A method and apparatus for cutting through protective film in the region of covered-over joints and beads of vehicle bodies includes a freely programmable industrial robot having at least five degrees of motional freedom. An operating arm of the robot has a cutting and pressing tool which includes a knife having a blade for cutting through the protective film in the region of covered-over joints and beads, and the pressing tool comprises a rotary brush or air nozzle for pressing down the cut edges. In another embodiment, an air nozzle which emits a diffuse hot-air current is provided for cutting through the protective film.

This application claims the priority of German Application No. 196 42 831.9, filed Oct. 17, 1996, German Application No. 296 22 887.7, filed May 23, 1997, and German Application No. 197 24 040.2, filed Jun. 7, 1997, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a process and apparatus for the application of self-adhesive protective film to vehicle bodies.
In the mass-production operation of a large number of passenger vehicle manufacturers, the vehicles must be prepared for dispatch in such a way that they do not suffer damage, in particular that the paintwork is not adversely affected by storage and weather influences. Where rail journeys or even ship transports are necessary for conveyance to the customer, the vehicles have been coated for this purpose with a protective layer of wax, which has had to be removed prior to customer delivery. The residue-free removal of the protective wax was not only a labour-intensive task, but also placed a strain upon man and the environment due to the solvent used therein. For this reason, there has recently been a move to protect vehicle bodies during transport by using self-adhesive films, though it has only been the essentially horizontal surface sections of the body, which are susceptible to damage by weather and by deposits, which have been protected in this way. Because this type of protection is not only very effective but also relatively dear, it has been provided not only as protection during transport but also as protection during vehicle assembly and consequently the protective film has been applied even before the final vehicle assembly, i.e. directly after the painting of the body.
The protective film is intended to be applied, as far as possible, in a crease-free and bubble-free manner, since, after a certain storage period, a microclimate can form under creases or bubbles, which, depending on paint type and colour, can sometimes result in visible marks. In order to be able to apply the protective films carefully, the film cuts had previously to be held by several persons, brought over the vehicle, aligned and placed against the associated surface sections. Despite the high expenditure of labour, creases and bubbles could not always be avoided in the application of the protective film.
When the regions for add-on parts were subsequently cut free, this often resulted in damage to the paintwork, thereby necessitating costly refinishing works. In the previous manual application of the protective film, the procedure was as follows: firstly, a rectangular piece of a protective film, which had been matched in size to a surface section, was drawn off and cut off from a feed roll by at least one or two persons, and the trailing end was held and cut off by one or two additional persons. This protective film piece was freely tensioned by as many as four persons in freehand manipulation with the self-adhesive side pointing downwards, brought in this way over the body, lowered there in positionally correct fashion in horizontal position onto the associated surface section, placed against it more or less free from creases and bubbles and pressed down by smoothing with a soft, slidable item, e.g. a stiffened piece of felt.
In the region of covered-over gaps between adjoining body parts such as wings or doors, the protective film was cut through manually with a knife and the cut edges pressed down by hand in order to shape the way in which assembly-relevant work was carried out. In order to be able to cut free and recess assembly-conforming holes in the protective film in the region of add-on parts such as roof trim rails, sliding roof cover, radiator figurine, windscreen washer nozzles, antennae, windscreen surrounds or the like, a flat, strip-shaped template was previously placed in positionally correct fashion onto the body and the protective film to be applied likewise stuck onto this, so that at the regions to be cut free not only was the film held at a slight distance from the body surface but also, as a result of the template, a cutting and guide edge for a knife is formed, along which the film can be cut through in conformity with the contour. Despite constant practice, the handling of a sharp-edged knife just a short distance from the painted body surface has repeatedly resulted, amidst the hustle and bustle, in paint damage and costly refinishing work. Particularly in body forms having, for example, beads in the region of the hood, the portion of film spanning the bead could previously be manually cut through only after a strip of film had been placed underneath, since there was too great a risk of paint damage in the region of the bead.
One object of the invention is to improve the application process and the corresponding appliance such that the monotonous manual work can be replaced by mechanization, the quality of the application in terms of freedom from bubbles and creases in the applied protective film, together with the avoidance of paint damage, can be improved and, moreover, savings can be made in labour costs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for cutting through protective film in the region of stuck-over joints and beads, especially of passenger vehicle bodies, which helps to prevent paint damage and, moreover, offers possible savings in labor costs.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the method and apparatus according to the invention, in which a measured rectangular piece of a protective film is drawn off from a feed roll on the non-adhesive side using a robot-guided tensioning frame, preferably with suction arms, is drawn off and cut off from the feed roll. Before the film cut is placed against the body, while the film is stretched on the tensioning frame (which can be handled like a rigid workpiece) tear lines are perforated in the region of add-on parts, from the non-adhesive side of the film, using a heated serrated disc which is mechanically guided along defined contour lines. (Such performated tear lines allow specific areas of the film to be removed during the assembly process by tearing them off along the performations.)
Subsequently, the protective film, which has been thus prepared and tensioned in a crease-free manner in the tensioning frame, is lowered by the handling robots onto the associated surface section, placed in the correct position, free from bubbles, and pressed down with a smoothing bar. All surface sections are thereby successively covered over. In the region of add-on parts, protective film parts are drawn off along the perforated tear lines, and assembly-conforming holes are thus formed in these regions. Also, in the region of joints and beads which have been covered over, the film, according to the invention, is cut through by means of a robot-guided knife, the cut edges being pressed down, for example, using a rotary brush or an air nozzle.
The apparatus according to the invention is distinguished by a freely programmable industrial robot (cutting robot) having at least five degrees of motional freedom, and having an operating arm to which a cutting and pressing tool is fitted. As the cutting tool, a knife having a blade for cutting through the protective film in the region of covered-over joints and beads is provided. For pressing down the cut edges of the protective film, a suitable pressing tool is provided, which is disposed downstream of the cutting tool in the cutting and motion direction. According to the invention, the pressing tool is either a rotary brush, which can be placed onto the body is parts lined with the protective film, or an air nozzle, which is directed at the cut edges and the (preferably diffuse) air jet of which presses down the edges.
The use of the cutting robot ensures precise guidance of the knife for cutting through the protective film, so that the risk of paint damage is substantially reduced. In the region of a stuck-over joint or bead, the cutting robot thrusts the knife blade disposed on its operating arm through the protective film and moves the knife in the cutting direction predetermined by the joint or bead, up to the point where the end of the joint or bead is reached. As a result of the rotary brush, which is disposed behind the knife and which is placed directly (or through the lowering of the operating arm) on the body part lined with protective film, the cut edges of the cut-through protective film are pressed down onto the body, thereby precluding any detachment of the film due to protective film edges which fail to adhere to the body. In another embodiment of the invention, the cut edges are pressed down onto the body by means of an air nozzle disposed behind the knife, which emits a diffuse air current directed at the protective film.
In one design of the invention, the flat sides of the knife blade respectively have a plastic coating. Such a coating serves to prevent damage to the painted body through contact of the hard blade material with the paintwork if the knife-guidance direction should deviate slightly from the alignment of the joint. The plastic applied to both sides of the blade should have good sliding characteristics in relation to hardened vehicle paints and in relation to the protective film to be applied.
In a further design of the invention, the knife is elastically suspended in the cutting and pressing tool, transversely to the cutting and motion direction, by means of a leaf spring. As a result of this design according to the invention, inaccuracies between the robot-guidance of the knife and the actual course of the body joint or bead are compensated, since the knife, in the event of a lateral contact with the body part limiting the joint, can elastically "veer away". Advantageously, adjustable stop arms are provided to act upon the knife and/or the leaf spring, transversely to the cutting and motion direction, so that when the protective film is pierced, the stop arms serve to fix the knife. Following the insertion of the knife and during the cutting operation, the action of the stop arms upon the knife and the leaf spring is lifted, so that the desired elasticity takes effect whenever the knife comes into lateral contact with body parts.
In a particularly advantageous design of the invention, the knife is rearwardly pivotable, so that if during the cutting operation, it encounters an unforeseen obstacle in the cutting direction, it is pivoted rearwards in the cutting direction. This pivoting is detected by a suitable sensor and provokes an immediate withdrawal of the knife or of the operating arm of the cutting robot, so that an unforeseen and undesirable obstacle by which the knife is confronted in its cutting path does not bring the production line to a halt. Rather, the cutting robot travels to the next body joint or bead and systematically cuts it open. Protective films which have not been properly cut through are then treated in a downstream manual checking station. Alternatively, the cutting robot, after the knife is withdrawn, can skip the site of the obstacle and, beyond the obstacle, re-insert the knife into the protective film above the joint to be cut free, so as to continue with the cutting.
In a particularly advantageous design, the knife is disposed on a biaxial floating slide such that it is adjustable perpendicularly to the film plane and transversely to the cutting and motion direction. The floating slide is disposed, for its part, on the operating arm of the robot and allows, during a "search travel" prior to the commencement of the cutting operation, a fine adjustment of the knife in the z-direction (perpendicularly to the film plane). Following completion of this search travel, the z-floating slide is fixed and the knife is extended, either by movement of the operating arm of the cutting robot perpendicularly to the film plane or by direct extension of the knife. Immediately thereafter, the cutting operation is performed, with inaccuracies between the robot-guided cutting path of the knife and the body joint being compensated by the z-floating slide.
In an advantageous design, the cutting and pressing tool can be moved into a variety of operating settings and a measuring device is assigned to it, for registering within the working space of the cutting robot the actual position of those joints or beads of the body which are to be cut free.
The measuring device may be, for example, a measuring tool disposed on the cutting and pressing tool. In this case, the cutting and pressing tool can be swivelled into a variety of operating settings: in a first swivel setting the measuring tool is operative, and in a second swivel setting the cutting and pressing tool is operative. The measuring tool can advantageously comprise optical and/or acoustic sensors, by means of which the exact position of the gap to be cut free can be detected. As soon as the actual position of the gap has been determined, the cutting and pressing tool is pivoted so that the knife is aligned to the detected actual position of the gap and the cutting operation can commence.
In another design of the invention, a tactile probe which is adjustable on a biaxial floating slide perpendicularly to the film plane and transversely to the cutting and motion direction is provided as the measuring device. This probe can be lowered by the robot arm and/or directly onto the body, whereby the z-floating slide is deflected (perpendicularly to the film plane). The robot next performs with the tactile probe a motion running essentially transversely to the alignment of the joint. As soon as the probe is located in the joint gap, as the robot continues its travel, the y-floating slide is deflected (transversely to the cutting and motion direction), whereupon the probe remains in the gap. Following completion of the search travel, the z-floating slide is fixed. Armed with this knowledge of the actual position of the joint to be cut free, the knife can now be brought into the starting position for the cutting operation.
In a particularly advantageous design of the invention, the knife is disposed on the biaxial floating slide holding the probe, and the probe and the knife are adjustable perpendicularly to the film plane. Following completion of the search travel, the knife can thus easily be extended, whereby it pierces the protective film covering the gap, and the probe is retracted. In this manner, the cutting operation commences through the robot-guidance of the knife.
In another design of the invention, a tactile probe which is pivotable transversely to the cutting and motion direction is provided as the cutting device. In this design of the invention, the probe follows a search travel path which is essentially transverse to the gap to be cut, and is deflected as soon as it enters into the joint gap. The deflection is detected by means of a suitable sensor, and a signal is transmitted to the cutting robot, which stores the deflection point as a point of insertion for the knife. After having been stored, a deflection which has once been detected or an ascertained deflection path can also be used for an adjacent body joint or bead.
In one design of the invention, the tactile probe has a rounded feeler tip, and in another design it has a probe tip with a feeler roll matched to the gap.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a device for cutting through protective film in the region of covered-over joints and beads has an operating arm of the cutting robot with a cutting and pressing tool in the form of an air nozzle, which is suitable for a diffuse emission of hot air. The temperature of the hot air is set, for example, at least to the melting temperature of the plastic of the protective film. The appliance according to the invention allows the protective film to be cut through in a contact-free manner in the region of covered-over joints and beads. As a result of the hot air, the plastic of the protective film begins to melt, and is cut through in the region of a joint or bead by the pulse of the air current striking it. The particular advantage of this contact-free cutting resides in the fact that no additional pressing tool is necessary to press down the cut edges of the protective film, since the cut edges are already pressed down onto the body by the air current issuing from the air nozzle. Since the hot air is emitted from the air nozzle (that is, the air jet is directed not at a point, but only over an area, it is not absolutely necessary to provide a measuring device for fine alignment of the air nozzle. That is, any small deviations of the gap from the actual position are compensated by the diffuse air current.
In one design of the invention, a pin made from a material offering good heat conductivity is disposed in the region in front of the air-discharge opening of the air nozzle. This pin can advantageously be extended and serves to cut through the protective film, especially in the region of wide beads, whenever the pulse applied by the air current to the protective film, because of the width of the gap lying beneath the film, is insufficient to cut through this film.

