A beverage preparation apparatus and method are provided, the apparatus including a brewing chamber, at least one pump configured to supply a diluent to the brewing chamber, two heaters configured to heat the diluent, at least one heater of the two heaters being a pipe heater, a controller configured to independently supply power to one or both of the heaters as a function of a flow rate and of a temperature of the diluent.

The teachings of the present application apply to dispensing machines for beverage preparation, wherein a diluent liquid, usually water, is heated and used to prepare the beverage using one or more ingredients. In the present application a diluent liquid can also perform an extraction task, as is known in the art.
The ingredients for beverage preparation are usually provided in a brewing chamber of the beverage preparation apparatus. An exemplary brewing chamber is a single use container, for example a capsule, that is initially inserted in the brewing machine and is eventually removed from it after the beverage has been dispensed. Another exemplary brewing chamber includes a cylinder and at least one piston; this type of brewing chambers is generally found in machines using ingredients stored in bulk or in loose form, such as food-service or so-called "Horeca" machines, vending machines or "fully automatic" bean-to-cup coffee machines for home use.
Preferably, the present invention is used in those machines that provide finished gourmet drinks, such as cappuccino, or regular coffee, hot soups, high-speed delivered teas, etc, wherein one or more diluent liquid can be for example added without passing through the brewing chamber. For instance when a cappuccino has to be prepared, a first diluent (hot water) is injected into the brewing chamber to extract the ingredient, i.e. coffee, and another diluent, i.e. milk, is added without passing inside the brewing chamber. In the following description, water will be used to refer also to diluents in general.
Water, or other diluent, passing through the brewing chamber is preferably pressurized to enhance extraction of the aromas and other compounds from the ingredients to form the beverage as well as to speed up the brewing process and provide less downtime to the user. Because the quality of the beverage largely depends from the extraction process, improvements to the extraction processes have been actively researched for many years, as they still are. However, such research has resulted in an increasing "specialization" of the extraction processes and/or of the hardware used for it; as an example, the engineering of capsules has reached a level in which the smallest details are patented. On the other side, technology of the standard brewing chamber (cylinder and piston) has not progressed so dramatically.
A further problem with known machines is that of energy saving. Known systems and procedures for energy savings act on the temperature of the water in the heating means of the apparatus when the apparatus is not dispensing a beverage. As a result, presently known techniques tend to increase the amount of time the user has to wait before the beverage is dispensed.
There is therefore the need to increase the overall quality of the finished beverage independently on the type of beverage and there is the need to obtain a dispensing unit that reduces the energy consumption, that ensures the correct dissolution in water of the dry extracts, or dilution of liquid concentrates, or the extraction of the soluble solids from the different ingredient foodstuffs utilised in the beverage preparation apparatus, and that in general provides improved quality to the beverage and an enhanced organoleptic experience to the consumer of the finished product in particular with respect to the quality of the prepared beverage.

Beverage preparation apparatus and method


A first computing device can include at least one processor, and a notification redirection module operable by the at least one processor to receive sensor data from a second computing device, responsive to determining, based on the sensor data, that the second computing device is not being worn, output and for display, a notification, and responsive to determining, based on the sensor data, that the second computing device is being worn, send to the second computing device, an indication of the notification.

Mobile computing devices allow a user to perform a variety of functions. For example, mobile computing devices may be capable of accessing the Internet, executing gaming applications, playing media, sending and receiving messages, as well as providing functionality of a traditional cellular telephone. In some examples, a user may wear such mobile computing devices (e.g., by attachment and/or coupling to the user's body and/or clothing). A host device may transmit, to the wearable device, at least an indication of a notification received so that the wearable computing device may output an alert based on the indication of the notification. However, in some instances, the user may not receive alerts output by the wearable computing device if the user removes the wearable computing device.

Selectively redirecting notifications to a wearable computing device


The invention provides methods and systems for summarizing multiple continuous update streams such that an approximate answer to a query over one or more of the continuous update streams (such as a Query requiring a join operation followed by a duplicate elimination step) may be rapidly provided. The systems and methods use multiple (parallel) Join Distinct (JD) Sketch data structures corresponding to hash buckets of at least one initial attribute.

Query-processing algorithms for conventional Database Management Systems (DBMS) typically rely on several passes over a collection of static data sets in order to produce an accurate answer to a user query. However, there is growing interest in algorithms for processing and querying continuous data streams (i.e., data that is seen only once in a fixed order) with limited memory resources. These streams in general comprise update operations (insertions, deletions and the like).
Providing even approximate answers to queries over continuous data streams is a requirement for many application environments; examples include large IP network installations where performance data from different parts of the network needs to be continuously collected and analyzed. A large network processes data traffic and provides measurements of network performance, network routing decisions and the like. Other application domains giving rise to continuous and massive update streams include retail-chain transaction processing (e.g., purchase and sale records), ATM and credit-card operations, logging Web-server usage records, and the like.
For example, assume that each of two routers within the network provides a respective update stream indicative of packet related data, router behavior data and the like. It may be desirable for the data streams from each of the two routers to be correlated. Traditionally, such streams are correlated using a JOIN operation, which is used to determine, for example, how many of the tuples associated with routers R1 and R2 have the same destination IP address (or some other inquiry). In the case of this JOIN query, the two data sets (i.e., those associated with R1 and R2) are joined and the size of the relevant joined set is determined (e.g., how many of the tuples have the same destination address).
The ability to estimate the number of distinct (sub)tuples in the result of a join operation correlating two data streams (i.e., the cardinality of a projection with duplicate elimination over a join) is an important goal. Unfortunately, existing query processing solutions are unable to provide sufficient responses to complex "Join-Distinct" estimation problems over data streams.

Method for distinct count estimation over joins of continuous update stream


A display device having a prolonged lifetime by preventing deterioration of image quality by reducing a burn-in is provided. A display device includes a still image region detecting unit for detecting still image data from video data, a detecting unit for detecting, as an edge portion, a pair of pixels having a level difference of image data larger than a set level difference, of a plurality of pair of adjacent pixels for the still image data, and a level adjusting unit for adjusting a level of the image data of a group of pixels including the edge portion and arranged consecutively and outputting the image data after the adjustment to a driving unit. The level adjusting unit adds/subtracts a random noise to/from the image data of the group of pixels.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a display device for displaying videos including both of moving images and still images.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been proposed methods for controlling display of display devices for clearly displaying moving images without detracting the lifetime of the display devices. An example of such a method is described in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 10-161629 (hereinafter, referred to as patent document 1). The patent document 1 discloses a cathode-ray tube (CRT) as a display device. Hereinafter, the display device disclosed in the patent document 1 is referred to as a CRT display device.
Conventionally, since a CRT display device for computer has very often displayed still images for a long time, long persistence fluorescent material has been used as fluorescent material for the CRT display device. The long persistence fluorescent material has a characteristic that faint fatigue of the fluorescent material does not remain even when the same position on the fluorescent material is irradiated with an electronic beam. In addition, the brightness of images in the CRT display device for computer is set to be low.
On the other hand, since a CRT display device for television has mainly displayed moving images, short persistence fluorescent material has been used as fluorescent material for the CRT display device for television. The short persistence fluorescent material has a characteristic that an effect of an irradiated beam can be suppressed to a minimum. In addition, since the CRT display device for television mainly displays the moving images, the brightness of images is set to be higher than that of the CRT display device for computer.
Recently, as moving images can be displayed on a CRT display device using a computer, a mixture of still images and moving images can be displayed on the CRT display device. However, a burn-in may occur when the mixture of still images and moving images is displayed on the CRT display device. The burn-in is referred to as a phenomenon that a particular portion of the CRT display device on which the still images are displayed (referred to as a still image region) is exhausted and vestiges of the exhaustion remains in the still image region. When the burn-in occurs, the lifetime of the CRT display device becomes shortened.
Accordingly, the patent document 1 discloses a display control method for controlling output of images for a display device for displaying still images and/or moving images (CRT display device). In this display control method, first, it is determined whether or not an image to be displayed has a still image region. Next, if only a moving image region is present in the image with no still image region, the image is instantly displayed in the display device, and, if both of the moving image region and the still image region are present in the image, after randomly adding black dots in the still image region, the image is displayed in the display device. It is described in the patent document 1 that this method can prevent the burn-in in the still image region.
However, The above-mentioned conventional technique has the following problem. When the moving image region and the still image region are present in the image, even if the black dots are randomly added in the still image region, it does not necessarily follow that the black dots are added in a region of the still image region in which the burn-in is apt to occur. On this account, there is little possibility of significant reduction of the burn-in. Accordingly, viewers may see images having quality deteriorated due to the burn-in in the display device.

Display device capable of reducing burn-in on display panel


A table feeder apparatus comprises a base, a feed screw rotatably supported on the base and a motor for rotating the feed screw about a feed axis. A feed nut is mounted on the feed screw and a block is mounted integrally with the feed nut. A table is disposed on the block for movement along the feed axis. In one aspect, a slide mechanism is disposed between the block and the table. The slide mechanism is slidable in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction transverse to the feed axis. During movement of the table, the slide mechanism slides to absorb a force applied to the feed nut, tending to displace the block and table in a direction transverse to the feed axis, to prevent the applied force from being transmitted to the table. In another aspect, the table is provided with an opening in which a table portion is removably fitted. Removal of the table portion facilitates maintenance of the slide mechanism without requiring the entire table feeder structure to be dismantled.

