transistor and a data line; a first capacitor coupled between the gate electrode and the first electrode of the second transistor; a second capacitor coupled between the first electrode of the second transistor and the first power source; and a compensation circuit coupled between the organic light emitting diode and the gate electrode of the second transistor for adjusting a voltage of the gate electrode of the second transistor in accordance with degradation of the organic light emitting diode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pixel and an organic light emitting display device using the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In recent years, there have been may attempts to develop various flat panel display devices with reduced weight and volume, as compared to cathode ray tubes. Flat panel display devices include liquid crystal display devices, field emission display devices, plasma display devices, and organic light emitting display devices, among others.
Among flat panel display devices, the organic light emitting display device displays an image by using organic light emitting diodes, which generate light by recombining electrons and holes. The organic light emitting display device has an advantage in that it has a relatively rapid response time and may also be driven with relatively low power consumption.
FIG. 1 is a circuit view showing a pixel of a conventional organic light emitting display device.
Referring to FIG. 1, the pixel 4 of the conventional organic light emitting display device includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED), and a pixel circuit 2 coupled to a data line (Dm) and a scan line (Sn) to control the organic light emitting diode (OLED).
An anode electrode of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) is coupled to the pixel circuit 2, and a cathode electrode of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) is coupled to a second power source (ELVSS). The organic light emitting diode (OLED) generates light with a luminance corresponding to an electric current supplied from the pixel circuit 2.
The pixel circuit 2 controls an amount of current supplied to the organic light emitting diode (OLED) in accordance with a data signal supplied to the data line (Dm) when a scan signal is supplied to the scan line (Sn). For this purpose, the pixel circuit 2 includes a second transistor (M2′) coupled between a first power source (ELVDD) and the organic light emitting diode (OLED); a first transistor (M1′) coupled between a gate electrode of the second transistor (M2′) and the data line (Dm), with a gate electrode of the first transistor coupled to the scan line (Sn); and a storage capacitor (Cst) coupled between the gate electrode and a first electrode of the second transistor (M2′).
The gate electrode of the first transistor (M1′) is coupled to the scan line (Sn), and a first electrode of the first transistor (M1′) is coupled to the data line (Dm). A second electrode of the first transistor (M1′) is coupled to one terminal of the storage capacitor (Cst). Here, the first electrode of the first transistor (M1′) is either a source electrode or a drain electrode, and the second electrode of the first transistor (M1′) is the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode. For example, when the first electrode is a source electrode, the second electrode is a drain electrode. The first transistor (M1′) is turned on when a low scan signal is supplied from the scan line (Sn), and supplies a data signal from the data line (Dm) to the storage capacitor (Cst). In this case, the storage capacitor (Cst) is charged with a voltage corresponding to the data signal.
The gate electrode of the second transistor (M2′) is coupled to one terminal of the storage capacitor (Cst), and a first electrode of the second transistor (M2′) is coupled to the other terminal of the storage capacitor (Cst) and the first power source (ELVDD). A second electrode of the second transistor (M2′) is coupled to an anode electrode of the organic light emitting diode (OLED). The second transistor (M2′) controls the amount of current in accordance with a voltage value stored in the storage capacitor (Cst), the current flowing from the first power source (ELVDD) to the second power source (ELVSS) via the organic light emitting diode (OLED). In this case, the organic light emitting diode (OLED) generates light corresponding to the amount of current supplied from the second transistor (M2′).
However, the pixel 4 of the conventional organic light emitting display device has problems with displaying an image with uniform luminance. More particularly, a threshold voltage of the second transistor (M2′) (e.g., driving transistor) in each of the pixels 4 is different due to manufacturing process variances. When the threshold voltages of drive transistors are set to different threshold voltage levels as described above, inaccurate luminance is generated in pixels of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) due to the different threshold voltages of the drive transistors, even though data signals corresponding to a same gray level are supplied to the pixels.
Also, the conventional organic light emitting display device has problems in that the voltage from the first power source (ELVDD) may vary from pixel to pixel due to a voltage drop of the voltage from the first power source (ELVDD), depending on the position of each pixel in the display unit. When the voltage from the first power source (ELVDD) varies according to the position of the pixels as described above, it is very difficult to display an image with uniform luminance.
Furthermore, the conventional organic light emitting display device has problems displaying images with desired luminance due to the changes in efficiency from degradation of the organic light emitting diode (OLED). That is to say, organic light emitting diodes (OLED) degrade with time, which makes it more difficult to display an image with desired luminance. In fact, the organic light emitting diode (OLED) device generates images with progressively lower luminance as the organic light emitting diodes (OLED) degrade.

