Molded hose joint assemblies, e.g., connections, branched hoses and bleeding devices for fluid circuits, and especially such assemblies for use in automotive and industrial coolant circuit assemblies, which assemblies comprise a reduced amount of molded outer covering element over prior art designs, said covering element substantially encapsulating the connection points of generally flexible hose ends to generally rigid inner connection members. The outer covering element forms a unitary mass or interconnecting rings about at least two such hose connection points. Flexible manufacturing techniques for producing such assemblies are provided.

The present invention relates to hose joint assemblies, e.g., connections, branched hoses and bleeding devices for fluid circuits, and especially to such assemblies for use in automotive and industrial coolant circuit assemblies and to processes for manufacturing such assemblies.
Hose joint assemblies, and in particular such assemblies used in fluid circuits for automotive and/or industrial processes, operate in exceedingly harsh environments. Factors including varying pressures and temperatures at different points of an assembly, varying diameters of different hoses in a particular circuit, as well as chemical exposure result in the need for highly rigorous hose assemblies. For these systems to operate effectively, the connections between the hose and the inner connection members to which they are sealed must be fluid tight and must be able to resist separations caused by fluid pressure. This mode of separation is known as blow-off. Separation of the hose from the fixtures may also occur as a result of environmental interference, which mode of separation is known as pull-off.
A branched rubber hose is a difficult article to manufacture in great numbers with efficiency and economy, and many previous attempts at manufacturing such assemblies have resulted in products that were not entirely reliable against leakage in use. Known hose joint assemblies generally include rubber hoses, the end portions of which are sealed to generally rigid inner connection members by means of a sealing mechanism. Three types of sealing mechanisms for connecting the rigid inner connection members of such assemblies, e.g., those in the shape of T""s, Y""s, X""s, elbows and so forth, to the flexible hose components include metal clamps, shrink bands or clamps, and molding techniques.
Metal clamp-type sealing mechanisms suffer from a host of drawbacks, including a susceptibility to corrosion, a susceptibility to pull-off and difficulty of installation due to clamp protrusions, and a susceptibility to blow-off due in part to the compression set of the materials and the inability of the metal clamps to respond to such dimensional changes. Shrink band techniques, wherein polymeric bands are placed about the connection points of such assemblies and allowed to contract resulting in a compressive connection, generally address the corrosion, pull-off and installation problems associated with metal clamps. The additional logistical and manufacturing steps and costs associated with forming and storing the shrink bands however makes this technology relatively expensive. Molded sealing techniques, wherein a thermoset or plastics material is molded about the connection point of an assembly and is cured or allowed to harden, resulting in a compressive type seal about a hose connection point, eliminate the additional steps and costs of manufacturing and storing bands. In this method, the seal about the inner connection point is formed directly on the joint assembly itself; molding material is formed in such a way as to essentially encapsulate the inner connection member and hose ends. But this method is still somewhat burdensome; relatively large amounts of molding material are generally used to encapsulate the entire joint portion of the assembly, and where such material is reduced to save on costs, the integrity of the seals or the stability of the assembly is generally compromised.
Various prior attempts to reduce the cost of such molded hose joint assemblies without compromising the integrity of the seals or the stability of the assembly have met with varying success. One attempt involves the elimination of a portion of the molding material required to encapsulate a joint assembly via the use of permanent external runners or external bridges which connect one band about one hose connection point with another band about another hose connection point. External runners or bridges between hose connection points allow molding material to flow during the molding process from one hose connection point to another without encapsulating the mid-portion or trunk of the inner connection member, i.e., without encapsulating the entire joint portion. A drawback of this method however is in the increased possibility of independent rotation of the different hoses compared to prior art designs; it is believed that the external runners or bridges do not provide the stability provided by the fully encapsulating molding, i.e., that technique whereby the outer covering element encapsulates the hose connection points and the entire trunk of the inner connection member. Moreover, because the molding material must be forced through generally narrow external runners, the molding operation must take place at relatively high pressures and temperatures, resulting in increased production costs. These higher temperatures moreover result in increased cool down periods for the plastics molding material, thus further increasing production time and decreasing production efficiencies. The generally permanent external runners or bridges between hose connection points also pose the possibility of increased environmental interference, i.e., entanglement with other objects in the vicinity of the assembly.
Thus, a need exists for a durable, long-life molded hose joint assembly which is resistant to independent rotation of the individual hose members, but is efficient, economical and easy to manufacture.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a molded hose joint assembly which is efficient, economical and easy to manufacture, and minimizes the risk of independent rotation of the several hose members.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an assembly which can be utilized in automotive and/or industrial coolant circuit systems.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a hose joint assembly which adequately addresses hose pull-off and blow-off concerns.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved method for manufacturing such hose joint assemblies, which method involves a relatively low cost alternative to prior art methods.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with a purpose of the present invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a molded hose joint assembly is provided comprising a substantially rigid inner connection member having at least two hose connection ports and a trunk portion. The assembly furthermore includes at least two flexible hoses, each hose being joined at one end to the inner connection member at a hose connection port to form a hose connection point. The assembly also includes an outer sealing band or covering element engaging at least a portion of each of the hoses at a hose connection point, for substantially sealing the hose to the inner connection member. The hose joint assembly is characterized in that the outer covering element forms a unitary mass in the form of interconnected bands about at least two of the hose connection points in the absence of external runners or bridges, to form one or more hose connection intersection regions, but the portion of the inner connection member trunk apart from the hose connection intersection region remains substantially free of the covering element, to define a non-intersecting region.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, such a molded hose joint assembly for use in an automotive or industrial coolant system is provided.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for forming the inventive molded hose joint assemblies, which method involves the utilization of flexible manufacturing techniques.