The present invention relates to a table feeder apparatus for reciprocating a table equipped in a machine tool. Conventionally, such a type of table feeder has a feed screw such as a ball screw, and a feed nut engaging with the feed screw. While the feed screw is rotated by a motor around its axis, the feed nut integrally mounts thereon a block, which is directly attached to the table. Further, respective guide rails are disposed on the left and right sides transversely of the feed screw for guiding the table in the axial direction of the feed screw. The table has a guide piece which is engaged slideably on a guide face of each guide rail. Such a type of table feeder is operated to reciprocate the table together with the feed nut and the block in the axial direction of the feed screw, by rotating the feed screw through the motor.
However, in the conventional table feeder apparatus, the table is directly attached to the block as noted above, and the table receives through the block a subsidiary force in response to angular deflection of the feed nut. The guide rail is deformed by such a deflective force so that the table suffers from deviation due to the angular deflection of the feed nut. This occurs in the case that a surface of the guide rail has a relatively low rigidity even though the guide rail surface is worked precisely to secure its straight shape as accurate as possible. Therefore, linearity of the displacement of the table (hereinafter, "displacement linearity") is degraded, thereby failing to reciprocate the table accurately.
Conventionally, in order to ensure the displacement linearity of the table, the guide rail is enlarged to increase rigidity of the guide surface. However, an overall dimension of a machine is limited to a practical size, hence the guide rail cannot be enlarged unusually over a certain limit. Therefore, particularly in the case of utilizing a long and thick feed screw in the conventional table feeder having a compact size table, the guide rail may be deformed by the deflective force so that the table tends to deviate in response to the angular deflection of the feed nut to thereby degrade the displacement linearity of the table, due to various structural factors such as excessive rigidity of the thick feed screw, bending of the long feed screw, small dimension of the guide rail and poor rigidity of the thin table.


A series of silicon compounds are provided, which are excellent precursors to small carbosilanes, such as 1,3,5-trisilapentane, 2,4,6-trisilaheptane, tris(silylmethyl)silane and tetrakis(silylmethyl)silane. A method of preparing a carbosilane involves forming a Grignard, lithium, or metallic reagent from a halomethyltrialkoxysilane, reacting the Grignard, lithium, or metallic reagent with a dihalodihydridosilane, a trihalohydridosilane, a tetrahalosilane, a dialkoxydihydridosilane, a trialkoxyhydridosilane, or a tetraalkoxysilane to yield a carbosilane precursor, and reducing the precursor to form the carbosilane.

Small, volatile carbosilanes containing only carbon, hydrogen and silicon with a carbon to silicon ratio of between 2:1 and 1:2 have been shown to be excellent precursors for the deposition of silicon carbide films in microelectronic applications. Typically, the term "small carbosilane" refers to compounds containing up to about nine backbone (silicon and/or carbon) atoms. Conventional syntheses of these low molecular weight (up to about 300 Daltons) carbosilanes include 'in-situ' Grignard approaches, which invariably result in the production of a vast mixture of products, including polymeric materials. It has proven very difficult to isolate pure materials from these reaction mixtures in any useful quantities. Another conventional approach to small carbosilanes involves generating silylenes in the presence of compounds containing silicon-hydrogen bonds to effect the insertion of the silylene into the Si—H bond. However, this method, upon reduction, also yields a mixture of products, including 1,1,1,3,3,3-disilapropane as a major product. Accordingly, superior methods for preparing small carbosilanes in useful quantities would be desirable.

Methods of preparing low molecular weight carbosilanes and precursors thereof


A valve for use in oil and gas production or similar applications includes a plug or other flow barrier disposed in a cavity of a hollow valve body with a metal-to-metal sealing surface that is not reliant on any rubberized or elastomeric material to effect a seal.

Valves generally comprise a valve body with an interior bore for the passage of fluid, and a means of sealing off the interior bore to stop the flow of fluid. Certain types of valves, such as plug valves or ball valves, include a plug or ball that is capable of rotating between an open position, in which fluid is allowed to flow through the interior bore, and a closed position, in which the plug or ball blocks the flow of fluid through the interior bore. Other types of valves, such as gate valves, include a gate that is vertically lowered to block the flow of fluid through the interior bore. All of these types of valves are often used in connection with the production of hydrocarbons such as crude oil or natural gas.
The valve of the present invention will be primarily described in the context of an embodiment using a plug valve, but it could also be used in ball valves, gate valves, or other types of valves. In some applications, it might be preferable to use a ball valve, rather than a plug valve, which allows for more even distribution of the contact pressure around the seat. In any event, the particular type of valve is not critical to the operation of the invention and the claims of the present application should not be interpreted as limited to any specific type of flow barrier used in the valve. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art how to implement the present invention in a type of valve other than a plug valve.
Plug valves require a sealing interface so that, when in the closed position, the plug will contain the pressure of the fluid within the interior bore of the valve. In many applications, such as the production of hydrocarbons, interior pressures can be extremely high, on the order of 15,000 pounds per square inch or higher. In addition, the fluid within the interior bore may be corrosive or otherwise potentially damaging to the seals. Accordingly, the integrity and reliability of the sealing interface is of utmost importance in the design of a plug valve.
One of the primary failure modes of most valves is damaged sealing surfaces. One of the reasons for this is the common use of elastomeric or rubberized seals in hazardous environments like those encountered in the production of hydrocarbons such as crude oil or natural gas. The use of elastomers or rubberized components can create increased risks for degradation and failure within the valve and create increased maintenance costs due to the location of the damaged seals or valve components and lead to production down time.
Another problem with existing plug valve designs is that they traditionally seal only on one side of the valve, generally the downstream side, when considering the typical direction of the fluid flow through the valve. This design is prone to failure from contamination of the sealing surfaces because the sealing surfaces are only engaged when the valve is closed. When the valve is open, there is a gap between the sealing surfaces. The lack of constant engagement allows chemicals and/or particulates in the fluid stream to degrade the sealing surfaces to the point that they no longer effectuate a seal. For example, sand or other particulate matter may cause abrasion of the sealing surface, particularly if the seal is formed from an elastomeric material. Separate from the risk of abrasion, particulate matter such as sand may remain in the gap between sealing surfaces when an operator is attempting to open or close the valve and may physically interfere with the formation of a solid seal and/or may increase the difficulty of rotating the valve to or from an open or closed position.
The gap between sealing surfaces in a typical plug valve is also problematic because valves generally require grease to function; without grease or some other lubricant in the valve body, the plug or ball cannot rotate to a closed position. A gap between sealing surfaces typically allows grease to move from the interior of the valve body to the fluid stream. This migration of grease creates a loss of lubrication which can result in the plug being unable to rotate to the open (or closed) position.
Although there are other valve designs with double seals, like that found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,101, those designs generally rely on double energization of the seals in order to create a double sealing mechanism and reliance on a block and bleed function to normalize pressure on the seals. This block and bleed function can lead to similar seal issues as described above.
Another problem with certain prior art plug valves is that when in the closed position, the plug and the valve body may seize under high pressures. When high working pressures exist in fluid either downstream or upstream of the plug valve, the plug cannot move from its sealed position due to the high pressure forces exerted on the valve and gets stuck in place. The likelihood of such an occurrence is higher when the valve body has lost grease, a problem already discussed above. These high pressure environments can be hazardous and create issues with maintenance of the plug valve as well as potential failure mechanisms for the plug valve itself when operated against such high pressures. At the same time, the standard design can also be prone to leaking at low pressures because the design is meant to be at a high pressure to engage the sealing surfaces when the valve is closed. The aforementioned problem with grease loss can also exacerbate the problem with leaking at low pressure, as grease often serves as the low pressure seal in existing valve designs.
For the above reasons and others, standard existing valve designs are often unreliable. The unreliability of these valves frequently prompts users to stack multiple valves together to ensure they are able to stop the flow of fluid.
The present invention addresses the unmet need for a valve that can be seated in hazardous environments, high pressure environments, with more easily replaceable parts, and/or creates a pressure differential at the seats automatically based on the geometry of the components used to provide a sealing surface against the plug.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Valve with pressure differential seating


A flameless candle includes: a candle body; a projection screen; a supporting portion; a moving portion; an LED; and a magnetic-field-inducing circuit. The projection screen extends upwardly from an upper surface of the candle body, has a flame shape, and has a fixed position with respect to the upper surface of the candle body. The moving portion is supported by the supporting portion and includes: a transparent lens oriented diagonally; an arm extending downwardly; and a magnet on the arm. The LED is oriented to project light upwardly and diagonally such that the projected light travels through the lens, through an aperture of the upper surface of the candle body, and onto an outer surface of the projection screen. The magnetic-field-inducing circuit includes a coil that successively attracts and repels the magnet.