Pixel and organic light emitting display device using the same


A control lever unit includes a lever, a sensor, an urging body and an elastically undeformable restricting member. The lever is pivoted tiltably from a neutral position in any direction within 360 degrees including two main operation directions and intermediate directions therebetween. The sensor detects tilt angle of the lever in the two respective main operation directions. The urging body puts the lever back to the neutral position. The restricting member has an interior wall for surrounding the lever to restrict tilting range of the lever. Contour of the interior wall of the restricting member includes main operation stop portions for specifying tilt limit of the lever in the main operation directions and intermediate stop portions for specifying tilt limit of the lever in the intermediate directions. The main operation stop portions are positioned outside a quadrangle with the intermediate stop portions at apexes thereof.

The present invention relates to a control lever unit for operating equipment provided in a working vehicle.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-105267 discloses this type of control lever unit, which includes a grip for allowing displacement in at least two main operation directions and intermediate directions between the two main operation directions, a sliding piece, a cam plate with which the sliding piece is brought into contact, and a spring interposed between the grip and the sliding piece for causing a restoring force. The cam plate has a projection at each position with which the sliding piece is brought into contact when the grip (or lever) is displaced in the intermediate direction, thereby to cause larger change of length of the spring when the grip is displaced in the intermediate direction than when the grip is displaced in the main operation direction.
Therefore, it is practically impossible to erroneously operate the grip in the intermediate direction because strong resistance (a restoring force) is applied in operating the grip in the intermediate direction, which enables the lever to be operated accurately in the main operation direction.
It is when the lever is tilted to the maximum in the main operation direction that it is generally the easiest to apply operation force to the grip in this type of control lever unit. When the lever is thus in the maximum tilted position in the main operation direction, it is easy to displace the lever from the main operation direction toward the intermediate direction for some reason, depending on the direction of operation force applied by an operator. Consequently, erroneous operation of the lever frequently occurs to reduce working efficiency.
In this regard, in the control lever unit of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-105267, strong resistance (a restoring force) is applied in operating the grip in the intermediate direction, so that it is regarded that the erroneous operation of the lever toward the side of the intermediate direction is avoided to some extent. In a state where the lever is tilted to the limit in the main operation direction as described above, however, it is frequent that particularly large force is applied to the lever. In this case, there is fear that the erroneous operation of the lever toward the side of the intermediate direction is performed in spite of the above strong resistance.
In the control lever unit of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-105267 where strong resistance is applied in tilting the lever in the intermediate direction, when the lever is used to be actually tilted in the intermediate direction instead of the main operation direction, the lever is heavy in being tilted in the intermediate direction. Therefore, it is easy for an operator to be tired. In this regard, the control lever unit of the cited reference is far from preferable.
The present invention is directed to a control lever unit whose lever hardly causes erroneous operation toward the side of the intermediate direction even in a state that the lever is tilted to the maximum in the main operation direction and whose lever operated in the intermediate direction is not excessively heavy.


A new and distinct plant variety of the Cactaceae family is of the type known commercially as a "Spring Cactus" or "Easter Cactus" and has a growth habit which is similar to that of the `Scarlet O'Hara` variety but which, nevertheless, differs, among other things, by having phylloclades with shorter midribs, and sterile flowers with fewer tube laminating tepals, tube forming tepals that are shorter and wider, tepals dominated by hues of purplish pink and purplish red, and an ovary with shorter length dimensions.

The invention relates to a new and distinct plant variety of the Cactaceae family which has been named Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri `Heather` by the inventor.
Certain plant varieties of the Cactaceae family are well known in the foliage plant market and among these are those which are commonly referred to as the Spring or Easter cactus varieties because they tend to bloom in the Spring of the year.
The Spring cactus varieties on the market have blooms which vary in color from one variety to the next and are generally dominated by a red or closely related hue. One such cultivar in the marketplace at the time of application is `Scarlet O'Hara` having a red flower.