Process and apparatus for the application of self-adhesive protective film to vehicle bodies


Provided are an agent for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of a mood disorder comprising, as an active ingredient, a thiazole derivative represented by the formula (I) wherein R1 represents aryl or the like, and R2 represents pyridyl or the like, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and the like.

Depressive Disorders
Depressive disorders are a class of psychiatric disorders classified under mood disorders, representing a condition with some disturbance in living activity due to a persistent depressive state. Regarding the classification and diagnosis of mood disorders, information is available in the American Psychiatric Association's "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—IV: DSM-IV-TR" and the World Health Organization's "International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems—10: ICD-10, F30-F39". According to the provisions of the DSM-IV-TR, mood disorders are roughly divided into bipolar disorders, which have both depressive symptoms and exaltation (manic symptoms), and depressive disorders, which involve depressive symptoms only. Bipolar disorders are classified into bipolar I disorders, which involve manic symptoms and depressive symptoms; bipolar II disorders, which involve depressive symptoms and mild manic symptoms; cyclothymic disorders, which involve mild depressive symptoms and mild manic symptoms; and bipolar disorders not otherwise specified. Depressive disorders are classified into major depressive disorders, in which a single depressive symptom is observed for 6 months or more; dysthymic disorders, in which mild depressive symptoms are observed for 2 years or more; and depression-related syndromes (minor depressive disorders, which are mildly symptomatic depressive disorders, recurrent short-term depressive disorders, in which short-term depressive symptoms are repeatedly observed, premenstrual dysphoric mood disorders, which are woman-specific physiological depressive symptoms). In addition to the aforementioned two major classes, mood disorders due to physical disorder, mood disorders due to drugs etc., mood disorders not otherwise specified and the like are classified under the category mood disorders as a whole.
Major Depressive Disorders (Major Depression)
Major depressive disorders are a disease commonly known as depression, representing a class of mood disorders. The essential feature thereof is that social activity is disturbed by long-lasting depressive symptoms. Patients with major depressive disorders can manifest common physical symptoms such as limb/back/head heaviness, back pain, headache, muscle pain, decreased physical strength, lassitude, and body weight loss. Also manifested are circulatory symptoms such as tachycardia; digestive symptoms such as dry mouth, dysgeusia, dyspepsia, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and anorexia; respiratory symptoms such as respiratory distress and hyperventilation; reproductive symptoms such as decreased libido and menstrual irregularities; urogenital symptoms such as pollakiuria and dysuria; and the like; the physical symptoms thereof encompass a broad range.
Dysthymic Disorders (Dysthymia)
Dysthymic disorders are a disease that was known as depressive hypomelancholia in the past, representing a class of mood disorders. The essential feature thereof is that social activity is disturbed by long-lasting depressive symptoms but the criteria of major depressive disorders are not met. Although dysthymic disorders involve relatively mild symptoms compared with major depressive disorders, such difference in the symptoms does not show in the degree of disturbance in social life, and both are the same in that the patients are in a pathological depressive state.
Depression-Related Syndrome
This is a syndrome proposed as defined by the DSM-IV-TR for a class that was known as mild depression in the past. Minor depressive disorders, which are mildly symptomatic depressive disorders; recurrent short-term depressive disorders, in which short-term depressive symptoms are repeatedly observed; premenstrual dysphoric mood disorders, which are woman-specific physiological depressive symptoms; and the like are included.
Mood Disorders Due to Physical Disorder (Depressive Symptoms Due to Physical Disorder)
There are some cases where depressive symptoms are manifested even when the underlying disease is not a mental disease but an internal medical disease, which are generically referred to as mood disorders due to physical disorder. Internal medical diseases include, for example, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, and Cushing's syndrome, which are endocrine diseases; systemic erythematodes and rheumatoid arthritis, which are collagen diseases; cerebral infarction and Parkinson's disease as organic cerebral diseases; infectious diseases such as by influenza or human immunodeficiency virus; and the like.
Mood Disorders Due to Drugs etc. (Drug-Induced Depressive Symptoms)
There are some cases where depressive symptoms are manifested with other drug therapies, and these are described as mood disorders due to drugs etc. Drugs known to induce depressive symptoms include, for example, reserpine, which is used as a hypotensive drug; methyl-dopa; clonidine; propranolol; hormones such as adrenocorticosteroid and progestin/estrogen mixed hormone; anti-Parkinsonian drugs such as L-dopa, amantadine hydrochloride, and bromocriptine; histamine H2 receptor antagonists such as cimetidine; interferons; cycloserine and the like.
Regarding depressive disorders, a wide variety of causes are suspected; in particular, genetic temperaments, growth and development in infancy and childhood, as well as combinations thereof with later life experiences are suspected. Depressive disorders are treated by using counseling, psychotherapy, pharmacological therapy (drug therapy) and the like singly or in combination. Drugs that are typically used to treat depressive disorder patients include, for example, tricyclic/tetracyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline hydrochloride, imipramine hydrochloride, clomipramine hydrochloride, amoxapine, mianserin hydrochloride, maprotiline hydrochloride, and the like; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as paroxetine, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, and the like; serotonin/noradrenaline uptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as milnacipran, duloxetine, venlafaxine, and the like; and the like. Other drugs used include, for example, sulpiride, trazodone hydrochloride and the like.
On the other hand, it is known that adenosine is widely distributed in the whole body, and exhibits a variety of physiological actions on the central nervous system, the cardiac muscle, the kidneys, the smooth muscle, and the like through its receptors (see non-patent document 1).
For example, adenosine A1 antagonists are known to facilitate defecation (Jpn. J. Pharmacol., Vol.68, p.119 (1995)). Further, the adenosine A2A receptors are known to be involved particularly in the central nervous system, and the antagonists of the adenosine A2A receptors are known to be useful as, for example, therapeutic drugs for Parkinson's disease etc. (see non-patent document 2), therapeutic drugs for sleep disturbance (see Nature Neuroscience, p. 858 (2005); patent document 3), therapeutic drugs for depression (see non-patent document 3) and the like. There are many reports concerning the relationship between adenosine receptors and Parkinson's disease (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 5, p.845 (2006); Current Pharmaceutical Design, 14, p.1475 (2008)).
Regarding the association between adenosine A2A receptors and depressive symptoms, an investigation using mice deficient in adenosine A2A receptors led to a report that adenosine A2A receptor antagonistic activity induces behavioral pharmacological changes similar to those with administration of antidepressants (see Non-patent Document 4). Xanthine compounds having adenosine A2A receptor antagonistic activity are known to possess antidepressive activity (for example, WO94/01114), and are known to further possess anti-Parkinsonian activity (for example, Ann. Neurol., 43, p. 507 (1998)), therapeutic effects on anxiety disorders (for example, WO2004/108137), suppressing activity against neurodegeneration (for example, WO99/12546) and the like. Combinations of adenosine A2A receptor antagonists and antidepressants or anxiolytics have been reported (see Patent Document 1).
On the other hand, for example, compounds represented by the formulas (IA), (IB), (IC), (ID) and the like are known to have affinity to adenosine A2A receptors and have a therapeutic effect for Parkinson's disease (see patent document 2). It is also known that these compounds are useful as an agent for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of sleep disturbance (see patent document 3).