Generally, this application relates to flameless candles and, in particular, to creating the illusion of a flickering flame on a projection screen.
Flameless candles may provide an illusion of a real (flamed) candle, but without the risk of fire damage. A real candle flame moves in physical space. In order to simulate such movement, some have used an element or part that projects above an upper surface of the candle moves in physical space. A light from underneath the upper surface is projected onto such a moving element, and as it moves around, an illusion of a flame is created.
This approach has several problems. For example, a moving element protruding outside of the candle body may tend to become damaged such as during shipping, by mishandling, or by unintentional events. Furthermore, while the moving, protruding element may provide an effective illusion from a farther distance (for example, to a viewer six feet or farther away from the candle), the illusion becomes less effective or ineffective at closer distances. This is because the movement of the protruding element becomes apparent to the viewer, thereby leading to an artificial appearance.
Another drawback is that a relatively large amount of energy may be required to move a bulky, protruding element. This may lead to relatively quicker drainage of batteries (if used). Yet another problem is the lack of a wick. A flame without a wick on a candle is incongruent to a viewer. But if a wick is added to the protruding element, the wick would also move around, which is unnatural.
Another problem with existing, moving part candles is that the protruding element is part of a pendulum, and that pendulum may be driven in an overly aggressive and/or predictable manner. For example, some existing candles apply a force (by magnetic means) at regular intervals to the pendulum and then remove the force. Natural, gravity-driven oscillation will then move the pendulum back in the opposite direction. This movement may not have sufficient randomness to make an effective illusion. Additionally, the oscillation period of the pendulum may be relatively faster than the "pushing" period (when the force is applied), thereby causing an irregular and overly aggressive effect.
Yet another problem with these types of existing candles is that the intensity of the light does not vary, and therefore there is no flickering effect emanating from inside the translucent body of the candle. This detracts from the illusion, because a viewer would expect a flickering effect both on the flame itself and from the translucent body of the candle.
Another problem with existing, moving part candles is that the moving part may make contact with other parts of the candle, thereby making a sound that is uncharacteristic of a conventional, flamed candle.


A light treatment head which incorporates an array of light sources, a flexible power distribution panel, a plurality of heat sink bodies closely associated with the light sources, and a flexible housing enclosing the light sources, the distribution panel and the heat sink bodies.

Light treatment of patients for various conditions is becoming well known. Light treatment of injuries such as sport injuries, sprains and the like, light treatment of chronic conditions such as arthritis, sciatica and various related conditions, and light treatment of chronic slow healing wounds or sores, are all well known.
The principle of all these light treatments is the application of low intensity light radiating in the area of the patient's condition. It is found that in order to be effective, the light source should be close in contact with the skin. The light source is usually an array or panel of low intensity light emitting diodes, or in some cases low level laser. It is also found that the treatment becomes more effective over longer periods. The light sources are usually left in contact with the skin for thirty to sixty minutes in many cases. This ensures deep penetration of the light rays into the tissues, and produces the healing results experienced.
It is of course obvious that the light sources will develop heat. During the course of one application or treatment the heat developed by the light sources may become too great, and produces patient discomfort. It is then necessary to discontinue treatment for a moment, and exchange the one light treatment head with another, so that the treatment can continue. As a result of this light treatment in the past has been expensive. The need for providing multiple treatment heads for the treatment of each patient, significantly adds to the initial investment required to set up a clinic providing the treatment. Also, it is necessary to have paramedical or nursing assistants inspecting the various treatment stations regularly, to ensure that the patients are not suffering any discomfort from the treatment, and to change the treatment head before the patient suffers discomfort. This too adds to the cost of the treatment and the operation of the clinic. Clearly it is desirable to provide a light treatment head for this type of treatment which is capable of dissipating at least some of the heat generated by the light sources, and treatment heads also that are of such a design that they can be manufactured at a more reasonable cost.
Another factor in the design of such treatment head is that the treatment is preferably applied over a fairly large area of the body. Light treatment heads usually measure about four inches by ten inches, but could be even bigger if a suitable design was available. In order to provide a light treatment head of this large footprint, it is desirable to make the treatment head flexible. This ensures that the light sources in the light treatment head can all lie in contact with the skin, with the light treatment head flexing and conforming to the shape of the body.


A method and device for impressing a measuring-signal voltage (U) on a power supply network in which a generator signal (Usig) is alternately sampled by two sample-and-hold elements (20, S1, S3), the sampled values are alternately allocated to a first pulse sequence (P1) and a second pulse sequence (P2), the pulse sequences (P1, P2) are separately inductively transmitted and the secondary-side measuring-signal voltage (U) is formed by adding the induced partial voltages (U1, U2) together.

When it comes to ensuring sufficient personal and plant protection during the operation of electrical power grid systems the insulation resistance is of special importance. If the insulation resistance drops below a predefined value protection against direct or indirect contact with the electrical plant is diminished; in addition leakage currents may occur leading to malfunctioning of electrical devices or to a costly interruption in the operation. Protection against fire is another reason why plant operators and the insurance industry have an interest in maintaining the plant in perfect technical condition as regards its insulation resistance.
It is therefore necessary to constantly monitor the insulation resistance in electrical plants. One active measuring process for measuring the insulation resistance has proven to be that of introducing an AC voltage as a measuring signal because it is easy to couple to the supply network via a transformer, provided the power supply network is grounded.
However, with processes based on AC voltage measurements, it has to be borne in mind that apart from the insulation resistance which is regarded as a purely ohmic resistance component, the capacitive component of the complex-valued network leakage impedance is another important factor. In particular in spatially expanded networks the network leakage capacity may increase to such an extent that determina-tion of the insulation resistance would be distorted by capacitive leakage currents. For a predefined measuring (AC-) voltage these capacitive leakage currents are dependent upon the capacitive conductance which again increases as the frequency increases. It is therefore desirable, on the one hand, to keep the measuring frequency as low as possible in order to counter the high network leakage capacity for expanded line assemblies, and on the other, minimising the capacitive conductance which increases proportionally with the frequency.
Furthermore, a low measuring frequency leads to a lower current load on the protective conductor if network leakage capacities are large. This, in turn, means a reduced load on the protective conductor from functional requirements thereby substantially precluding endangering the protective concept of a "protective conductor". This as well promotes acceptance of a new device technology.
Selecting a suitable, i.e. a minimum measuring frequency, is therefore of special importance. A low measuring frequency of the impressing measuring signal permits monitoring of major grounded power supply networks, and any high-frequency interferences which may occur, for example from frequency converters, can be filtered out due to the greater frequency gap using less expensive filter circuits.
For example it is known from the applicant's published patent application DE 103 55 086 A1 to determine the insulation resistance by introducing a rectangular-shaped common mode voltage signal against ground, wherein feeding-in of the generator signal is preferably effected via a transformer. The measuring frequency results from the base frequency contained in the rectangular oscillation over time and is separated by means of filtering from the other higher-frequency signal components present in the line network. For a network frequency of 50 Hz it is proposed to use a measuring frequency of 175 Hz for the generator signal to be fed.
With this method which proposes supplying the generator signal by means of a transformer it has proved to be disadvantageous that there are limits as to how far the measuring frequency range can be extended towards the low frequencies by using a transformer. Since the induced voltage on the secondary side is proportional to the temporal change in magnetic induction the induced voltage also drops for a decreasing base frequency of the fed-in signal. In order to compensate for this decrease in voltage the number of windings and/or the core cross-section of the transformer could be increased by the same amount. This, however, would mean the use of disproportionately more expensive and larger transformers which in addition would be uneconomical with regard to power requirements. In order to achieve a voltage amplitude on the secondary side for measuring-signal frequencies, which lie distinctly below 100 Hz and that is sufficiently large for ensuring a reliable use of the process, the transformers required would be so expensive that corresponding terminal prices for products in line with the market would not be realistic in the intended user environment. According to the state of the art and based on economic considerations the measuring frequency is limited to values above approximately 100 Hz when using transformers for the signal supply. In conclusion it can therefore be said that the problem lies not in generating a low-frequency generator signal on the primary side, but in inductively transmitting or coupling it in a product-specific manner to the current supply network.

Method and a device for impressing a measuring-signal voltage on a power supply network


Multi-material, three-dimensional fabrication is improved by the use of a purge wall adjacent to an object to absorb transitional artifacts of material changes. The structure of the purge wall may be selected to reduce build time, and to reduce certain printing artifacts such as warping and delaminating. For example, alternating layers of offset or mirrored zigzag patterns may be used to reduce and distribute the layer-to-layer adhesion surfaces throughout the purge wall while providing sufficient contact points to maintain the structural integrity of the purge wall.

The invention relates to the use of supplemental structures constructed during fabrication of a three-dimensional object in order to improve transitions between different build materials used in the object.
When three-dimensionally printing an object with multiple build materials, it can be difficult transitioning from one build material to another. For example, materials such as thermoplastics that are heated up for three-dimensional printing do not transition instantaneously from solid to liquid states or vice versa. Thus, leakage can occur as tools are being turned on and off during fabrication. Without special handling, these transitional artifacts can result in structural or visual irregularities in fabricated objects. There remains a need for improved supplemental structures that can be fabricated in a build environment to facilitated transitions between build materials during a three-dimensional print.