A duct was configured such that an incident side and an outgoing side of each of liquid crystal panels 34r, 34g, and 34b are formed with discharge ports r1 and r2, g1 and g2, and b1 and b2 to discharge the air from fans 41 to 43 through ducts 411 to 431, and at the same time, a PBS 28 for aligning the polarizing direction of the light from a light source lamp is formed with a discharge port p1 to discharge the air from the fan 43 through the duct 432, and an incident side discharge port b1 and an outgoing side discharge port b2 of the liquid crystal panel 34b corresponding to the blue light are formed with the ducts so as to discharge the air from the fans 43 and 41 which are different from each other. As a result, even when an amount of light per unit area of high luminance is increased, the liquid crystal panels and the polarizing plates and the PBS can be effectively cooled by three sets of the fans.

In general, a projection type image display apparatus such as a liquid crystal projector is provided with three sheets of liquid crystal panels corresponding to a red light, a green light, and a blue light obtained by splitting the light from a light source lamp, and optical parts such as polarizing plates disposed at the incident side and the outgoing side of each liquid crystal panel, and a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) aligning the polarized direction of the light from the light source lamp.
As a light source lamp, a high-pressure mercury lamp, a metal halide lamp, and the like which emit high intensity light in high temperature are used, and the liquid crystal panel processing a high-intensity light and the optical parts such as the polarizing plates and the PBS also increase in temperature. When the liquid crystal panels and the optical parts such as the polarizing plates and PBS increase in temperature, their performance and life span are reduced, and therefore, they need to be cooled.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-083637 discloses a cooling mechanism that cools three sheets of liquid crystal panels corresponding to a red light, a green light, and a blue light, respectively, and the polarizing plates disposed at an incident side and an outgoing side of each liquid crystal panel by one set of the fan every color, that is, a total of 3 sets of the fans.
Meantime, since three sheets of the liquid crystal panels corresponding to the red light, the green light, and the blue light, and the polarizing plates disposed at the incident side and the outgoing side of each liquid crystal panel and the like are different in temperature rise and in degree of ultraviolet degradation every color, a required cooling amount is also different. Particularly, since the blue light is close to an ultraviolet region, to avoid the ultraviolet degradation, a required cooling amount becomes large.
The projection type image display apparatus such as a liquid crystal projector and the like has come to require the enhancement of luminance by the raised output of the light source lamp, the miniaturization of the apparatus, and a reduced cost (miniaturization of the liquid crystal panel and the like) all together, and hence, the amount of light per unit area of high luminance has been on the increase.
However, the conventional art which performs cooling by one set of the fan every color has been unable to cope with the model whose amount of light per unit of high luminance has increased. As the countermeasure, when the output of the fan (the number of rotations) is increased, the noise of the fan is increased. Further, there has been a problem that the cooling of the PBS needs to be also performed.

Shenzhen Huaqiang Sanyo Technology Design Co., Ltd


This disclosure relates to counterfeit detection and deterrence using advanced signal processing technology including steganographic embedding and digital watermarking. Digital watermark can be used on consumer products, labels, logos, hang tags, stickers and other objects to provide counterfeit detection mechanisms.