Methods and apparatuses for hybrid beamforming are described. The described methods and apparatuses related to hybrid beamforming for single user multiple-input multiple-output (SU MIMO) communications and for multi-user multiple-input single-output (MU MISO) communications. The radio frequency (RF) precoder and baseband precoder are determined such that the hybrid precoder has a minimum or near minimum chordal distance from an optimal precoder. Feedback information enables the transmitter to select columns from a set of discrete Fourier transform (DFT) columns to form the RF precoder matrix.

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) technology has been of recent interest for achieving high data rate wireless links and fulfilling the exigent requirements of increasingly bandwidth-hungry data applications. However, mmWave systems have the potential for significant path losses compared to lower frequency band systems.
Massive multiple-input multiple-out (MIMO) technology has been proposed as a solution to overcome such shortcomings of mmWave systems. The small wavelengths of mmWave systems help to facilitate the utilization of massive MIMO technology. The short wavelength allows the size of the antennas (also referred to as radiating elements or radiators) in an antenna array to be relatively small, thus enabling a large number of antennas to be implemented in an antenna array that can be easily embedded into both transmitter and receiver terminals. The use of massive MIMO technology, particularly in mmWave systems, may help to compensate for link loss in mmWave communications by employing a large number of antennas at each terminal to provide high antenna gain and thus help increase the received signal to noise power ratio (SNR).
However, implementation of massive MIMO may incur significant operational cost by requiring the use of a large number of radio frequency (RF) chains and also requiring significant overhead for channel feedback and beamforming (BF) training.
Hybrid BF technology, which combines digital precoding in the baseband domain with analog BF in the RF domain, has been of interest for reducing the number of RF chains. However, current designs of hybrid beamformers may require significant resources to communicate feedback about the channel condition between the hybrid BF receiver and the transmitter terminals. For example, a current hybrid beamformer design may require instantaneous and perfect channel state information at the transmitter terminal, which means that significant resources may be consumed by the communication of feedback from the receiver terminal.
Accordingly it would be useful to provide a design for hybrid beamforming that operates using more limited feedback.

Methods and systems for hybrid beamforming for MIMO communications


An information handling system selectively boots to a normal operation mode having devices and applications configured to operate normally or a multimedia operation mode having devices and applications that support presentation of multimedia information enabled and other devices and applications disabled. In one embodiment, the multimedia mode improves portable information handling system multimedia performance by reducing power consumption to improve battery charge life and by reducing boot time to improve the timeliness of the user experience. For instance, a multimedia module interfaces with the operating system to disable power up of non-multimedia devices, such as networking devices, and non-multimedia applications, such as antivirus applications, while enabling multimedia devices, such as a DVD disc drive, to display multimedia information, such as a DVD movie.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system operating system boot, and more particularly to a system and method for information handling system multimedia mode boot optimization.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
An increasingly common use of information handling systems, particularly portable systems, is for the display of multimedia information, such as presentations and videos. For instance, portable information handling systems are often used by business people to display presentations to groups through a projector with presentations such as Powerpoint. As another example, portable information handling systems are often used for entertainment by the playing of DVD movies with a DVD drive device. Generally in order to use an information handling system to display multimedia information, the operating system of the information handling system brings all devices to an operational status and maintains all devices in the operational status whether or not a particular device supports the display of multimedia information. For instance, while a user plays a DVD movie on an information handling system disc drive, the operating system typically maintains networking devices and antivirus applications operational even though these devices and applications are not needed to play the DVD movie. Unused but enabled devices and applications waste CPU cycles, such as by unnecessary scans for a network, so that, under some circumstances the presentation of the multimedia information is unnecessarily and adversely impacted.
A difficulty that often arises with the presentation of multimedia information through a portable information handling system is that the internal battery charge expires prematurely, such as in the middle of a lengthy DVD movie. Another difficulty that arises is that presentation of the multimedia information is delayed by the normal boot process that the operating system uses to bring all of the processing components and automatically initiated programs to a normal operational state. Although portable information handling systems have modes of operation that reduce power consumption to preserve battery life, such as shutting down the display or otherwise hibernating, those modes of operation typically do not take effect while the information handling system is in active use, such as during presentation of multimedia information. Some specialized systems have been developed to provide "instant on" for playing DVD movie or CD audio information with reduced start-up time and battery consumption. However, such specialized systems typically incorporate a unique custom player with an independent operating system, such as in the BIOS, custom hardware or a separate hard disc drive partition. The use of custom hardware and software processing components increases system design and manufacture cost.

System and method for information handling system multimedia mode boot optimization


The present disclosure relates to a method of reducing a noise induced signal drift. The method comprises: receiving an input signal; recording a waveform of the input signal; and determining an antiderivative of the waveform by optimizing a derivative of the antiderivative to be determined and an absolute deviation of the antiderivative to be determined. Further, the present disclosure relates to a test instrument for analyzing an input signal.

Modern test instruments such as oscilloscopes are used to provide different variables of a signal. Usually, the test instruments are enabled to directly measure certain variables of an input signal, which are called supervised variables, as they are directly monitored or rather sensed. However, modern test instruments are also capable of monitoring non-supervised variables that are not directly measured, but indirectly determined.
For obtaining non-supervised variables, the respective input signal or a waveform thereof may have to be integrated over time. However, when integrating the input signal or its waveform, a noise of the input signal introduced by a frontend of the test instrument accumulates, for instance the so-called 1/f noise. Accordingly, very small offsets already result in the integral diverging from zero. Particularly, the divergence increases over time. Put differently, the integral obtained runs away. Consequently, the integral obtained does not comply with the (mathematically determined) antiderivative of the waveform or the input signal. This becomes obvious when deviating the integral with respect to time since the result thereof does not comply with the initial waveform.
So far, it is known to filter the noise in the frequency spectrum obtained. However, an automatic filtering is critical, as the respective frequencies are not easy to separate. Further, a manual selection of noise frequencies requires that the input signal is known a priori.

Method of reducing a noise-induced signal drift and test instrument


A spring member includes a planar strip of elastic material formed with a plurality of spirally-extending slits at spaced locations to define a plurality of spirally-extending elements integrally formed with the strip. The spirally-extending elements are pressed out of the plane of the strip to produce a plurality of helically-extending springs integrally formed with the strip, each spring decreasing in diameter from the strip to the outer end of the spring. Also described is the use of such spring members in toothbrushes and keyboards. Further described are methods of making such a spring member and making brush heads including such spring members.

Patent application Ser. No. 07/627,098 discloses toothbrushes having spring-mounted bristle holders. One embodiment described in that patent application includes a spring member in the form of a planar strip of elastic material integrally formed with a plurality of helically-extending springs underlying the bristle holders and effective to urge the bristle holders outwardly but to permit their inward movement during use of the brush.
The present application is directed to the spring member per se, since such a member is also capable of use in other applications, e.g., keyboards and the like. The present application also relates to the method of making such a spring member, to a method of making brush heads including such spring members, and to a keyboard including such a spring member.