Purge wall for three-dimensional printing


A WiFi router based appliance control system and method. The router infers the presence of certain human or animal users based on the association between the user and the WiFi signals emitted by WiFi equipped computerized devices typically associated with the users. The router is configured to control various appliances (router controlled devices), and based on the inference that certain users are or are not local to the router, and various algorithms programmed into the router, the router will in turn control the various router controlled devices. Thus for example, if the router detects a WiFi equipped smartphone coming in range, it can respond by automatically turning on lights or adjusting heating and air conditioning appropriately.

Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of home automation and wireless routers.
Description of the Related Art
WiFi routers:
In recent years, local (e.g. home) wireless WiFi networks have become very popular, These WiFi networks, which typically operate according various IEEE 802.11 standards (e.g. 801.11b, 802.11g, 801.11n, 802.11ac and so on) typically consist of a factory pre-configured wireless WiFi router, which is often sold in a package consisting of the router, instructions, instillation software, and other accessories such as a power supply and cable. This router is often in turn coupled to the internet via a modem (either built into the router, or separate to the router) and typically to a wireless, cable or optical fiber network connection to an internet service provider.
These router packages are intended to allow unskilled users to set up the WiFi system. Typically the instructions inform the unskilled user to first install the software on his or her local computer, connect the router (which may be a combination modem and router) to the local wired or wireless internet connection (often a wired DSL or cable connection, but alternatively may be a wired Ethernet connection, or even a fiber optic connection to the internet or other network of interest). The user will then interact with the program software to implement the various setup instructions.
Prior art on WiFi router configuration methods and devices include Liu, U.S. Pat. No. 7,496,754; Lin, U.S. Pat. No. 7,577,458; Mazur et. al., US patent application publication 2008/0172477; Lam et. al., US patent application 2009/0103547, and Patel et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,826,463.
As the popularity of WiFi routers has grown, various types of open source router software, such as DD-WRT, OpenWRT, and Tomato have also become popular, at least among the software enthusiast or "hacker" community. This open source software allows enthusiasts to control access to routers according to various customized rules, as well as implement more sophisticated functions such as policy based routing.
Some WiFi routers have been developed with integrated touch screens. These include the router described by Malasani in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,555,047 and 8,812,827, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. This type of router design is presently marketed as the popular "Almond" and "Almond+" router. The Almond+ router, for example, in addition to WiFi transceivers, router circuitry (and functionality), and a touch screen interface, is also equipped with ZigBee™ and/or Z-wave™ transceivers to allow this router to wirelessly interface with various types of ZigBee™ or Z-wave™ equipped home automation devices.
Home Automation
Home automation as a concept has been around for many years, and indeed early concepts from Science Fiction literature date back more than a hundred years. However until recently, with the advent of low cost electronics, such concepts were seldom practical.
In recent years, however interest in home automation has greatly increased, and modern electronics now allows such devices to finally become both practical and cost effective. These home automation systems typically allow various electrical appliances in a building (which may or may not be a home residence) to be automatically controlled, usually with significantly more intelligence and efficiency than would result if the appliances were all independently controlled.
These remotely controllable appliances can, for example, include appliances such as heating and air conditioning, watering, lighting, pet feeding, entertainment devices, mobile robots, security systems, intercoms. Generally any electrically controlled or operated device can be potentially be used in a home automation system. Typically such home automation systems operate by using various environmental sensors to relay environmental status information to a home automation processor. This processor can then use this sensor data, and various algorithms previously stored in memory, to in turn control various electrical appliances.
For example, the previously discussed Almond+ WiFi router is currently marketed by Securifi Corporation. The Almond+, in addition to functioning as a WiFi internet access point and WiFi router, also can act, with the addition of suitable sensors, such as door open sensors, motion sensors, and the like act a smart home security and automation hub. Here the Almond+ can use information from these environmental sensors to, according to various preset algorithms, send control signals, such as ZigBee or Z-wave signals, to various appliances and other devices. When such appliances and other devices are controlled by specific, router based, algorithms and heuristics, these appliances and other devices will be called "router controlled devices".
Note that in some embodiments, the router may interact with the various appliances and other devices via intermediate internet servers (e.g. via the cloud). In these embodiments, these appliances and other devices may be called "router indirectly controlled devices". Although often, in the following discussion, the term "router controlled devices" may be understood to also include "router indirectly controlled devices", this distinction should be understood. In essence, a router indirectly controlled device is connected to the router by a cloud-based link.

System and method of WiFi router based presence detection and control


The present invention relates to an improved recording of context information for a measurement. For this purpose, it is suggested to receive context information from a user and to generate a dataset comprising the received context information. The context information may comprise one or more voice annotation. By using voice annotations for specifying context information of a measurement, a very simple and easy format for acquiring the context information from a user is achieved.

Although applicable in principle to any measurement system, the present invention and its underlying problem will be hereinafter described in combination with a measurement configuration of an oscilloscope.
When performing a measurement, the measurement result has to be taken into account in combination with further conditions specifying the configuration of a test set. For this purpose, a user may draw-up a report of a measurement scenario comprising the measurement results, a configuration of the measurement devices and an overall setup of the measurement arrangement. For example, such a report may comprise one or more screenshots of an oscilloscope, a documentation of the setting of the oscilloscope and a further description, for example a specification of input signals provided to a device under test, a setting of the device under test etc. Further remarks regarding the test setting may be also possible.
As can be seen from this, a documentation of a test scenario may be a complex and time-consuming task. Furthermore, all relevant data, for example the screenshots of the measurement, the setting of the measurement device and the configuration of the device under test may come from different sources and have to be combined together for a meaningful report.
Against this background, there is a need to provide a system and a method for recording context information of a measurement in which all relevant information of the measurement can be put together. In particular, the present invention aims to provide a simple recording of context information related to a measurement.

Measurement system and method for recording context information of a measurement


A FinFET SRAM transistor device includes transistors formed on fins with each transistor including a semiconductor channel region within a fin plus a source region and a drain region extending within the fin from opposite sides of the channel region with fin sidewalls having a gate dielectric formed thereon. Bilateral transistor gates extend from the gate dielectric. An asymmetrically doped FinFET transistor has source/drain regions doped with a first dopant type, but the asymmetrically doped FinFET transistor include at least one of the bilateral transistor gate electrode regions on one side of at least one of the fins counterdoped with respect to the first dopant type. The finFET transistors are connected in a six transistor SRAM circuit including two PFET pull-up transistors, two NFET pull down transistors and two NFET passgate transistors.

This invention relates to Field Effect Transistor (FET) Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) devices, and more particularly to finFET structures and methods of manufacture of finFET SRAM devices.
It is possible to change the length of finFET devices to reduce the on-current of a finFET device as exemplified in Yang et al., "Fully Working 1.25 mm2 6T-SRAM cell with 45 nm gate length Triple Gate Transistors," IEDM Tech. Dig., 2003, pp. 23-26. However, there is a problem in that devices with longer channel lengths not only require a larger portion of the silicon substrate area, but variables are introduced in terms of the variability of the physical dimensions of the gate lengths due to the complexities of optical proximity correction. In addition, different gate lengths give different short channel effect characteristics, which can cause threshold voltage mismatching or ratio variation induced by Vdd variation.
Another approach by Aller et al., in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0222477 which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,909,147 discloses a finFET device provided with a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin with different heights. Adjustments of the ratio of the height of the first semiconductor fin to that of the second semiconductor fin are used to tune the performance of the transistor. However, the use of a thermal oxidation process to reduce the height of the fin requires that a hardmask be used in this process. Many processing steps are necessary such as deposition of a hardmask material, application and lithographic patterning of a photoresist, a transfer of a lithographic pattern into the hardmask, and thermal oxidation. The oxidation raises the surface level due to volume expansion caused by the oxidation, which causes lithographic variations or CD printing variations.

FinFET SRAM with asymmetric gate and method of manufacture thereof

International Business Machines Corporation


An adapter assembly including a base for supporting a SINCGARS radio and a radio frequency power amplifier, a first connector for electrically connecting with the SINCGARS radio and a second connector for electrically connecting with the power amplifier, a first power supply electrically connected with the first connector and a second power supply and a third power supply, the second power supply and the third power supply each being electrically connected with the second connector.

The U.S. Department of Defense employs a type of VHF-FM combat net radio known as the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS). SINCGARS radios, such as the RT-1523 series radio, are designed to provide the primary means of tactical communications and control for U.S. ground mounted and dismounted units, all in coordination with naval and air support. SINCGARS radios are designed on a modular basis for achieving maximum commonality among the various ground airborne system configurations of the armed forces. SINCGARS radios provide U.S. military commanders with a highly reliable, secure, and easily maintainable tactical radio net.
SINCGARS radios possess a nominal input power requirement of 11 to 16 volts direct current, which is supplied by rechargeable on-board batteries. Recharging the SINCGARS radio batteries is inconvenient and, in certain mission applications, unattainable. Currently, specialized and complex battery recharging systems are available for recharging SINCGARS radio batteries; however, these systems are not always operable in a given application.