To enable the reduction in working efforts by hand by performing control a drying operation by appropriately selecting dry conditions depending on the connection mode of the cooling device, and removal of moisture and the like without fail. The thermal analysis system uses a heater and a cooling device to raise and decrease the temperature inside the purge box. In the drying method for the thermal analysis system, the drying operation is performed by: previously setting dry conditions depending on the connection mode of the cooling device; starting control of an opening time dry process upon activation of the thermal analysis system; supplying a predetermined amount of dry gas into the purge box in accordance with the dry conditions corresponding to the selected connection mode of the cooling device with the cooling device kept off; and making the temperature control module control the temperature of the dry gas.

The present invention relates to a thermal analysis system such as a differential scanning calorimeter and a method of drying the same.
Conventionally, with a thermal analysis system, such as a differential scanning calorimeter, having a furnace body therein, an analysis has been performed by: loading a sample (a specimen) in the furnace body; using a heating device and a cooling device to raise and decrease the temperature of the sample to change the sample in temperature; and measuring absorption and radiation of heat by the sample in the form of an amount of heat. During such measurements, the temperature of the furnace body is lowered to e.g. a temperature of −70 to −150° C. constantly or temporarily. That is to say, the furnace body portion and its surroundings and the like remain cooled successively, and stay in the situations easy to cause condensation. Particularly when a sample is loaded into and unloaded from the thermal analysis system, opening an opening-and-closing cover of the thermal analysis system causes the outside air to flow into the furnace body and the inside of the case, which can cause condensation on the furnace body portion and its surroundings, and further on a temperature sensor such as a thermocouple and others, leading to adhesion of water droplets and frost thereon. When measurements are performed under the situation where the frost is thus formed, fluctuations arise in the measured temperatures to generate noises in data to be measured. This has been a cause of the impossibility of acquisition of exact measurement values. Hence, a method including uninterruptedly supplying a predetermined amount of dry gas to the thermal analysis system thereby to keep the inside of the analysis system in a dried state, and manually supplying a large amount of additional dry gas on an as-needed basis has been practiced.
Further, a method of performing automatic supply of dry gas instead of manual supply like this thereby to suppress the occurrence of condensation has been disclosed in e.g. JP-A-10-104182.
In Patent Document 1, an open-and-close sensing switch for sensing open and close states of an opening-and-closing cover provided on an outer case making an outside housing of the thermal analysis system is provided, and the supply of dry gas is controlled by ON/OFF signals from the open-and-close sensing switch. In other words, as a large amount of dry gas is supplied to the surroundings of the furnace body inside the thermal analysis system when the opening-and-closing cover is opened for loading and unloading a sample, intrusion of the outside air through the opening-and-closing cover can be cut thereby to prevent condensation and frost from forming around the furnace body.
However, as for the thermal analysis system used in JP-A-10-104182, it is expected that the humidity inside the thermal analysis system is equivalent to that of the outside air at the time when the power source is activated, i.e. before the cooling device is actuated. In that situation, actuating the cooling device will cause generation of condensation and frost and the like in the thermal analysis system owing to the moisture remaining in the analysis system. The thermal analysis system has the disadvantage that the moisture, particularly the moisture adhering to a cooling module and the like cannot be removed easily even by supplying dry gas or heating surroundings of a specimen thereafter. Therefore, the moisture which has adhered to the inside of the analysis system at the time of measurement cannot be removed sufficiently only by automatically supplying an additional dry gas at the time of opening and closing the opening-and-closing cover as described in JP-A-10-104182. This moisture causes the temperature to fluctuate and generates noises in measurement data.
In addition, a measure including manually supplying an additional dry gas thereby to dry the inside of the analysis system, and heating a heater block around a specimen thereby to accelerate the drying before the cooling device is actuated is taken separately. However, there is the problem that in the case where the drying is performed through both drying by gas and heating of the heater block before actuation of the cooling device, excessively raising the drying temperature damages the cooling module (especially, a leading end of the cooling rod) inserted in and connected with the thermal analysis system when the cooling device is e.g. an electric cooling device. Since the preferable drying time and the drying temperature vary depending on a cooling method including the type of a cooling device and its connection mode as stated above, their management has been a difficult and troublesome work.
The invention was made in consideration of the foregoing problems. Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a thermal analysis system and its drying method, by which working efforts by hand can be reduced by adequately selecting a dry condition in accordance with the connection mode of the cooling device and controlling a drying operation and moreover the moisture and the like can be removed without fail.