Counterfeiting is Big Business.
The numbers are staggering:
$1.7 billion—Value of seized counterfeit goods at U.S. borders in fiscal 2013. See, e.g., http://www.iacc.org/resources/about/what-is-counterfeiting.
$1.77 Trillion—Projected Value of Global Trade in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods in 2015. See, e.g., http://www.iacc.org/resources/about/statistics.
Counterfeit goods span multiple industries including everything from consumer goods, apparel, accessories, music, pharmaceuticals, cigarettes, to automobile and manufactured parts, toys and electronics.
One promising technology for automated counterfeit detection is steganographic encoding (or embedding). One form of steganographic encoding includes digital watermarking. Digital watermarking is a process for modifying physical or electronic media to embed a machine-readable code (or "auxiliary data") into the media. The media may be modified such that the embedded code is obscured, yet may be detected through an automated detection process. Most commonly, digital watermarking is applied to electronic or physical objects such as images, audio signals, and video signals. However, it may also be applied to other types of objects, including, e.g., product packaging, electronics such as circuit boards and CPUs, stickers, logos, product hang tags, line-art, software, multi-dimensional graphics models, and surface textures of such objects.
Auxiliary data embedding systems typically have two components: an encoder (or embedder) that embeds the auxiliary signal in a host image or object, and a decoder (or detector) that detects and reads the embedded auxiliary signal from the host image or object. The encoder embeds the auxiliary signal by altering an image or object or generating a signal carrying the auxiliary data. The detection component analyzes a suspect image, object or signal to detect whether an auxiliary signal is present, and if so, extracts or reads information carried in it.
Several particular digital watermarking and related auxiliary data embedding techniques have been developed. The reader is presumed to be familiar with the literature in this field. Particular techniques for embedding and detecting imperceptible digital watermarks are detailed in the assignee's patent documents including U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,996; US Published Patent Application Nos. 20140052555 and 20150156369; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/725,399, filed May 29, 2015 (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,635,378), Ser. No. 14/724,729, filed May 28, 2015 (published as 20160217547; issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,747,656), Ser. No. 15/073,483, filed Mar. 17, 2016 (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,754,341); and International Application No. PCT/US2015/44904, filed Aug. 12, 2015 (published as WO 2016/025631). Each of the patent documents mentioned in this paragraph are hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, including all drawings and any appendices.
This disclosure describes objects, methods, apparatus and systems using embedded auxiliary signals to deter and detect counterfeited goods. Detection can be facilitated with a handheld reading device including a camera equipped smartphone (e.g., iPhone 6 or Samsung Galaxy 6) having an illumination source such as a flash or torch.
One aspect of the disclosure teaches digital watermarking solutions for use with so-called lenticular structures, e.g., lenticular lenses. Multiple, inter-related but different watermark payloads can be printed on the lenticular structure and viewed at differing angles. Such lenticular structures can include or cooperate with an adhesive for application as a sticker or label, or for direct application on a consumer packaged good. The multiple, different watermark payloads can be detected along with watermark signal strength at different viewing angles. A counterfeit without a lenticular structure will not having a varying signal strength associated with different angles, and thus can be recognized as fraudulent.
Another aspect of the disclosure teaches digital watermarking solutions using metallic inks. The metallic ink carries a digital watermark signal which can be obscured, in part, by a cooperating metameric (but non-metallic) spot color. The metallic and cooperating spot color will appear flat or the same (e.g., not show watermark modulations) unless illuminated by torch or detected by movement. Scanning and re-printing a metallic-ink-watermarked object will not include the same metallic ink in a reproduction, allowing for rapid and automated detection of the counterfeit.
Still another aspect of the disclosure teaches a narrow band absorption dye for conveying a digital watermark signal. The narrow band can be selected to cooperate with a mobile device's illumination source. A watermark detector can read the digital watermark signal with and without torch illumination, and the difference in watermark strength can be used to determine if an object is an original or counterfeit.
Yet another aspect teaches metameric ink pairs selected from, e.g., PANTONE inks, that change their color properties as seen by a camera and cooperating watermark detector under differing illumination. A digital watermark signal may be detected under one lighting condition and then reverse its signal polarity under a differing lighting condition. The differing signal polarities can be used to recognize an object as genuine.
Further aspects, features and advantages will become even more apparent with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Counterfeit detection using machine readable indicia


In response to receiving a request for a DMA data transfer, a DMA transfer mode may be determined based on based on the size of the requested DMA data transfer and profile data of an I/O adapter. The profile data for the I/O adapter may include a physical location of the I/O adapter or a number of clients supported by the I/O adapter. The DMA transfer mode may also be determined based on a preference of an application or an I/O device. Moreover, the DMA transfer mode may be determined based on a CPU usage metric being outside of a threshold for the CPU usage metric or on a memory usage metric being outside of a threshold for the memory usage metric.

Embodiments relate generally to data transfers in computer systems, and more particularly, to direct memory access (DMA) data transfers.
A computer system may include a central processing unit (CPU) or processor, a memory, a bus, and a device attached to an input/output (I/O) port. A wide variety of devices may be attached to a computer. For example, an external storage device, a network interface card, or an input or output device controller, such as a key board or sound card, may be attached to a computer.
A processor executes instructions contained in a computer program. Certain program instructions, when executed by the processor, cause data to be transferred from memory to a port or from a port to memory. This is sometimes referred to as programmed memory input/output. DMA is another technique for transferring data. Once a DMA transfer is initiated, the data transfer bypasses the processor. A separate circuit, such as a DMA controller, temporarily takes control of the bus away from the processor and transfers data from memory to an attached device or from the attached device to memory. DMA hardware may provide one or more I/O channels that allow data transfers independent of the CPU. An advantage of transferring data using a hardware circuit, such as DMA controller, is that the processor may perform other work while the transfer is taking place. Another advantage is that the transfer may be faster than transferring the data using processor instructions.