Integrated power supply and platform for military radio


A toilet seat device includes a seat having a base, a soft insert disposed on the base, an outer cover layer engaged on the insert and having a peripheral flange, and a frame secured to the base for securing the peripheral flange of the outer cover layer to the base and for solidly securing the insert between the base and the outer cover layer. The frame has one or more positioning pins for engaging with the base and for positioning the frame relative to the base. The base includes a bottom recess for receiving the frame. A cover is pivotally coupled to the seat and includes a soft insert.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toilet seat, and more particularly to a resilient toilet seat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical toilet seat devices comprise a seat and a cover pivotally coupled together. However, the seat and the cover are both made of plastic material and include a great hardness such that the user may not feel comfortable. In addition, the user may feel cold when using such plastic seat. In order to solve such problems, some of the users use woven cloth to make a cover layer for covering the seat. However, the cover layer may not be solidly secured to the seat and may be easily removed from the seat. In addition, it will be difficult for the users themselves to make such cover layer for the seat.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional toilet seats.

No. 50-5, Pu Wei Lane, Tou Ren Li, Lu Gang Town


A dispenser fitted to the neck of a toothpaste tube for dispensing a measured a dose for each squeeze of the tube.

The present invention relates to dispensation of a measured amount of the contents of a container, and in a preferred embodiment, a dose of toothpaste from a tube.
Ordinarily, toothpaste is packaged in flexible tubes with the toothpaste dispensed by squeezing the tube. Such tubes have no provision for limiting the amount dispensed per squeeze. An excessive dose of toothpaste is, of course, wasteful.
New formulations of toothpaste include peroxides, baking soda, fluoride, and so forth that can be hazardous to children so that it is desirable to limit dosages of these toothpastes.
The prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,255 directed to a toothpaste dispensing apparatus in which the tube is inserted into a mechanism for rolling the tube for dispensing a controlled quantity of toothpaste. It would appear that the cost and complexity of use of devices of this kind impede consumer acceptance.
In another aspect of using ordinary toothpaste tubes, a pocket of air resides above the body of paste remaining in the tube. In dispensing toothpaste, additional squeezing is needed to expel air ahead of the toothpaste. This condition complicates design requirements for dosage dispensers because the squeeze needed to dispense a given dose varies with the amount of air in the tube ahead of the remaining paste. In addition, when exposed to air, the paste tends to dry and becomes resistant to the action of a dispensing mechanism.
Accordingly there is need for a dosage dispenser particularly suited for toothpaste tubes wherein the the dispenser is the tube cap; is simple to fabricate and operate; eliminates presence of air in the tube ahead of the remaining paste; delivers a fixed dose of paste for each actuation; and functions as a child-proof safety cap.


A stencil printing machine includes a rotatable drum having an outer circumferential wall formed by an ink impermeable member, a stencil clamping part for clamping a leading end of a stencil sheet, an ink supply unit having an ink supply opening for supplying a surface of the outer circumferential wall with ink, a press roll for pressing a printing paper against the outer circumferential wall of the drum, an ink recovery unit having an ink recovery opening formed on a downstream side of a maximum printing area in a printing direction to collect ink flowing into the ink recovery opening by suction, the maximum printing area being defined on the outer circumferential wall, and a press unit for pressing the stencil sheet onto the outer circumferential wall of the drum and a control unit for controlling respective operations of the main motor, the ink recovery unit and the press unit. In process of fitting the stencil sheet on the drum while clamping the leading end of the stencil sheet by the stencil clamping part, the control unit allows the press unit to press the stencil sheet onto the outer circumferential wall of the drum and further allows the ink recovery unit to start its sucking operation through the ink recovery opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stencil printing machine that feeds a printing medium while pressing it to a drum having a stencil sheet and transfers ink permeating through perforations in the stencil sheet to the printing medium.
2. Description of Related Art
In this kind of stencil printing machine, an applicant of this specification has proposed a stencil printing machine disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-74734. This stencil printing machine comprises a rotary drum having an outer circumferential wall formed by an ink impermeable member, a stencil clamping part for clamping a leading end of stencil sheet, ink supply unit having an ink supply opening formed on the outer circumferential wall to supply a surface of the outer circumferential wall with ink, a press roll adapted so as to be movable between a press position for pressing the outer circumferential wall and a standby position apart from the outer circumferential wall, for pressing the stencil sheet against the outer circumferential wall, and ink recovery means (unit) having an ink recovery opening formed on a "printing" downstream side of a maximum printing area defined on the outer circumferential wall to collect "runoff" ink into the ink recovery opening by suction.
In printing, the outer circumferential wall equipped with the stencil sheet is rotated. When supplying a printing paper on condition that the outer circumferential wall is supplied with ink through the ink supply opening, the printing paper is transported while being pressed on the stencil sheet and the outer circumferential wall of the drum by the press roll. Meanwhile, the ink between the outer circumferential wall and the stencil sheet is diffused toward the "printing" downstream side in the printing direction by the pressure of the press roll. Simultaneously, the diffused ink exuding out through perforations in the stencil sheet is transferred on the printing paper, so that an ink image is printed on the paper. Note that, the ink on supply is retained in a substantially closed space between the outer circumferential wall and the stencil sheet, keeping ink's contact with atmosphere to a minimum. Additionally, there is no need of arranging a variety of rolls for ink supply in the drum. Thus, the above-mentioned printing machine has an advantage that the ink would not degenerate in spite of a long interval between the printing operations. Further, it is possible to miniaturize and lighten the drum itself.
Meanwhile, a stencil fitting operation to fit the stencil sheet to the outer circumferential wall of the drum is accomplished by the following steps of: clamping the leading end of the stencil sheet by the stencil clamping part; gradually winding the stencil sheet around the outer circumferential wall while rotating the drum; cutting the stencil sheet by a predetermined length during the above winding; and further rotating the outer circumferential wall after cutting the stencil sheet thereby winding the so-cut stencil sheet of the predetermined length around the outer circumferential wall of the drum.
In the conventional stencil printing machine mentioned above, however, the ink rarely remains on the surface of the outer circumferential wall once the stencil sheet is discharged from the outer circumferential wall because it is formed by the ink impermeable member. Even if it remains, the residual ink would be dried immediately. Thus, since the above stencil fitting operation is performed under condition of establishing no ink-viscosity on the outer circumferential wall, it is impossible to wind the stencil sheet around the drum with no wrinkle by the following reason.
That is, if the ink-viscosity exists on the outer circumferential wall, the stencil sheet wound around the outer circumferential wall with no wrinkle could maintain its winding state owing to the ink-viscosity. Therefore, even when tension is removed away from the stencil sheet by its reaction force at cutting, there is no possibility that the stencil sheet wrinkles up. However, in case of the outer circumferential wall formed by the ink impermeable member, the stencil sheet wrinkles up with ease due to the reaction force at cutting or the application of no tension after cutting. It follows that it is impossible to wind the stencil sheet around the drum without producing any wrinkle.

Stencil printing machine using suction of ink recovery unit to fit stencil sheet to drum


An aircraft Ice Detection pitot-static tube is described which uses sensors integrated into the pitot-static tube to determine when and where the pitot-static tube is icing up. Temperature, thermal conductivity and impedance sensor measurements are combined with a mathematical transfer of the impedance sensor output into the complex dielectric plane to identify that the material accreating on the exterior and interior of the pitot-static tube is ice and only ice. Identification of ice realized when the trace in complex dielectric space has a distinctive semi-circular form, which only ice exhibits, with measured values in agreement with reference laboratory data stored in the onboard computer system.