Brushes, e.g. a brush, particularly a hygienic brush, or a paintbrush, which is exposed to moisture during use and which has a bristle carrier, preferably made from plastic, and a bristle facing. The entire bristle facing is formed from individual, closely standing, non-contacting bristles.

The invention relates to brushware, e.g. a brush, paintbrush, etc., which is exposed to moisture during use and which has a bristle carrier and a bristle facing at least partly comprising individual, standing plastic bristles.
Brushware which is exposed to moisture, either through use in a moist atmosphere for cleaning purposes, e.g. toothbrushes, or for the application of wet media, e.g. paintbrushes, only dry incompletely after use because the bristles are combined into bundles, and the moisture is retained for a long time in the narrow capillaries between the bristles. This moist atmosphere forms ideal conditions for the settling or deposition and growth of bacteria and microbes. This disadvantageous effect is assisted by dirt particles or residue of the application media which are deposited in the narrow capillaries, and which can only be inadequately removed, even after intense cleaning efforts, because the bristles in the root area are too close together. These negative effects are exacerbated by the fact that in many brush constructions the bristle carrier is provided with recesses in which the bristle bundles are inserted. In these very small cross-section cavities the bacteria are deposited particularly easily, in the same way as dirt particles and the residues of application media which cannot be removed therefrom.
These disadvantageous effects are noted to a particular extent in toothbrushes, because in this case the aim is to insert bristles with the smallest possible diameters tightly within the bundle, and so that the capillaries and cavities are particularly narrow. Moreover, despite the use of high-grade plastics for the bristles, e.g. polyamides, moisture penetrates the bristle material, and on drying the moisture is not, or is only inadequately, given off. This leads to a change in the strength characteristics of the bristles. The bristles lose stiffness and therefore their recovery capacity, so that their cleaning action no longer corresponds to the original state.
The aforementioned disadvantages occur more particularly in the case of toothbrushes when the dentally recommended cleaning intervals of three times a day is followed, because the intermediate time is insufficient to permit a complete drying of the bristles, particularly in the area close to the carrier.
As a result of these hygienic problems, in the past joining methods from plastic technology were used in fixing the bristles to the bristle carrier, so as to in particular avoid cavities on said carrier in the vicinity of the bristle facing. These in particular include the welding of bristles and bristle carrier (EP 165 546) and the injection moulding of the bristles into the carrier (DE 1 532 809). In conjunction with the welding process (EP 165 546) it has already been proposed not to form the bristle facing from bundles, but also to provide individual, standing or upright bristles in a dense arrangement. The aim is in particular to make the bristle facing such that account is taken of the zonally differing, pronounced wear. This also permits an adaptation of the different areas of the bristle facing to different use functions (cleaning, massage, etc.).
These different use functions are also taken into account in another known construction (GB 2 035 076), in which in the median longitudinal area of the bristle carrier bristle bundles are provided, whereas on either side of said area there are rows of plastic pins having different configurations, the brush head also being curved in the direction of both axes. Therefore the bristles only act on the tooth parts, whereas the relatively soft plastic pins mainly exert a massaging action on the gingiva. Quite apart from the complicated manufacture of such a toothbrush, in the area of the bristle facing is the hygienic problem solved, and the toothbrush does not satisfy modern dental findings for effective cleaning of the teeth and not adequate massaging of the gums in that the brush cannot be guided from the gums to the teeth (red to white).
The aforementioned hygienic problems are supposedly removed in another known construction (EP 60 592), in that the bristle facing comprises, instead of bundles, individual bristles, which are connected to the carrier and also to one another by thermal processes, particularly by laser technology. The bristles are free at their carrier-side end, in that the bristle carrier has a large recess corresponding to the bristle facing contour and the bristles are inserted in said recess in such a way that they are exposed on the back of the carrier. The bristles are only interconnected in the vicinity of said recess and only in the area of their tangent lateral surfaces. This is intended to ensure that through capillaries remain between the bristles, which allegedly make it possible to suck off bacteria and plaque residues. How this takes place and which physical forces are to be used are not disclosed in this document. However, what is decisive is that the bristles must engage on one another at the lateral surfaces, so as to be interconnectable at said surfaces. However, this ultimately means that the same narrow bristle pack exists as in a bundle, because also there the bristles only engage linearly on one another at the lateral surfaces. Thus, the same capillaries form as in the case of a bristle bundle. In addition, it is possible for bacteria to be deposited and grow not just on one side, but on both sides of the bristle carrier.


There is provided a bracket for securing a side airbag for an automotive vehicle. The bracket includes a bracket which connects a connection strap, connected to the side airbag, to a pillar of the vehicle, and wherein the bracket includes: an installation aperture to be secured to the pillar; and a fixing bracket aperture through which the connection strap connected to the side airbag passes, and wherein the fixing bracket aperture includes: a fixing bracket central aperture through which the connection strap passes; and extension apertures formed at both ends of the fixing bracket central aperture and each having a greater width than that of the fixing bracket central aperture.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a bracket for securing a side airbag for an automotive vehicle and, more particularly, to a bracket for securing a side airbag for an automotive vehicle, which easily secures the side airbag and is prevented from being broken or deformed when it is fastened by a bolt.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In addition to a safety belt, generally, an airbag module installed in an automotive vehicle is a device for maximally protecting an occupant against injury when the automotive vehicle crashes.
An airbag module is typically installed in or around a steering wheel of a driver seat and in an instrument panel of a passenger seat. When an automotive vehicle crashes, the airbag module is operatively connected to a safety belt by a crash sensing sensor and an electronic control unit (hereinafter, referred to as "ECU"), and it maximally protects an occupant against injury.
That is, when an automotive vehicle crashes, the crash sensing sensor outputs a crash sensing signal to the ECU. The ECU determines whether to operate an airbag, depending on the intensity of the crash. If the airbag needs to be operated, the ECU operates an inflator to inflate the airbag.
In recent years, an airbag module has been installed at a side in an automotive vehicle, to protect an occupant upon a side impact crash.
The airbag module installed at the side of an automotive vehicle is generally called a 'side airbag.'
The side airbag is installed in an A-pillar which is connected from the front passenger seat to the back seat. When side impact is applied, the side airbag is inflated by the operation of the inflator.
In this application, a side airbag is used for an automotive vehicle, which prevents excessive inflation pressure from being applied to a lower end part of the side airbag to be deployed when the vehicle encounters a side crash, and balances the inflation pressure by an injected gas in a thorax bag and a head bag to reduce shaking when the side airbag is inflated and improves the work efficiency upon manufacture.
The constitution of a side airbag will be described, in brief, with reference to FIG. 1A. The side airbag comprises: a thorax bag 12 and a head bag 11 to be deployed upon a side crash. The thorax bag 12 comprises a mounting part 14 and a lower end part 16. The mounting part 14 has a neck shape at a rear side of the thorax bag 12. The lower end part 16 is formed at a distance from the mounting part 14.
An upper part and a lower part of the side airbag are formed symmetrically, based on the center of the mounting part 14. A tether 13 is positioned between the thorax bag 12 and the head bag 11. A vent aperture is formed in the side airbag at a distance from the mounting part 14. A pulling plate 15 is symmetrical with the thorax bag 12, and the thorax bag 12 is extended from the head bag 11.
The aforementioned side airbag is installed by fastening a bolt to the A-pillar of the automotive vehicle. To install the side airbag onto the A-pillar, additional securing devices are needed.
That is, a number of brackets, each having a securing aperture into which a bolt is inserted, are positioned at predetermined positions of the side airbag and are secured by fastening bolts.
An example of a conventional securing device of the aforementioned side airbag will be described with reference to FIG. 1B. A bracket 3a with a welding bolt 2a is welded at one side of a back part frame 1a. A back part 7a with a pad 5a covered by a cover 6a is positioned at one side of an installation space 4a of the side airbag.
The end of the cover 6a is inserted into the airbag installation space 4a. Therefore, one side of each of the airbag housing 8a and the airbag door 9a is positioned inside a support wire 10a, and the other side of each of the airbag housing 8a and the airbag door 9a is fixed to the welding bolt 2a of the bracket 3a.
However, since the conventional bracket for securing the side airbag is usually made of plastics, the bracket is broken or deformed while the bolt is fastened and therefore, the bracket cannot perform its function. Moreover, since this problem makes it impossible for the side airbag to be normally operated, an occupant is fatally injured.
Another conventional side airbag 30 comprises: an airbag which is installed inside a headlining of a roof side panel; an inflator which is installed at one side of the airbag and which has a gas generating material to deploy the airbag upon a side crash; and a guide member with one side end which is connected to the airbag and the other side end which is positioned to pivot around the roof side panel.
The constitution of the aforementioned side airbag 30 will be described, in detail, with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.
As described in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a headlining 21 is composed of plastics which are attached to the ceiling inside an automotive vehicle. Basic materials of the headlining 21 are the surface and pad with the functions, such as insulation from the roof, insulation of sound, or absorption of sound inside the vehicle and the like. The headlining 21 is formed integrally with these surface and pad.
As a device to perform an operation of deploying the side airbag 30, an inflator 40 rapidly burns a gas generating material including an element of sodium nitrite, and the like, by using an igniter and simultaneously generates nitrogen gas. The inflator 40 is secured to a roof side panel 25 by a separate bracket 41.
A strap 31 (hereinafter, referred to as "connection strap") is positioned at the other side of the inflator 40. The strap 31 prevents one side of the side airbag 30 from waving when the airbag 30 is deployed by the inflator. This is illustrated in FIG. 2B.
However, since the conventional side airbag has no specific structure to hold the connection strap, it is troublesome to assemble the side airbag in the A-pillar due to the interference between the A-pillar and the connection strap.
That is, an operator in a manufacturing site needs to check whether there is the interference with the connection strap when assembling the side airbag in the A-pillar. When the interference occurs, a process of avoiding the interference is added. As a result, a working time becomes longer and the assembling efficiency is deteriorated.
Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3A, a conventional bracket 50 for securing a side airbag has a shape in which a connection strap 52 is connected to a simply long rectangular aperture 51. Therefore, the bracket 50 is not properly connected to the connection strap 52.
That is, since the connection strap 52 is movable in the bracket 50, the connection strap 52 turns within the rectangular aperture 51 of the bracket 50, as illustrated in FIG. 3B.
Therefore, when the side airbag is mounted in an automotive vehicle, there are added a process of checking whether a state of the bracket is good or bad and, if the connection strap 52 turns, a process of returning the connection strap 52 to its original position. Consequently, the work becomes troublesome.
Moreover, the bracket 50 is pulled towards the side airbag due to momentary gas explosive power which is generated while the side airbag is operated upon an accident. In this case, the connection strap 52 inclines towards a lower part of the rectangular aperture 51 as illustrated in FIG. 3C. Consequently, the side airbag is not stably secured.
Moreover, when a connection strap 52 is cut by the friction caused during the accident, the side airbag is not inflated in a normal direction, upon the side crash.
Another conventional side airbag 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the side airbag 60 comprises: a side airbag cushion 61, an inflator 62 supplying a gas to the side airbag cushion 61, a housing receiving the inflator 62, and a diffuser 64 included in the side airbag 60 and supplying a gas, which is generated from the inflator 62, to the side airbag cushion 61.
The inflator 62 is electrically connected to a control unit (not shown). The control unit is connected to a crash sensing sensor (not shown) in an automotive vehicle.
The side airbag cushion 61 is formed, at predetermined width and length, to sufficiently protect a head part of an occupant of the automotive vehicle. A tether 65 is provided in one part of an end of the side airbag cushion 61. The tether 65 guides the side airbag 60 to be broadly inflated lengthwise or widthwise when the side airbag 60 is deployed.
The diffuser 64 has a tube shape. A number of apertures (not shown) are formed, to be positioned lengthwise, on an outer circumference surface of the diffuser 64. While the diffuser 64 is received inside an upper end part of the side airbag 60, one end of the diffuser 64 is connected to the housing 63 receiving the inflator 62.
When the diffuser 64 and the housing 63 are connected to each other, a holder 66 fastens a part of the side airbag 60 which covers the connection part of the diffuser 64 and the housing 63, to be sealed.
A number of holders 67 are connected to the upper end of the side airbag 60, at a predetermined interval. The holders 67 secure the side airbag cushion 61 to a roof rail. The holders 67 cover an external surface of a side airbag housing 68 and temporarily hold the side airbag housing 68. The side airbag housing 68 covers the side airbag cushion 61 which is folded.
However, in the conventional side airbag 60, the holders 67 securing the side airbag 60 are formed of a single material. When the holders 67 are made of a soft material, an additional component is needed to prevent the holders 67 from being broken when the side airbag 60 is secured to the automotive vehicle by fastening a bolt. When the holders are made of a hard material to prevent the holders from being broken, there is a difficulty in cutting a cutting part when the side airbag 60 is deployed.
Further, in the aforementioned conventional side airbag 60, a space of each holder 67 is narrow and a shape of the holder 67 is gradually narrower downwardly. Therefore, since a region for supporting the side airbag 60 is narrow, many holders 67 are needed. This results in a longer working time in the manufacturing site.
That is, when the conventional side airbag 60 is mounted, since the additional components are needed and a number of holders 67 are installed, the assembling efficiency is lowered and the operability is not consistently provided by the defect of assembly.