Thermal analysis system and method of drying the same


A computer-based distributed error correction scheme with an efficient decoding algorithm is disclosed. The efficiency of the corresponding decoding algorithm, based on standard single source Reed-Solomon error correcting codes, makes the practical employment of the DECC feasible. Various implementation examples are also provided.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to methods and algorithms related to the field of distributed error correction codes (DECC) which is covered in various areas such as information theory, coding theory and communication theory, with applications in computer science and telecommunication. In particular, the present disclosure presents a novel construction for DECC, which has an efficient decoding algorithm and therefore is feasible for practical deployment of DECC.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A purely random code construction for DECC is able to achieve a maximum communication throughput with high probability. However, the decoding complexity at the receiver is exponentially high, which is not acceptable in practical scenarios. The present disclosure addresses this problem by providing an efficient and practical implementation of DECC.

Distributed reed-solomon codes for simple multiple access networks


A position detection system is provided which, without physical contact, by the use of detected infrared energy emissions determines whether there is correct placement of one or more small objects, e.g., lead frames, on the lower half of a two-part die mold in a semiconductor component manufacturing process. This takes place prior to injection of an initially molten material that solidifies and encapsulates the small objects upon curing and cooling.

Manufacturing processes often include steps in which one or more relatively small objects must be correctly positioned on a relatively larger object, e.g., to thermally mold a coating material onto the smaller elements. Many conventional molding systems employ two cooperating die molds which are formed to have respective recesses that define around the small elements corresponding spaces into which molten encapsulating material is caused to flow under pressure for the desired encapsulation. The encapsulating material typically is a resinous material which flows at a heated temperature and becomes solid when cooled.
Incorrect positioning of the small elements which are to be encapsulated can easily obstruct adequate clamping of the die molds to each other and may consequently allow the molten material, in its pressurized and molten state, to flow in an uncontrolled manner across and between the cooperating die molds. A known term for this kind of problem, where a resinous material is to be molded, is "resin spread". The problem is particularly acute where a number of small elements, e.g., lead frames onto which electronic components have been formed, are to be placed on a lower die mold at precise locations.
In high-speed automated molding systems, errors can occur not only when individual lead frames are incorrectly positioned but sometimes also due to inadvertent disposition of one lead frame above another lead frame. Whatever the reason, when "resin spread" occurs as a consequence, at least four wire-bonded lead frames are typically lost from production. Even worse, the molding system may have to be shut down, often for four hours or longer, to permit sufficient cooling thereof to allow workers to clean the die surfaces exposed to the resin spread. In more extreme circumstances, e.g., where the mislocation of a lead frame is severe or one lead frame is placed over or in an overlapping relationship relative to another lead frame, there may even be actual physical damage to one or both of the cooperating die molds.
It is generally difficult to detect the presence of a lead frame on a typical die surface for various reasons. Both are made of metal, and hence a device that utilizes magnetism, e.g., an eddy sensor, cannot work satisfactorily to distinguish between a lead frame and the mold die. Furthermore, both the lead frame and the die mold surface on which the lead frame typically rests have similar reflectivities, hence devices such as cameras which utilize light in the visible spectrum cannot operate to distinguish between a lead frame and a die mold.