Numerous aircraft crashes have been attributed to false readings of aircraft flight velocity by pitot-static tube measuring devices mounted on the aircraft. A pitot-static tube senses aircraft velocity by measuring the difference between free stream total pressure and local static pressure; the difference between these two pressures being the dynamic pressure as known from Bernoulli's equation. Flight velocity is then computed from dynamic pressure using the air density calculated from knowledge of the atmospheric temperature and the static pressure; the temperature being measured independently.
An ordinary pitot-static tube sensor, as described in "Pitot-Static Tube-Prandtl Tube", http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/pilot.html, consists of a hollow tube, enclosed in an aerodynamic fairing, with the hollow inner tube leading to an inner chamber closed on its downstream end. The pitot-static tube sensor faces into the oncoming free stream flow with the air which enters the tube producing the free stream total pressure level after the air is decelerated to zero velocity in the inner tube and inner chamber of the pitot-static tube. The static pressure signal is obtained from a flush mounted static pressure port usually facing outward thru the side of the pitot-static tube. The dynamic pressure is measured in one embodiment of the ordinary pitot-static tube sensor by placing a pressure measuring transducer in the inner chamber with the free stream total pressure facing against one side of the pressure measuring diaphragm and with the static pressure on the other: the pressure difference across the diaphragm being the dynamic pressure which is equal to one half the atmospheric density times the free stream velocity (V) squared. The pitot-static tube is normally constructed from metal.
The velocity measuring pitot-static tube operates on the basis that it is operating properly if there is no obstruction of the free stream flow as it enters into or slows to zero velocity inside the hollow inner tube and inner chamber and no interference or blockage of the static pressure port providing the static pressure signal. In some pitot-static tube installations, the pitot-static tube is mounted on a vane which is free to rotate in pitch angle so that the pitot-static tube always faces directly into the oncoming flow. Early examples of patents granted on pitot static tubes (without the ice, sleet, frost, deicing fluid, rain water and snow detection capabilities of the present invention) in the period from 1927 thru 1940 include patents, for example, by Colvin in U.S. Pat. No. 1,620,633, by Peace, Jr. in U.S. Pat. No. 1,971,534, by Colvin in U.S. Pat. No. 2,042,700, by Diehl in U.S. Pat. No. 2,179,500, by Kollsman in U.S. Pat. No. 2,204,367.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,620,633 offers a pitot-static tube sensor constructed using two separate tubes strapped together for support: one that measures the free stream total pressure and the other measuring the free stream static pressure: with the two tubes supplying the pressures so measured to an airspeed transducer or airspeed indicator. In contrast, the pitot-static tube of U.S. Pat. No. 1,971,534 combines the measurement of free stream total pressure and free stream static pressure in a single tubular structure with two chambers, one chamber for each of the two pressures, and also equips the pitot-static tube with an electric heater to melt ice, frost or packed snow forming on the upstream open end of the pitot-static tube.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,042,700, a single tubular structure with two chambers is also used with a baffle in its upstream end that prevents ice, frost or snow from entering the pitot-static tube and allows any melted snow or ice melted by an electric heater to run out the upstream end of the tube. An electric heater is provided in this patent so that the pitot-static tube may function properly when flying thru cold or inclement weather. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,179,500, the pitot-static tube incorporates heating of the pitot-static tube using electrical energy or heating thru the use of the aircraft's engine exhaust. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,204,367, drains are added to the pitot-static tube to allow water, which forms from ice, frost or snow melted by an electric heater or from incident rain, to drain overboard near the upstream end of the pitot-static tube. The pitot-static-tube is also equipped with a downstream trapping chamber with drain that traps and then drains any water that may make it that far downstream in the pitot-static tube.
Heating of the pitot-static tube to allow operation in icing, frost and snow conditions and the use of baffles and drains holes, as done in these early pitot-static tube patents, has continued to be features included in all pitot-static tubes used on present day commercial aircraft as well as included in the present invention.
More recently, pitot-static tubes have been mounted on vanes that rotate in response to aircraft pitching motions to keep the pitot-static tube facing at all times directly into the oncoming free stream flow. Examples of vane mounted pitot-static include patents by Collot et al in U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,112, by Collot et al in U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,240, by Hanson et al in U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,630 and by Collot et al in U.S. Pat. No. 7,155,968. No prior art has been found that equips a pitot-static tube with the ability to sense when ice, sleet, frost, deicer fluid, rain water or snow has attached itself to the exterior of the pitot-static tube or has partially or fully filled the inner entrance tube or has partially or fully filled the inner chamber or has partially or fully covered the static pressure measuring taps on the side of the pitot-static tube: information that the present invention provides when the Ice Detection pitot-static tube is used in fixed positions or mounted on rotatable vanes.
In a number of prior aircraft crashes, pitot-static tube velocity readings are suspected as having been false due to icing and are believed to have lead to the crash. One example of a crash, as described in "Air France Flight 447", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight—447, believed to be due to ice collecting on or in one or more of the aircraft's pitot-static tubes during flight is that of Air France Flight 447 which on 1 Jun. 2009 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on a flight from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Paris, France with the loss of 216 passengers and 12 crew members. In this accident, Air France Flight 447 was flying at a flight altitude of 35,000 ft (11000 m) and at a speed of 467 knots (865 Km/h/537 mph) just prior to the crash.
To date, claims of false pitot-static tube velocity readings leading to aircraft crashes are conjecture for there is no existing evidence that icing was indeed the cause. The absence of evidence is due to the fact that existing pitot-static tubes used on commercial passenger aircraft, as well as on all aircraft employing pitot-static tubes, are not instrumented for detecting the presence of ice, sleet, frost, deicer fluid, rain water or snow. Also, no prior experimental measurements are available which might provide an understanding of how ice buildups in flight on and in a pitot-static tube and how icing might effect, to some degree, the operation of a pitot-static tube velocity measuring device.
Reviews of prior commercial jet crashes from high altitudes have led to the tentative conclusion by the aviation community that pitot-static tube icing may be a common factor in these crashes. It is also noted in a recent review that pitot-static tube icing might be a factor in the crash of Air France Flight 447 for it was operating in a cold environment at 35,000 feet altitude which is a common factor with some of the previous crashes. However, no prior art was found to exist for a pitot-static tube with the ice, sleet, frost, deicer fluid, rain water or snow detection features of the present invention.

Aircraft pitot-static tube with ice detection


An adjustable cushion assembly includes a cushion, a covering enclosing the cushion, an upright flexible metal plate disposed behind the cushion, and an adjustment device. The metal plate has several pairs of aligned horizontal notches that are formed in two opposite side portions thereof. The adjustment device includes a generally vertical flexible pull rod abutting against the metal plate and having an upper end portion secured to the metal plate. A threaded horizontal rod is journalled on a lower end portion of the metal plate, A movable nut member engages threadably the horizontal rod. An inclined first connecting rod has a lower end connected pivotally to the nut and an upper end connected pivotally to the lower end of the pull rod. An inclined second connecting rod has a lower end mounted pivotally on the metal plate and an upper end mounted pivotally on the lower end of the pull rod. Accordingly, when the horizontal rod is rotated, the nut member moves on the horizontal rod so as to increase an angle between the first and second connecting rods, thereby moving the pull rod downward. The downward movement of the pull rod flexes the metal plate and the cushion.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an adjustable cushion assembly for a chair, more particularly to an adjustable cushion assembly which has a curvature that can be adjusted to suit the needs of the user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional cushion (1') is placed on a chair (2'). In general, the cushion (1') is of a fixed shape and cannot be adjusted to suit the figure of the user when he/she sits on the chair (2'). The cushion (1') can provide momentary comfort and not long-term comfort to the user. Thus, the cushion (1') is not favoured by many people.

No. 4, Sec. 3, Tan-Hsing Rd., Tan-Tzu Hsiang


A timepiece includes: a central pivot; a central disk rotatable in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction around the central pivot; a stationary 24-hour scale arranged concentric to the central pivot; a sun mark; a large moon disk, the large moon disk being rotatably drivable in the counterclockwise direction at a rate of one revolution per synodic month; a moon view aperture in the large moon disk; and a small moon disk mounted at the large moon disk so as to be rotatable around a moon pivot parallel to the central pivot, the small moon disk carrying a plurality of dark circular areas. The dark circular areas are movable successively into registration with the moon view aperture and successively out of registration with the moon view aperture by the rotational movement of the small moon disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a timepiece, in particular a wristwatch, with a timepiece movement by which an hour display and possibly a minute display and a seconds display can be driven, with a central disk that can be driven so as to be rotatable in clockwise or counterclockwise direction around a central pivot by one revolution per 24 hours and on the surface of which is depicted the southern hemisphere or northern hemisphere of the earth or the degrees of longitude thereof, wherein the central pivot passes through the pole of the hemisphere, with a stationary hour scale arranged concentric to the central pivot and with a sun mark arranged in a stationary manner in the 1200 hours position at a radial distance from the central pivot.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a timepiece of the type mentioned above, it is known to display the region of the earth's northern hemisphere that is illuminated by the sun.

Timepiece with rotating moon and earth displays


A cartridge to be used for adsorption dialysis. A container having flexible walls are arranged to provide an inner space enclosing adsorption powder, comprising activated carbon, a phosphate adsorbent and a potassium ion adsorbent and other adsorbents. A sufficient amount of activated carbon is provided for adsorption of urea by the activated carbon. The cartridge forms a vacuum-packed transportation cartridge by generating a sub-pressure in the inner space, whereby the powder particles are immobilized and the cartridge becomes stiff. Before use, the cartridge is primed by introducing a liquid into the inner space, which introduction takes place at a low pressure. During use, dialysis solution is circulated through the cartridge, which is still exposed to a sub-pressure, whereby the flexible walls are sucked against the powder material. A peritoneal dialysis circuit comprises a filter, in which a primary circuit is formed with the filter and the peritoneal cavity and a secondary circuit is formed with the filter and the adsorbent cartridge.