Bracket for securing side airbag for automotive vehicle


Progressively scanned specific frames that exist for every predetermined period in a moving picture signal is encoded by infra-frame processing or by uni-directional prediction using other encoded specific frames and by orthogonal transform at the 2n-th (n being an integer) order in the vertical direction, to produce a first bit stream. Frames or fields of the moving picture signal other than the specific frames are predicted by using a preceding reference frame and/or an upcoming reference frame, to produce a predictive error signal for each field. The predictive error signal is encoded by orthogonal transform at the 21-th order in the vertical direction to produce a second bit stream. The first and second bit streams are alternatively stored in a storage medium. Specific frames that exist for every predetermined period in bit streams are decoded by inverse orthogonal transform at the 2n-th order in the vertical direction and by infra-frame processing or by uni-directional prediction using other encoded specific frames, to reproduce a moving picture signal for each progressively scanned frame. A predictive error signal of frames or fields of the bit streams other than the specific frames is decoded by inverse orthogonal transform at the 2nxe2x88x921-th order in the vertical direction. The frames or fields of the moving picture signal other than the specific frames are predicted by using a preceding reference frame and/or an upcoming reference frame, to reproduce a moving picture signal.

The present invention relates to highly efficient encoding of analog video signals to digital data carrying a less amount of data for effident data transfer, storage and displaying. More specifically, this invention relates to encoding of interlaced moving picture signals with bidirectional inter-picture prediction.
Highly efficient encoding of moving pictures with inter-picture prediction includes the following three methods:
(1) Encoding independently a specific frame among xe2x80x9cmxe2x80x9d frames (m being an integer of two or more) entirely without reference to the other frames;
(2) Encoding frames by uni-directional prediction using a preceding specific frame; and
(3) Encoding frames by bidirectional prediction using preceding and upcoming specific frames.
These encoding method are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,965 published on Jun. 13, 1995.
Pictures, or frames to be subjected to this encoding method are of three different picture types, that is, I frames (intra-coded frames), P frames (predictive-coded frames) and B frames (bidirectionally predictive-coded frames). Locally decoded I and P frames are used for interframe prediction, however, B frames are never used as reference frames for prediction.
Interlaced signals are composed of even fields and odd fields. The even and odd fields are displaced from each other by {fraction (1/60)} sec., or by one scanning line.
MPEG-2 standards, for example, employs a method of encoding for each field by using a plurality of fields as reference fields or a method, a combination of major encoding for each frame and subsidiary encoding for each field. The picture types (I, P and B) in MPEG-2 standards are always decided for each frame. This means that, even in encoding for each field, I and P fields are decided by means of two successive fields.
In any method described above for encoding interlaced signals, prediction is carried out for each field whenever displacement occurs between fields due to the movement of picture. Pictures composed of fields and carried by interlaced signals include many aliasing components. Effective inter-picture prediction thus cannot be carried out. In detail, inter-picture prediction produces relatively many predictive errors even if an object in a picture is just displaced right or left without vertical movement.
A purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method of encoding/decoding moving picture signals that achieve effective inter-picture prediction and discrete cosign transform, and also a storage medium that stores the encoded moving picture signals.
The present invention provides an apparatus for efficiently encoding a moving picture signal. The encoding apparatus includes a first encoder, a predictor and a second encoder. The first encoder encodes progressively scanned specific frames that exist for every predetermined period in a moving picture signal to be encoded by infra-frame processing or by uni-directional prediction using other encoded specific frames and by orthogonal transform at the 2n-th (n being an integer) order in a vertical direction. The predictor predicts frames or fields of the moving picture signal other than the specific frames by using a preceding reference frame and/or an upcoming reference frame, thus producing a predictive error signal for each field. And, the second encoder encodes the predictive error signal for each field by orthogonal transform at the 2nxe2x88x921-th order in the vertical direction.
Furthermore, the present invention provides an apparatus for efficiently decoding a moving picture signal. The decoding apparatus includes a first decoder, a second decoder and a predictor. The first decoder decodes specific frames that exist for every predetermined period in a moving picture bit stream to be decoded by inverse orthogonal transform at the 2n-th (n being an integer) order in a vertical direction and by infra-frame processing or by uni-directional prediction using other encoded specific frames, thus reproducing a moving picture signal for each progressively scanned frame. The second decoder decodes a predictive error signal of frames or fields of the moving picture bit stream other than the specific frames by inverse orthogonal transform at the 2nxe2x88x921-th order in the vertical direction. And, the predictor predicts the frames or fields of the moving picture signal other than the specific frames by using a preceding reference frame and/or an upcoming reference frame, thus reproducing a moving picture signal.
Moreover, the present invention provides a method of efficiently encoding a moving picture signal. Progressively scanned frames that exist for every predetermined period in a moving picture signal are encoded by infra-frame processing or by uni-directional prediction using other encoded specific frames and by orthogonal transform at the 2n-th (n being an integer) order in a vertical direction. Frames or fields of the moving picture signal other than the specific frames are predicted by using a preceding reference frame and/or an upcoming reference frame, thus producing a predictive signal for each field. And, the predictive signal for each field is encoded by orthogonal transform at the 2nxe2x88x921-th order in the vertical direction.
The present invention further provides a method of efficiently decoding a moving picture signal. Specific frames that exist for every predetermined period in a moving picture bit stream are decoded by inverse orthogonal transform at the 2n-th (n being an integer) order in a vertical direction and by infra-frame processing or by uni-directional prediction using other encoded specific frames, thus reproducing a moving picture signal for each progressively scanned frame. A predictive error signal of frames or fields of the moving picture bit stream is decoded other than the specific frames by inverse orthogonal transform at the 2nxe2x88x921-th order in the vertical direction. And, the frames or fields of the moving picture signal are predicted other than the specific frames by using a preceding reference frame and/or an upcoming reference frame, thus reproducing a moving picture signal.
The present invention also provides a storage medium storing efficiently encoded moving picture bit stream. Alternatively stored in the storage medium are a first bit stream and a second bit stream. The first bit stream has been produced by encoding progressively scanned specific frames that exist for every predetermined period in a moving picture signal to be encoded by infra-frame processing or by uni-directional prediction using other encoded specific frames and by orthogonal transform at the 2n-th (n being an integer) order in a vertical direction. And, the second stream has been produced by predicting frames or fields of the moving picture signal other than the specific frames by using a preceding reference frame and/or an upcoming reference frame, thus producing a predictive error signal for each field and encoding the predictive error signal for each field by orthogonal transform at the 2nxe2x88x921-th order in the vertical direction.