Determining a direct memory access data transfer mode


An apparatus includes a network interface and circuitry. The network interface is configured to connect to a communication network. The circuitry is configured to receive, from a host, first RDMA requests in accordance with a first transport service type, for transferring data between an initiator process running on the host and one or more responder processes running on one or more remote computers, to convert the first RDMA requests into second RDMA requests in accordance with a second transport service type, different from the first transport service type, to communicate messages corresponding to the second transport service type with the remote computers, to convert completions, which are received from the one or more remote computers in accordance with the second transport service type, into corresponding completions to the first RDMA requests in accordance with the first transport service type, and to send the corresponding completions to the initiator process.

Reliable connection (RC) is a well-known transport level communication protocol that allows reliable transfer of data between network elements. An example RC implementation is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,593,996, which provides a technique for establishing reliable peer-to-peer communication among storage system "partners" arranged in a clustered environment.
Dynamic Connection (DC) is a transport service allowing efficient communication between network elements. DC Background information can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,761,189, which describes a method for communication, including allocating, in a network interface controller (NIC), a single DC initiator context for serving requests from an initiator process running on the initiator host, and transmitting data to multiple target processes running on one or more target nodes.
Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) is a technique that allows direct memory access from the memory of one computer into that of another without involving either one's operating system. RDMA is described, for example, in "Mellanox RDMA Aware Networks Programming User Manual," Rev. 1.7 (2015).

Emulation of memory access transport services


The present invention provides a comprehensive design environment defining a system architecture and methodology that may integrate interconnects, cores, ePLC, re-configurable processors and software into a manageable and predictable system designs that achieve on-time system IC design results meeting desired specifications and budgets. For example, an interscalable interconnect maybe provided that is scalable and isochronous capable. Additionally, an abstract language may be provided to be able to describe interconnecting core functions. Further, a self-programmable chip may be provided that, upon receiving a construct, it could program itself to achieve the desired functionality, such as through the use of on-chip knowledge and the like.

Integrated circuits (IC) have become one of the most necessary components in modern devices. From automobiles and cell phones, to kitchen appliances and video gaming devices, integrated circuits provide a variety of functions. To provide this variety in an optimized manner, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC) may be utilized.
An application specific integrated circuit is generally designed for a specific application rather than as a general-purpose chip. The use of application specific integrated circuits improve performance over general-purpose chips, because application specific integrated circuits are "hardwired" to do a specific job, and may thus, not incur the overhead of fetching and interpreting stored instructions. Thus, an application specific integrated circuit may perform an electronic operation in an optimized manner providing that the circuit design is efficiently architected.
However, producing such a wide range of application specific integrated circuits, each having targeted functionality, may be complex, expensive and time consuming. For example, the very size of the circuit, which may include a variety of clock domains, may require extensive testing, verification and redesign before an operational model is produced.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method for optimizing an integrated circuit design.

System and method for optimizing an integrated circuit design


A multi-component divider including a first divider component and a connection mechanism for a second divider component. The second divider component connects to the first divider component when the first divider component is connected to a base. The second divider component extends above the first divider component, thereby extending the overall height of the divider. The base and multi-component divider can be used in locations where there is limited space between shelves, such as a shelf in a freezer or refrigerated display, or in any application where a higher divider may be preferred, but cannot be installed. The base can additionally include a pusher moveable along a longitudinal direction of the base, wherein the pusher is also adjustable linearly along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the base.

It is known that retail and wholesale stores, such as drug stores, grocery stores, discount stores, and the like, display frozen products to consumers in freezers with glass doors. In displaying product in such freezers, it is desirable for the product on the shelves within the freezer to be situated toward the front of the shelf so that the product is visible and accessible to consumers. One manner that can be considered to achieve such placement is to use product pusher systems to push the product toward the front of the shelf. However, many freezers, like some other shelving areas in retail environments, can have a limited height between shelves and it can be difficult or impossible to install pusher systems with dividers of significant height in such environments.
While a divider of a lesser height may be acceptable for some environments and for some products, for others, such as bagged frozen foods in a grocer freezer, a lesser height divider is less acceptable. When a display system utilizing a pusher is employed on bagged frozen foods, for example, the products may move laterally over a divider and reduce the effectiveness of the system if the divider is of a lesser height. The bags may be forced by the pusher between the divider and the upper shelf or top wall of the freezer unit, impeding the pusher from advancing additional product to the front of the display. With a divider of a lesser height, the system may not operate efficiently. The present invention, among other things, is directed at overcoming these drawbacks and disadvantages.

Multi-component display and merchandise systems