In absence of normal kidney function, renal disease patients require dialysis for removal of unwanted blood substances and for keeping water balance. Such dialysis may be used in the waiting time before a kidney transplantation or during the rest of the life of the patient.
Renal disease patients having a residual kidney function are often recommended peritoneal dialysis, because the residual kidney function may be maintained longer. End-stage renal disease patients may be treated by hemodialysis or alternatively peritoneal dialysis.
During such dialysis, large amount of dialysis fluid is used and discarded. Adsorption dialysis offers an attractive way of reducing the large amount of dialysis fluid by regenerating and reusing the spent dialysis fluid.
During adsorption dialysis, dialysis fluid is passed through an adsorption column comprising adsorbent material. Such material may be in powder form.
Adsorption dialysis can be used in hemodialysis, wherein the spent dialysate at the outer side of the dialyzer is passed through the adsorption column and waste substances are adsorbed. In another mode, the spent dialysate is passed through an inner space of an auxiliary dialyzer, wherein a purification fluid is passed through an outer filter space of the auxiliary dialyzer for removal of unwanted substances from the dialysate fluid. The purification fluid is passed through the adsorbent material.
Adsorbent dialysis can also be used in peritoneal dialysis. The dialysis fluid is removed from the peritoneal cavity and passed through the adsorbent material and returned to the patient. In an alternative mode, the dialysis fluid is passed through an inner space of a filter or dialyzer, wherein an purification fluid is passed through an outer filter space of the filter for removal of unwanted substances from the dialysis fluid. The purification fluid is passed through the adsorbent material.
Most adsorbent dialysis systems use urease for decomposition of urea into ammonium and carbon dioxide, whereupon the ammonium is adsorbed. This process is difficult to control, and there is a risk that ammonium enters the body via the dialysis fluid, which is undesirable. There is a need in the art for an adsorbent dialysis system, which does not use urease for removal of urea.
Most adsorbent columns use activated carbon, which is efficient for removal of creatinine, uric acid and other organic molecules. In addition, some heavy metals (trace substances) are adsorbed. However, urea is poorly adsorbed. In addition, leakage of heavy metals and emission of particulate carbon may be a problem.
The adsorbent column is normally transported with the powders in a dry state. The powders are sensitive to wear and tear, and activated carbon particles may easily be disintegrated during transportation, which is undesirable.
Before use, the powder cartridge needs to be primed. Activated carbon is often hydrophobic, which makes it difficult to wet the powder during the priming step. In addition, there is a risk of enclosing air pockets in the column during priming.
Patent document US4031010A1 discloses a combined dialyzer and adsorber unit in one disposable package. The dialyzer is integral with the adsorber which contains a chemical adsorbent to regenerate a dialysate solution. In a preferred embodiment the dialyzer is mounted in the form of a sleeve around the adsorber container as a core. Dialysate is introduced into the dialyzer, then immediately circulated through the chemical adsorbent contained in the adsorber. There the major components of the impurities dialyzed out from the dialyzer can be adsorbed, whereby the dialysate is regenerated. The sleeve can be the adsorber and the core the dialyzer.
During use of the column or adsorber unit, there is a risk that preferential flow paths or tunnels are formed inside the powder and between the column walls and the powder. Such preferential flow paths decrease the efficiency.

Cartridge and apparatus for performing adsorption dialysis


A device includes a memory array. The memory array includes a first sub-bank, a first strap cell coupled to the first sub-bank, and a first continuous data line. The first continuous data line includes a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first sub-bank via the first strap cell. The first portion of the first continuous data line is disposed above the first strap cell and the second portion of the first continuous data line is disposed above the first portion of the first continuous data line.

In some approaches, a memory array utilizes logic circuits and edge cells to connect the separate memory banks to I/O circuits. Each of the memory banks is sandwiched between two edge cells. Each of the logic circuits is sandwiched between two adjacent memory banks. With such arrangement, a circuit area of such memory array is too large. Accordingly, the length of the bit lines in the memory array is increased, and the wire loading in the memory array is thus increased. As a result, the performance of the memory array is reduced.

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


A temperature monitoring circuit with thermal hysteresis in CMOS circuitry utilizes bipolar transistors which are parasitic to standard CMOS circuitry. A concept of band-gap circuitry is used to provide a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current, which is used as a reference. An output signal is produced above a predetermined temperature by comparing current changes between the PTAT current and a PTAT controlled current in a single current path. The PTAT controlled current decreases faster with temperature increase than the change in the PTAT current. The thermal hysteresis is accomplished by inverting the output signal to control a hysteresis transistor for selectively shorting out a hysteresis resistor. In the preferred embodiment, a start circuit is attached to the temperature monitoring circuit with thermal hysteresis to provide an initial current to activate the present invention. The start circuit is quickly shorted out once the devices of the present invention are turned on.

A temperature monitoring circuit has many applications. One crucial application for temperature monitoring circuitry is to protect electronic components from being subjected to high temperatures. Cellular phones, laptop computers, and other battery-operated powered electronic devices have numerous electronic components which can be easily damaged by high temperatures. For example, transistors in integrated circuits in battery-operated powered electronic devices are known to breakdown at high temperatures.
Typically, a temperature monitoring circuit utilizes the properties of a bipolar transistor. In operation, a temperature independent reference voltage is generated by use of a band-gap circuit, a known technology in the field. The reference voltage is compared with a temperature-dependent voltage. When a certain criterion is met, a voltage signal is produced to indicate excessive temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,181 to Lenz describes a temperature protection circuit that applies the fundamental concepts of a band-gap circuit and a bipolar transistor. The temperature protection circuit amplifies the reference voltage from the band-gap circuit by an amplifier circuit and delivers the amplified voltage to a sensor circuit which compares the amplified voltage with a temperature-dependent voltage generated by the sensor circuit. The temperature protection circuit also includes a positive feedback loop from an output of the amplifier circuit back to an input of the amplifier circuit. The sensor circuit is connected to a bipolar transistor which is turned on when the comparison of the amplified voltage with the temperature-dependent voltage indicates that a set temperature has been reached. A current flow caused by the activation of the bipolar transistor causes a power amplifier, the electronic component that is being protected, to shut off. The temperature protection circuit also exhibits a hysteresis characteristic due to the sensor circuit being thermally coupled to the power amplifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,819 to Nelson utilizes a specific band-gap circuit, i.e. a Brokaw Cell band-gap circuit, to provide biasing for a thermal shutdown circuit. The Nelson circuit modified the basic Brokaw Cell band-gap circuit by including a breakpoint compensation. The basic Brokaw Cell band-gap circuit generates an output voltage that is nearly constant with temperature variations. However, the fluctuation of the output voltage increases with greater temperature variations. The breakpoint compensation of Nelson shifts a temperature coefficient of the circuit to decrease the voltage fluctuation over a certain temperature range. The circuit, similar to the circuitry described in the Lenz patent, includes a bipolar transistor that turns on when a predetermined temperature is reached and the base of the bipolar transistor is thereby properly biased.
While the two disclosed circuits operate well for their intended purposes, there are concerns regarding their limitations. For circuitry that includes complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors, a temperature protection circuit utilizing bipolar transistors is very difficult to manufacture due to the lack of general purpose bipolar transistors.
What is needed is a temperature protection circuit that utilizes standard CMOS integrated circuit technology processing without the need to fabricate special bipolar transistors.

Temperature monitoring circuit with thermal hysteresis


An insulated cover for electrical connectors which includes a transparent housing having a top section and a bottom section, a pair of opposing end walls and a plurality of flexible fingers extending inwardly from the periphery of an aperture in each end wall, which is formed when the top section and bottom section are joined together. The fingers have a plurality of transverse grooves which increase the flexibility of the fingers as they contact the electrical conductors entering the housing. The depth of the grooves increases towards their terminus to increase their flexibility.

Electrical connectors are often used to join together two sections of electrical cable, for example, connections to motors from a motor control center. When connecting two sections of electrical cable, the metal shield and outer protective sheath must be removed to expose the underlying conductor. A connector is installed on the end of each cable that is to be joined and the connectors are then mated to complete the installation. Typically, the connectors are not insulated and require a cover to prevent grounding or injury to personnel.
Many techniques are currently known for covering cable connectors. Wire splice closures have been used to protect multi-conductor cable connections. Typically, a wire splice closure includes an enclosure filled with an encapsulant that fully surrounds and seals the splice. The encapsulants are usually provided in a fluid state and are poured into the enclosure after the enclosure has been fitted over the cable splice. The encapsulant may be forced into the enclosure under pressure so that the encapsulant fully surrounds the cable splice and fills the interstices between conductors. The encapsulant then cures to a gel-like consistency to effectively seal the splice and isolate it from the surrounding environment.
Various other prior art insulating covers and closures exist for housing and protecting spliced wires and cable connectors. A first group of prior art closures are formed with separate top and bottom portions. Two-piece closures are oftentimes less convenient to use in the field, and are less convenient to manufacture. Moreover, a typical two-piece closure is assembled by installing one part directly on top of the other part. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, this type of assembly may require the application of significantly large forces to the respective halves of the closure, thus making installation more difficult. Another group of prior art closures are formed as one-piece components. The two halves of the closure are pivotable with respect to one another about a hinge until such halves contact one another to complete the closure.
Other cable splice covers and enclosures include two half-shells which form the upper and lower sections of the splice enclosure. Examples of this type of enclosure are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,550,965 and 4,423,918. Still other cable splice enclosures are known which include two-part enclosure housings which are assembled around the splice. Examples of this type of enclosure are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,138,657; 3,992,569 and 4,554,401.
In order to isolate the interior, the ends of the enclosure must be sealed. End seals generally fall into two categories. The first type of end seals which may be used in combination with splice enclosures are rigid end seals. These end seals are clamped in sealed fashion to spaced apart locations on the cable on either side of the splice. The splice enclosure is then sealably secured to the end seals at each end thereof. Rigid end seals of this type provide an effective technique for sealably closing the opposed ends of a splice enclosure so as to resist moisture intrusion. An example of rigid end seals used in combination with a cable splice enclosure is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,245,133 and 5,251,373. While extremely effective, these rigid end seals are multi-component devices requiring time-consuming and skilled installation.
A second approach is to employ sealing collars or dams about the cable on either side of the splice. Each sealing dam may be formed, for example, by wrapping mastic tape around the cable to form a buildup of mastic about which the ends of the enclosure may be positioned. The mastic provides good sealing contact with the cable as well as with the enclosure. The mastic tape, while sufficiently viscous to permit wrapping and positioning about the cable, does exhibit some degree of flow. While this permits good compressive engagement to be made, it does make securing the cover around the dams more difficult. The enclosure is typically secured by applying a compression strap around the enclosure about the sealing dams as well as at other locations. However, compression of the straps may tend to cause movement of the mastic tape. In order to prevent this tendency, the user must secure the sealing dams to the ends of the enclosure. This is typically accomplished by wrapping the ends of the enclosure and the cable adjacent the sealing dams with a sealing tape. As can be appreciated, this requires additional steps as well as additional materials which must be available to the installer. Furthermore, the integrity of such a tape-wrapped assembly is extremely craft-sensitive and is difficult to construct for longer cable splice extents.
It is therefore desirable to provide an insulated cover for an electrical connector, which can be easily applied and which provides an adequate seal to prevent dirt from coming in contact with the connector.