Apparatus and method of encoding/decoding moving picture using second encoder/decoder to transform predictive error signal for each field


According to the present invention, an oxide film with the film quality almost equivalent to that of the thermal oxide can be formed by the low-temperature treatment. After removing an insulator on the active region of the substrate which constitutes a semiconductor wafer, an insulator made of, for example, silicon oxide is deposited on the main surface of the semiconductor wafer by the low pressure CVD method. This insulator is a film to form a gate insulator of MISFET in a later step. Subsequently, a plasma treatment is performed in an atmosphere containing oxygen (oxygen plasma treatment) to the insulator in the manner as schematically shown by the arrows. By so doing, the film quality of the insulator formed by the CVD method can be improved to the extent almost equivalent to that of the insulator formed of the thermal oxide.

The present invention relates to a technique for fabricating a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to a technique effectively applied to a method for forming an insulator, which constitutes the semiconductor device.
Some semiconductor devices include a MISFET (Metal Insulator Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) in which two or more gate insulators different in thickness are formed on the same semiconductor substrate. In general, the MISFET with a relatively thick gate insulator is used as a high breakdown voltage MISFET to which a relatively high voltage is applied.
In a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory or the like, data is recorded by storing electric charges in an isolated electrode (floating electrode) during the operation of the data writing and deleting. Therefore, high voltage of, for example, about 20 to 26 V is necessary to introduce the electric charges into the floating electrode. For this reason, the gate insulator around the MISFET, to which the high voltage is applied, is required to have the thickness capable of withstanding the application of the above high voltage, for example, a thickness of about 20 to 30 nm.
Note that the technique for forming the gate insulator by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method has been described in the gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-177047 which was filed on Jul. 2, 1999 by the present applicant. Additionally, the technique described below and examined by the inventors discloses that, by exposing an insulator formed by the CVD method to atomic oxygen (O*) at 400° C., the etching rate of the insulator in a hydrofluoric acid solution can be made equal to that of a thermal oxide.
The above-mentioned technique is shown in: pp. 42 to 51 (particularly, see FIG. 74 on page 49) in the papers of UCS closing memorial symposium titled "toward the new century led by semiconductor" held on Sep. 24 (Sun) and 25 (Mon), 2000 at Hotel East 21 Tokyo hosted by USC (Ultra Clean Society) Semiconductor Substrate Technology laboratory.

Method for fabricating semiconductor devices


A frequency of a first VCO (12) for generating a carrier of a video IF signal is set by using a frequency of a second VCO (15) as reference. The oscillation frequency of the second VCO (15) is controlled in response to the phase difference between an output signal of the first VCO (12) and the video IF signal. As a result, the output signal phase of the first VCO (12) is adjusted, and the output signal is locked to a carrier frequency of the video IF signal. Thus, the oscillation frequency of the first VCO (12) can be set automatically. Further, a signal for the phase difference between the output signal of the first VCO (12) and the video IF signal is also applied to the first VCO (12), thereby improving the stability of circuit operation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a PLL (phase locked loop) circuit which can be used with a synchronous detector circuit for detecting video signals in a television and more particularly to a PLL detector circuit which eliminates the need for adjustments to a resonator of a VCO (voltage controlled oscillator).
2. Description of the Related Art
Synchronous detection technology is indispensable to the communication and television fields. A PLL circuit is used to obtain continuous oscillation output synchronized with the frequency and phase of an input signal.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional PLL circuit, wherein a phase comparator 101 consists of a multiplier and outputs a signal for the difference between two input signals. A loop filter 102 consists of a low pass filter and smooths the signal for the difference input from the phase comparator 101. A VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) 103 contains an LC oscillator, etc., for changing the oscillation frequency in response to the signal input from the loop filter 102. An input signal and a signal from the VCO 103 are input to the phase comparator 101. Thus, the PLL circuit operates so as to reduce the difference between the two signals input to the phase comparator 101; the output signal of the VCO 103 is synchronized with the input signal at the same frequency, and thus can be used for synchronous detection, etc.
FIG. 2 shows the characteristics of the PLL circuit, wherein the horizontal axis shows frequencies and the vertical axis shows output of the loop filter 102. Assume that f0 is a free running frequency of the VCO. The free running frequency refers to a frequency at which the VCO freely oscillates without being locked. Consider an input frequency that will be raised from the lower stage. First, the VCO 103 starts at a state in which it is not locked to input. At the f2 point, the loop enters a lock state. When the frequency is further raised, the loop is unlocked at the f4 point. Likewise, when the frequency is lowered from the upper stage, the loop enters a lock state at f3, then is unlocked at fl. The range between the lower and upper limits of frequencies, f2 and f3, where the loop not locked enters a lock state is referred to as a pull-in range. The range between the lower and upper limits of frequencies, fl and f4, where the loop locked is unlocked is referred to as a hold range. Normally, these ranges are symmetrical with the free running frequency f0 as the shared center point of the two ranges.
Next, consider a phase error between input and VCO output in a stationary state. When the input signal frequency equals the free running frequency of the VCO, the phase error is zero. However, if the free running frequency shifts, the phase comparator supplies a voltage, thus a finite stationary phase error occurs. Assuming that AF is the free running frequency shift, that Kd is the phase comparator gain, and that Ko is the VCO control sensitivity, the stationary phase error .DELTA..theta. is represented by the following expression: EQU .DELTA..theta.=.DELTA.F/(Kd.multidot.Ko) (1)
When the PLL circuit is used to make a synchronous detector for AM signal demodulation, the characteristics of detection output distortion, etc., deteriorate in proportion to the stationary phase error. Normally, LC tank circuits with large variations are often used to make VCOs. Therefore, in such systems, an adjustment is essential to minimize the VCO free running shift.
On the other hand, an LC resonator consisting of a coil and capacitor is often used as a VCO oscillator. However, since the LC resonator is low in Q (quality factor), oscillation frequency adjustment is required.
LC resonators must be adjusted one at a time on a manufacturing line of a factory and this adjustment step is cumbersome. The above-mentioned Q needs to be raised to accurately determine the center frequency; if it is raised, the pull-in range of the PLL circuit is narrowed, resulting in poor resistance to external noise. This is the only place in the PLL detector circuit block where an adjustment is necessary at present. A solution to this problem is desired.


A limb support apparatus and corresponding methods for making same are disclosed. The limb support can comprise a shell for supporting a patient's limb during treatment, examination, and/or recovery. The shell can comprise at least one padding configured to protect the patient's limb. The padding can be secured to the shell using one or more mounting structures included in the padding. The mounting structures are configured such that they are received by corresponding mounting openings and/or features in the shell. An interference fit between the mounting structures and mounting openings/features secures the padding against the shell, thereby preventing the padding from inadvertently moving or sliding on the shell. Embodiments disclosed herein eliminate the need for traditionally used fasteners that are often difficult to clean and sterilize, thereby improving the quality of patient care and facilitating cleaning of patient and/or operating rooms.