Other factors which must be considered include the fact that any sensors which are to be employed must be mounted on the inloader head of the apparatus and must be capable of operating while being subjected to relatively stressful repetitive movement. In addition, the environment is one in which the temperature typically is 180.degree. C. above and below the inloader head, which is hazardous for human beings and inimical to many electronics components. Also, rapid detection of correct placement of the lead frame on the die mold is required so that the cycle time, i.e., time between successive molding operations, is not unduly prolonged.
These requirements of reliability, durability, tolerance of high temperatures, and speed in making the necessary determinations, all pose significant challenges. The present invention provides a satisfactory solution at very moderate cost and without the need for complex, fragile, or unduly sensitive components.
Various types of known manufacturing processes also require correct placement, location, or formation of elements for successful production of final products which physically include the elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,541, to Paulk, titled "Non-Contact Infrared Temperature Sensing System", teaches a non-contact infrared temperature sensing system which employs an infrared detector and compares the emissivity of a target to an inputted value to determine the temperature of the target.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,791, to Miki et al, titled "Method and Apparatus for Measuring Temperature Based on Infrared Light", discloses a method and apparatus for utilizing infrared light to measure the temperature of a semiconductor formed with a surface layer consisting of two kinds of materials which have different emissivities and optical reflectances. The disclosed method involves the taking of an image with diffused light reflected from the surface of the semiconductor element and of determining an area ratio in which each of the two kinds of materials occupy the surface of the semiconductor element by comparing relative average brightness values.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,948, to Roberts, titled "Reversed or Missing Lead Frame Detector", teaches the use of a sensing means to determine the presence or absence of a unique aperture by completing or closing an electrical circuit to generate an indication or an alarm if a problem exists. The disclosed system employs a steel reflector pin engaging a corresponding aperture in the lead frame to open or close a circuit. When the circuit resistance is not within an expected range of resistance values, dependent on the total number of lead frames being tested, the user will receive a corresponding signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,418, to Vanzetti et al, titled "Fiber Optic Scanning System for Laser/Thermal Inspection", discloses the use of a plurality of different infrared radiating elements including an optical head movable in two dimensions above a fixed device to sequentially scan the plurality of infrared radiating elements. The system employs a laser beam source connected to a movable head for projecting thermal energy onto the infrared radiating elements.
None of these references is considered capable of providing either an apparatus or a method for quickly and accurately determining whether there is correct placement of one or more lead frames on a die mold which initially may be at an elevated temperature, e.g., 180.degree. C. There is clearly a need for a sturdy, simple and reliable apparatus and a corresponding method for solving this problem.
The present invention, as described more fully hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying figures, is intended to provide an effective solution.

Apparatus and method for detecting an error in the placement of a lead frame on a surface of a die mold


In a method for testing and repairing an injector for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, wherein the injector includes a nozzle, a restrictor plate, and a control valve, and a nozzle clamping nut which holds together said parts and by way of which said parts are fastened to an injector body of the injector. The functional components—nozzle, restrictor plate and control valve—are separated from the injector body. A connection piece serves to connect the functional components to a test bench is screwed to the functional components with the aid of the nozzle clamping nut to form an injector module. The injector module is connected to a test bench and subjected to testing, and afterwards optionally repairing.