Insulating cover for electrical connectors


Whether an internal defect is present in an inspection target is readily judged. Provided is an inspection method for an inspection target that is a layered structure including an FRP material and/or a structure made of resin, the method including the steps of: tapping, with a tapping tool, an inspection target area on a surface of the inspection target; detecting, by an accelerometer mounted to the tapping tool, an acceleration signal corresponding to acceleration of the tapping tool due to reaction force against the tapping; recording waveform data about the detected acceleration signal; creating a contour map corresponding to the inspection target area, based on the recorded waveform data; displaying the contour map on a display unit; and judging whether an internal defect is present in the inspection target, based on the contour map displayed on the display unit.

Various methods for inspecting the soundness of wind turbine generation facilities have been known.
Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of tapping, with a tapping tool, a surface of a blade of wind turbine generator, and detecting and analyzing an acceleration signal corresponding to acceleration of the tapping tool due to reaction force against the tapping, to judge whether a defect is present in the blade.

Inspection apparatus and inspection method for inspection target


Cross-over modulation between radio frequency circuits and audio circuits is minimized in a wireless portable transceiver by locating all audio circuitry in a first section of the portable transceiver and all radio frequency circuitry in a second, separate section of the portable transceiver. In view of modality considerations in small portable transceivers, an audio signal is either radiated or received in the vicinity of the radio frequency circuitry. Isolation of the audio signal is achieved by routing this signal while in its acoustic form. Since audio signals in an electrical form are not routed around or near the radio frequency circuitry, cross-over modulation does not occur between the radio frequency circuitry and the audio circuitry.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to wireless transceivers and, more particularly, to an arrangement for providing signal isolation in such transceivers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wireless transceivers are in wide use today in various forms including cordless and cellular telephones and other similarly configured portable units. These wireless transceivers have evolved from large bulky units, that operate at low frequencies with an external antenna, to small palm sized units, that operate at high frequencies and utilize an internal antenna.
One of the continuing problems in designing high-frequency wireless transceivers is the undesirable interaction in the form of cross-over modulation that occurs between radio frequency (RF) circuits and audio circuits in such transceivers. When located in close proximity to each other, the audio circuits frequently modulate the RF circuits and cause undesirable interference. This interference may appear in the form of a corrupted transmitted RF signal, resulting in a degraded signal-to-noise ratio in a remote receiver unit. Similarly, the audio circuits can demodulate the RF signals, generating undesirable audible tones which are produced in an audio receiver in the wireless transceiver.
One known solution to this problem commonly practiced by engineers is to utilize RF shielding for the RF circuits and therefore suitably contain the RF energy generated by these circuits in shielded compartments. In that unitary wireless transceivers by design have an audio receiver and an audio transmitter disposed generally at opposite ends of the unit because of modality considerations, it is usually necessary to have an audio circuit near the audio receiver for amplifying the audio output signal and an audio circuit near the audio transmitter for similarly amplifying the audio input signal.
A common audio circuit in the wireless transceiver generally contains the audio processing circuitry necessary for proper operation of this transceiver. Since the audio transmitter and audio receiver, and associated amplifying circuitry for each of these components, are separated in the transceiver unit, it is necessary to provide an isolation path around the RF circuits for at least one of the audio signals for connecting to the common audio circuit. By way of example, the audio signal from the audio transmitter and its amplifying circuitry may by coupled to the common audio circuit which may be configured to also contain the audio receiver and its amplifying circuitry. This arrangement still requires a dedicated routing path for an audio signal, however, which without the proper shielding of the RF circuits may nevertheless interact negatively with the RF signals in the transceiver. Although shielding may be employed to minimize the cross-over modulation between the RF circuits and the audio signal, such shielding is difficult and costly to implement. It is therefore desirable to design a wireless transceiver which provides satisfactory operation without the need for shielding of an audio signal which is routed near or across RF circuits.

Wireless portable transceiver arranged for providing isolation between radio frequency and audio signals


A glass composition for glass bubbles used as reinforcing fillers in plastic resin articles has an improved compressive strength and the reduced alkali amount leached from the glass. The glass composition consists essentially of, by weight percentages, SiO.sub.2 40-59%, R.sub.2 O 2-17%, R.sub.2 O being at least one selected from Li.sub.2 O, Na.sub.2 O, and K.sub.2 O, B.sub.2 O.sub.3 1-25%, RO 5-25%, RO being at least one selected from CaO, MgO, BaO, ZnO, and SrO, RO.sub.2 6-40%, RO.sub.2 being at least one selected from TiO.sub.2 and ZrO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-13%, P.sub.2 O.sub.5 0-3%, and SO.sub.3 0.1-1.0%.

The present invention relates to glass bubbles for use in fillers for plastic resin articles and, in particular, to glass compositions for those glass bubbles.
Glass bubbles or hollow glass spheres have been used as fillers in plastic resin articles so as to reinforce the articles with decrease of weight. Those glass bubbles are desired to have high compressive strength, collapse strength, or crushing strength so as to avoid being crushed or broken during injection molding or press molding of the articles. Further, glass bubbles are required to have high adhesive strength for plastic resin so as to reinforce the plastic resin articles.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,391,646 and 4,983,550 disclose those glass bubbles. Although the known glass bubbles disclosed in the U.S. Patents have compressive strength improved, they are still insufficient in the compressive strength and have tendency to be broken during molding of the plastic resin articles.
Further, the known glass bubbles are not good in water resistance. In detail, alkali is leached from the glass bubbles so that the adhesive strength is not sufficient for the plastic resin.

Glass composition for glass bubbles with increased compressive strength


Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method. The method includes a step of receiving a bundle of data (i.e., a frame). The method also includes a step of verifying if content of the bundle of data was previously received in a previously received bundle of data. The verifying comprises checking at least two types of information. In other words, embodiments of the present invention include a procedure for discarding a duplicate packet. These procedures ensure that a subsequent packet is actually a duplicate packet and not a new packet by checking at least two types of information associated with the device receiving the packet and the data in the packet. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide for a communication system with minimal data loss. In turn, the embodiments of the present invention provide for a communication system which can communicate data without frustrating an end user due to an incompletion of a data request, such as accessing a web page on the Internet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for processing a duplicate data packet.
2. Background of the Related Art
Communication systems are used in everyday life. For instance, watching television requires a broadcast communication system. Talking on the telephone requires a telecommunication system. Conducting a conversation on a cellular phone requires a wireless communication system. Surfing the Internet requires a data communication system. Many of these communication systems are actually digital communication systems. A digital communication system breaks up data (i.e., sound signals, TV broadcasts, web page data) into ones and zeros. These ones and zeros are transmitted throughout the respective communication system and eventually reassembled to reproduce an originating signal.
Communicating these ones and zeros across communication networks is a significant task. In some communication systems, these ones and zeros are bundled together in the form of a packet. A packet can be directed through a communication network between two users or systems, as they are communicating.
Unfortunately, communication systems are not perfect. Mistakes do occur that result in loss of these packets. This can be a significant problem, as sometimes the lost packets contain data which is vital to communication. For example, if a user is surfing the Internet and enters a world wide web address into an Internet browser, that address is converted into ones and zeros and transmitted across a communication network in order to retrieve the desired web page. However, if a packet containing these ones and zeros that are associated with the web address is lost in the communication network, the user will be unable to complete the communication and view the desired web page. Accordingly, there is a long felt need to improve communication systems, such that data is not lost in the network.