During most surgical operations, nurses and surgical and support staff are often responsible for tending to the general health and safety of a patient. For example, nurses and surgical staff often tend to patients while they are under anesthesia and/or while they are recovering after a surgical procedure. In doing so, nurses and surgical staff often consider a variety of factors to ensure a patient's safety. For example, in addition to considering factors for mitigating possible risks associated with the surgical procedure at hand, nurses and hospital staff must also ensure that the patient's possibly unconscious body is also protected from possible physical injuries that may be caused by unwanted movement of the patient's body (e.g., unconscious movements and repositioning of the patient while under anesthesia or sleeping).
To date, various approaches have been developed to standardize the measures used to protect patients, including usage of padding on the surfaces that come in contact with the patient. Since a patient's natural defenses can be inhibited due to anesthesia, normal responses to discomfort or pressure points, which would normally occur if the patient were merely asleep, cannot be relied upon to prevent injury. As such, padding of the surfaces with which the patient's body may come in contact is often used to reduce and mitigate injury to the patient.
For example, the operating table surface in some operating rooms can include a thick pad cover that has been secured to the operating table in order to protect the patient from surface pressure. Supportive devices such as lithotomy stirrups (e.g., used to hold the legs up and apart during surgeries in which the patient is on his/her back or a supine position) can also be padded to mitigate unwanted pressure. Such lithotomy stirrup pads are often held in place using "hook and loop" fastening systems, such as VELCRO® brand fasteners.
Operating rooms can also contain surface and/or airborne contaminates (e.g., bacteria or viruses), which can put patients at the risk of contracting an infection. In fact, infections due to surface or airborne contaminants, such as bacteria or viruses, are among other risks that patients in hospitals and operating rooms can face. For this reason, operating rooms are often cleaned between each procedure, including the padding and other patient contact surfaces. Generally, any impediment to proper cleaning can put the patients' health and desired recovery at risk.
Although operating rooms, paddings, and other patient surfaces are usually cleaned and disinfected between surgical procedures, any impediment to proper cleaning can put the patients' health and desired recovery at risk. For example, many fastening systems (e.g., traditional hook and loop style fastening systems) used in common lithotomy stirrups are often very difficult to clean. Specifically, traditional hook and loop fasteners can have many cervices, which can in turn render surface cleaning impossible. The loop portion of these fasteners can also be very difficult to surface clean due to its tendency for retaining fluids.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for securing a patient's limb


Device for supplying evaporated gas from a storage tank to a consumer at varying pressure and mass flow requirements, having: a high-pressure pump for the liquefied gas, the speed of which determines the mass flow of the pumped liquefied gas; an evaporator for the liquefied gas; a pressure-regulating valve for the evaporated gas, the outlet of which is connected to the consumer; a first regulator, the measured variable of which is the pressure of the evaporated gas and the manipulated variable of which acts on the pressure-regulating valve; a second regulator, the measured variable of which is the pressure of the gas and the manipulated variable of which acts on a rotational speed controller for the high-pressure pump; and means for combining the manipulated variable of the two regulators in such a manner that the manipulated variable of the first regulator additionally acts on the rotational speed controller.

Typical consumers for which the invention is relevant include diesel engines for marine propulsion systems or smaller, electricity-producing power plants which selectively are operated with gas, namely such that with every working cycle a certain amount of gas under high pressure is introduced into the cylinder in addition to the diesel oil, the so-called pilot oil. The gas demand of these engines possibly changes quickly. The requested pressure is dependent on the respective power of the engine and for LNG typically lies between 150 and 300 bar. The changes in terms of pressure and mass flow are particularly pronounced and abrupt when in a group of consumers, e.g. in a power plant group, one consumer or engine suddenly fails completely, e.g. due to an emergency shut-off. The apparatus which supplies such consumers with gas must be able to comply with such changes.
An approach for the solution of this problem consists in that a large amount of evaporated, i.e. gaseous gas under high pressure oriented towards the maximum pressure of the consumer constantly is provided, in order to be able to compensate the fluctuations in consumption.
However, this procedure is very expensive in terms of safety, because a larger amount of gas which is under high pressure is dangerous on principle.
Another approach consists in that the gas is pressurized by means of a pump when it still is in the liquid state, an excess thereof, based on the actually required mass flow, is withdrawn from the storage tank, and the partial quantity not required again is recirculated into the storage tank. Since the liquid gas also heats up due to the increase in pressure, heat constantly is introduced into the store of cryogenic liquefied gas with the consequence that the undesired formation of boil-off gas in the storage tank is increased. Due to the related increase in pressure in the storage tank, which is not designed for high pressure, this represents a problematic source of danger in particular on board a ship.
If one renounces the provision of buffer quantities of gas, which is under pressure, and attempts to satisfy the requirements of the consumer in terms of pressure and mass flow of the supplied gas alone with the usual means of control, one quickly is faced with limits. The control either is too slow to be able to reproduce a short-term pressure increase or pressure drop taking place within few seconds, or it tends to uncontrolled feedback oscillations of the gas pressure.


A bulb comprises an airtight envelope having a filling gas therein. A conductive wire extends outwardly from the airtight envelope. A conductive pipe pin has the conductive wire passed therethrough, a predetermined welding portion, and a welded portion including a smooth surface. An outer diameter of the welded portion is no greater than the outer diameter of the pin. The welded portion may be formed in the pipe pin by the fluid of the melted conductive wire and predetermined welding portion flowing into the pipe pin and hardening.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a bulb having a pipe pin and a conductive wire, and a method for welding the pipe pin and the conductive wire thereof.
2. General Background and Related Art
A method for connecting a conductive wire to a pipe pin of a fluorescent lamp is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application SHO 60-39786. Namely, the conductive wire is passed through the pipe pin. A projecting portion of the wire from a tip of the pin is cut off, leaving a predetermined length of wire projecting through the pipe pin. The predetermined portion is pushed back to the tip of the pipe pin. The pin with the conductive wire is punched at one side thereof together.
Using this method does not always result in a rigid joining of the wire and the pin. Accordingly, to better assure good joining by this method, it is necessary to use, in conjunction with the method a punching level detecting device measuring an extent of press. Such a device is described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application SHO 61-51728. Occasionally, after being punched, the tip of the wire projects from the tip of the pipe pin. The projecting portion sometimes accidentally injures a user, such as, for example, when the lamp is being changed.
Another method for arc-welding a pipe pin and a conductive wire is described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application SHO 60-20427. The disclosed method somewhat simplifies the processes, and prevents the tip of the wire from projecting from the tip of the pin. This method utilizes a forming process to bend the projecting tip of the wire toward one side of the pin. Though the bending portion is still welded with the pipe pin, the tip of the bending portion occasionally appears on the welding region. Accordingly, the welded pin can not be inserted in a socket. Moreover, as the bending portion is primarily welded, both the bending wire and pin can not be sufficiently connected. Furthermore, if the pin includes zinc, the zinc evaporates due to the heat of welding. Accordingly, zinc vapor sticks to an outer surface of the pin, so that the pin becomes unclean.
One aspect of the claimed inventions is directed to an improved arrangement for connecting a conductive wire and a pipe pin of a bulb construction. Another aspect of the claimed inventions focuses on an improved method of welding a pipe pin and a conductive wire which provides a simpler way of welding and a more effective resulting weld.
Another aspect of the claimed invention is directed to the bulb construction itself. The bulb comprises an airtight envelope having a filling gas therein. A conductive wire extends outwardly from the airtight envelope. This conductive wire is passed through a conductive pipe pin. A predetermined welding portion of the wire extends from the bottom of the pipe pin. A weld at this welding portion produces a smooth surface. An outer diameter of the welded portion, which is formed from melting a portion of both the predetermined welding portion and the conductive wire, is no greater than the outer diameter of the pin.
Still another aspect of the claimed invention is directed to the bulb construction itself. The bulb comprises an airtight envelope having a filling gas therein. A conductive wire extends outwardly from the airtight envelope. A conductive pipe pin has the conductive wire passed therethrough, a predetermined welding portion, and a welded portion including a smooth surface. The welded portion is formed in the pipe pin by the fluid of the melted conductive wire and predetermined welding portion flowing into the pipe pin and hardening.
Some of the claimed inventions feature a method for welding a pipe pin and a conductive wire of a bulb. The method is generally described as follows:
outwardly extending the conductive wire from an airtight envelope having a bulb base;
arranging the pin including the predetermined welding portion, to the bulb base, the pin having an outer diameter that is less than that of a pin base;
passing the conductive wire through the pipe pin with a tip of the conductive wire projecting from tip of the pin;
cutting off the tip of the conductive wire, leaving a predetermined length; and
welding the pin and the conductive wire in order to form a welded portion having a smooth surface at the tip portion of the pin.
These and other aspects of the invention will be further described in the following drawings and detailed description of the invention.