The invention relates to a method for testing and repairing an injector for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, wherein the injector includes a nozzle, a restrictor plate, and a control valve, and a nozzle clamping nut which holds together said parts and by way of which said parts are fastened to an injector body of the injector.
In servo-controlled injectors for internal combustion engines and, in particular, in modular common-rail injection systems, injection control is performed by the aid of an electronically actuated control or servo valve. The control valve controls the discharge of fuel from the control chamber of an injection nozzle, which realizes the hydraulic operation of an injection nozzle. By modular common-rail injection systems, injections systems are understood, which are above all used in particularly large engines, in which the individual injectors are sometimes fixed at considerable mutual distances such that the single use of a common rail for the injectors does not make sense. In such engines, it is therefore provided to assign each injector a separate high-pressure fuel storage device integrated in the injector. Such a mode of construction is referred to as a modular structure, since each individual injector has its own high-pressure fuel storage device and can thus be used as an independent injector unit. A high-pressure fuel storage device in this context does not imply just an ordinary line, but a high-pressure fuel storage device is meant to be a pressure-proof vessel having a supply line and a discharge line and whose diameter is considerably enlarged compared to high-pressure lines, in order to enable a certain injection amount to be discharged from the high-pressure fuel storage device without causing an immediate pressure drop, as would happen if the injection amount were taken from an ordinary high-pressure line.
Modular injectors, to which the present invention refers, in addition to the high-pressure fuel storage device integrated in the injector body include a functional group comprising a nozzle, a restrictor plate and a control valve as functional components, which are screwed to the injector body by a nozzle clamping nut. The injection characteristics of an injector in this case are exclusively influenced by the tolerance positions of the above-described functional components. In order to ensure that the injection amounts of the individual injectors fall within a very narrow tolerance band, it will frequently not suffice to produce the nozzle, the restrictor plate and the servo valve within narrow tolerances. In many cases, these three functional components are selectively paired based on specific characteristic features, or individual properties are selectively produced or adjusted only after having measured the other functional components in respect to their functionally critical characteristic features. The correct combination of nozzle, restrictor plate and servo or control valve will thus be decisive for an injector to operate within a very narrow tolerance band.
For the first delivery, the injectors are completely, screwed together and functionally tested on elaborately calibrated test benches during the initial assembly. Injectors that lie outside the set tolerance limits will again be disassembled, one or several functional components will be exchanged, and the injectors will again be screwed together and checked anew. After a defined engine operating time, it is, furthermore, provided to periodically clean and disassemble the injectors, renew the functional components as required, and subsequently mount, and functionally test, the complete injectors as in the case of the first delivery. In the hitherto known test and repair methods, both cases, on the location of manufacture of the injectors, each have involved the handling of partially very heavy injector bodies occasionally weighing 10 kg and more, in addition to the relatively light-weight and small functional components. In the case of repair, the whole injectors with the high-pressure fuel storage devices have to be collected and transported to a central location where they can be repaired.

Method for testing and repairing a fuel injector


A shaft coupling having two attachment elements that are rotatable relative to one another and that are connected to one another by a rotationally resilient assembly, and further having a dampening device which is active between the attachment elements for the purpose of suppressing torsional vibrations of the rotationally resilient assembly is disclosed. The rotationally resilient assembly comprises two ramp discs that are rotatable relative to one another and that support one another at least indirectly. One disc is supported in a rotationally fixed and rigid manner on one of the attachment elements and the other disc is supported in a rotationally fixed and axially resilient manner on the other one of the attachment elements by a spring. The dampening device is a viscous coupling having a hub connected to one of the attachment elements and a housing connected to the other one of the attachment elements.