Bulb and a method for welding a pipe and a conductive wire thereof

Toshiba Lighting and Technology Corporation


Scripting Language based applications can be limited in their ability to supply and execute sophisticated logic and complex processing. More traditional programming languages contain explicit function and/or procedure calls to implement more complex functionality, however, these languages use more complicated syntax and traditionally require mosophisticated programming knowledge to use. There are provided systems and methods for extending the capabilities of an application program for execution by a terminal. The application includes a script based workflow and non-executable content. One such method comprises loading the workflow for interpretation by a script interpreter, such that the workflow is configured for having a plurality of executable elements. This method also provides a global symbol structure for reference by the executable elements, the global symbol structure including addressing for coupling selected ones of the executable elements to corresponding external components. The external components are provided by a native runtime environment of the terminal for performing the action specified by the selected executable elements. This method also executes the executable elements in sequence such that execution of the selected ones of the execution elements are redirected to the respective external components through the corresponding global symbols of the global symbol structure. Predefined knowledge of the contents of the global symbol structure is shared by the runtime environment and the workflow of the application.

The present application relates to the execution of script based application programs.
There is a continually increasing number of terminal devices in use today, such as mobile telephones, PDAs with wireless communication capabilities, personal computers, self service kiosks and two-way pagers. Software applications which run on these devices increase their utility. For example, a mobile phone may include an application which retrieves the weather for a range of cities, or a PDA may include an application that allows a user to shop for groceries. These software applications take advantage of connectivity to a network in order to provide timely and useful services to users. However, due to the restricted resources of some devices, developing software applications for a variety of devices remains a difficult and time-consuming task.
Scripting Language based applications can be limited in their ability to supply and execute sophisticated logic and complex processing. More traditional programming languages contain explicit function and/or procedure calls to implement more complex functionality, however, these languages use more complicated syntax and traditionally require more sophisticated programming knowledge to use.
A further disadvantage of traditional programming languages in that they are not completely neutral to the platform used for executing the applications. Another disadvantage of current scripting languages, such as JavaScript, and traditionally programming languages, such as C++, is that the programming capabilities of the languages are not extensible.
Extendable script based systems and methods are disclosed to obviate or mitigate at least some of the above-presented disadvantages.

System and method for extending capabilities and execution efficiency of script based applications


The present invention provides an isolated cell composition, which in some embodiments is suitable for adoptive immunotherapy, as well as methods of manufacturing the cell compositions and methods of treatment with the cell compositions. The composition comprises, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, at least about 106 CD8+ T cells specific for target peptide antigen(s), which comprises T memory stem (TSCM) cells. In various embodiments, the composition is from about 1% to about 100% T memory stem cells, providing for a robust and durable adoptive therapy, as well as providing for T cell engineering advances.

Immunotherapy has become a cornerstone in cancer therapy that includes a broad array of strategies aiming to unleash, direct, and boost the patient's own immune system through adoptive transfer of expanded naturally circulating or genetically engineered cytotoxic lymphocytes. Despite recent advances in the field, current adoptive immunotherapies encounter several challenges. For example, many adoptive immunotherapies cannot generate a sufficient level of engineered cytotoxic lymphocytes of clinical or therapeutic value from peripheral blood, or have an inability to uniformly engineer effector cells, or cannot provide a sustained, long lasting therapeutic effect for the patient, resulting in tumor re-occurrence and other complications. Thus, there is a significant need for cell compositions that provide for more effective, durable, and safer adoptive immunotherapy options, including for patients suffering from leukemia or lymphoma (including acute or chronic leukemia), as well as other patients that could benefit from adoptive immunotherapy. In various aspects and embodiments, the present invention addresses these needs.

T cell compositions with improved phenotypic properties


A prestressing device extending about an axis between a first plane and a second plane, the first plane being located at a predetermined distance from the second plane, each plane being perpendicular to the axis. The device includes at least three deformation areas. The deformation areas extend in the first plane. The device further includes, between each deformation area, a planar contact surface extending in the second plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a prestressing device intended to ensure contact between rolling elements and their rolling track.
2. Description of the Related Art
It applies in particular to an impeller rotor, with no fairing, for a turbine engine. In these devices, a nut is provided for pressing one of the bearings against the rim of a collar. A locking washer is then provided between the bearing and the nut so as to fix this nut in rotation within the housing of the polygonal ring.
A prestressing device is then advantageously provided in order to permanently generate a stress between the pieces. Known prestressing devices include star-shaped springs known as Ringspann washers. Also known are washers with a shape similar to that of Belleville washers. These washers are conical so as to function as a spring and thus permanently stress the pieces in question.
It has been noted that there is a problem of the pieces wearing when the known prestressing devices are used and in particular in the context of mechanical assemblies which are subject to high vibration levels such as, for example, turbine engines.

Prestressing device having circumferential activity


Described herein are various aspects related to determining whether to read system information of a network entity. A user equipment (UE) can receive system information transmitted by a network entity. The UE can analyze one or more parameters of the system information to determine whether system information for the network entity has changed when a value tag broadcasted in the system information is equivalent to a stored value tag for the network entity; thus the UE can utilize more than just the value tag, such as system information size, system information scheduling, a value tag in master information, and/or the like, at least in instance where the value tag may be the same in different transmissions of the system information. The UE can process the system information for the network entity based at least in part on determining that the system information for the network entity has changed.

Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various telecommunication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, and broadcasts. Typical wireless communication systems may employ multiple-access technologies capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access technologies include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, single-carrier frequency divisional multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems, and time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) systems.
These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, and even global level. An example of an emerging telecommunication standard is Long Term Evolution (LTE). LTE is a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile standard promulgated by Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). It is designed to better support mobile broadband Internet access by improving spectral efficiency, lower costs, improve services, make use of new spectrum, and better integrate with other open standards using OFDMA on the downlink (DL), SC-FDMA on the uplink (UL), and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology. However, as the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, there exists a need for further improvements in LTE technology. Preferably, these improvements should be applicable to other multi-access technologies and the telecommunication standards that employ these technologies.
In some systems, the network uses system information to broadcast important information to all UEs in a cell (e.g., information used in requesting network access in the cell), which is typically signaled in system information blocks (SIB) and/or master information blocks (MIB) defined by the access technology. Information that is broadcast in a SIB can change, and a value tag in a SIB is used to indicate change of the SIB to a UE. In particular, a range of values can be used to indicate change of a SIB such that when a broadcasted value tag matches the tag stored in a UE, the UE need not read the broadcasted SIB and instead can use a stored SIB (e.g., or stored information from a prior SIB), which can allow for saving UE power, conserving radio resources, avoiding unnecessary delay in accessing a network, etc. In one specific implementation, in UMTS, SIB5 value tag can have values 1 to 4, which cycle as the SIB5 is modified in the cell. Thus, if a UE returning to the cell encounters a value other than that previously stored by the UE, the UE can receive, process, and store SIB5 from the cell.
It is possible, however, that the network implements certain features, such as dynamic activation/deactivation of high speed random access channel (HS-RACH) and/or high speed forward access channel (HS-FACH), which uses SIB5 modification to indicate the activation/deactivation depending on whether common enhanced data channel (E-DCH)/high speed dedicated shared channel (HS-DSCH) information is included or not. Thus, the SIB5 content can be toggled and/or changed frequently, and 4 value tags may not be sufficient to reliably indicate a change in SIB5. In particular, a UE may leave a cell, and that cell may completely cycle through value tags before the UE returns, in which case the UE may read the same value tag, and thus does not read SIB5 though SIB5 may have changed. This can result in the UE not being able to communicate with the cell.

Techniques for reading system information in wireless communications


A method for diffusion magnetic resonance imaging may be provided. The method may comprise steps of performing sampling on an object at N diffusion weighted directions to acquire undersampled but complementary k-space data, combining the complementary data from different directions to obtain a full sampled k-space data, performing initial reconstruction based on common information among images at the N diffusion weighted directions, and performing joint iterative regularized reconstruction to k-space data in all diffusion weighted directions based on the initial images to obtain the desired final images. Due to the utilization of common information at the N diffusion weighted directions, the acquisition efficiency may be enhanced and image resolution and SNR of acquired images may be improved accordingly.

Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in MRI can probe microstructure of the tissue. It not only provides structural but also functional information, thus it has tremendous potentials in application of the clinical and neuroimaging. However, at the current moment diffusion imaging uses single shot acquisition method to suppress motion artifacts, which inevitably has low spatial resolution, low signal to noise ratio (SNR) and image distortion artifacts. With the increasing demand in the clinical and neuroscience research, diffusion weighted images are expected to provide high resolution and high SNR. For traditional MRI, however, it is always a challenge to improve spatial resolution and SNR while keeping the scan time relatively short.
With the recent introduction of parallel imaging, the acquisition time can be reduced while image resolution can be improved. Parallel imaging makes full use of the distinct sensitivities of individual element of multiple-channel coils that allow one to sample k-space more sparsely and thus more quickly. The acceleration of k-space traveling along the phase encoding direction is controlled by the reduction factor, R, which is the ratio between the number of full phase-encoding lines and that of undersampling lines. However, parallel imaging scans come with a SNR penalty that is proportional to square root of R plus an extra geometry-related factor. For that restriction, R not larger than 2 is usually adopted in practice. Up to now, there are no reliable imaging and reconstruction methods established yet for preserving SNR while reducing acquisition time simultaneously.

Method for diffusion magnetic resonance imaging