The present invention relates to a shaft coupling having two attachment elements that are rotatable relative to one another and that are connected to one another by rotationally resilient assembly, and further having a dampening device which is active between the attachment elements for the purpose of suppressing torsional vibrations of the rotationally resilient assembly.
In the drivelines of motor vehicles there occur torsional vibrations which, especially in high-performance vehicles and four wheel drive vehicles, cannot be suppressed by conventional vibration dampening means at the clutch disc. Likewise, vibration dampening means additionally attached to the propeller shaft, for example, resiliently arranged absorber masses, often are not sufficient to prevent such vibrations from occurring.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a shaft coupling that is incorporated into the driveline, has a high torque transmitting capacity and includes a highly effective dampening means.
According to a first embodiment, the rotationally resilient assembly comprises two ramp discs that are rotatable relative to one another and that support one another at least indirectly. One disc is supported in a rotationally fixed and rigid manner on one attachment element. The other disc is supported in a rotationally fixed and axially moveable manner on the other attachment element by a spring. The dampening device is a viscous coupling having a hub connected to one of the attachment elements and a housing connected to the other one of the attachment elements. The torsion spring and the torsion damper are systematically switched in parallel relative to one another.
In a preferred embodiment, the ramp discs include circumferential grooves having variable depths, in which balls are guided. Each circumferential groove has a deepest point and the depth of the groove decreases symmetrically from the deepest point towards both ends. Furthermore, the circumferential grooves of the discs are preferably arranged opposite one another as are the discs to thereby jointly accommodate a plurality of balls between them. The decrease in the groove depth as a function of the angle of rotation from the deepest point can be linear or progressive.
In a further preferred embodiment the spring comprises a plurality of plate springs. To achieve uniform load conditions, there are preferably provided three circumferentially distributed balls in the respective grooves to permit the ramp discs to rotate relative to one another in a low-friction way. The rotation of the ramp discs, which is converted into compression of the plate spring, can lead to a very high shaft stiffness of the coupling while at the same time achieving a short coupling length. To ensure effective dampening, there is provided a viscous coupling with suitable plates for generating a high dampening effect, i.e. there is provided an assembly which consists of a hub and a housing, which is filled with a highly viscous medium and which carries axially alternatingly arranged plates.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the ramp discs and the plate spring are arranged in the housing of the viscous coupling.
According to a second embodiment the rotationally resilient assembly comprises a torsion bar having one end connected in a rotationally fixed manner to one of the attachment elements and the other end connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the other one of the attachment elements. The dampening device is a viscous coupling whose hub is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to one of the attachment elements and whose housing is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the other one of the attachment elements. The torsion bar needs to have a certain length because a hub-shaped attachment element can, at the same time, form the hub of the viscous coupling, i.e. as the torsion bar is arranged concentrically inside the viscous coupling, in this case, too, the overall assembly length is relatively small. The assembly has a very simple design. To ensure effective dampening, there is provided a viscous coupling with suitable plates for generating a high dampening effect, i.e. an assembly which consists of a hub and a housing, which is filled with a highly viscous medium and which carries axially alternatingly arranged plates.
According to a preferred embodiment the rotationally resilient assembly furthermore comprises a torsion tube spring arranged concentrically relative to the torsion bar. One end of the torsion tube spring is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to one of the attachment elements and that the other end of the torsion tube spring is freely rotatable relative to the other attachment element up to a limited rotational angle. In this way it is possible, from a certain angle of rotation onwards, to achieve a high degree of torsional stiffness, without the design of the shaft coupling becoming particularly complicated. In this embodiment also, the torsion bar, the torsion tube spring and the viscous coupling are arranged coaxially relative to one another to reduce the length of the assembly.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below in greater detail with reference to the drawings.


An interactive system and method for development of the voice, preferably for singing. The system and methods provide and utilize an animated, interactive, preferably 3D, visual character for illustrating the various human physiological components involved in producing vocals, and how best to strengthen and train such components to prevent injury. The system and methods are designed to visually replicate how the human body, and more specifically the internal organs for voice, interact and synchronize muscular movements that are involved in abdominal support, release of air control, and neural stimulation, in unison with Larynx mobility and gravity.

The entertainment business, in general, is estimated to be a trillion-dollar industry worldwide, of which music plays a large role. The music industry is a driving industry within the entertainment sector, and estimated to be worth more than $1.3 billion globally. In addition to the economic influence, music plays a role in the lives of many individuals, regardless of whether one is profiting from such activities or simply singing for non-economic purposes. While many individuals believe that professional singers are simply born with their talent to sing, improving an individual's singing voice is a trainable skill.
Singing, or using one's voice to speak in general, is often taken for granted as a normal, routine human occurrence. However, the ability to speak or sing is a complex human movement which requires the coordination of multiple body organs and systems, including the lungs, the larynx, abdominal muscles, various muscles, mouth, and nervous system. For the voice to produce sound, the diaphragm must contract, allowing the lungs to expand. As this occurs, air is drawn into the lungs. Exhaling causes the diaphragm to relax and the lungs to move upwardly. The size of the lungs is reduced, causing air to be expelled. Exhaling causes air to be forced out to the trachea, through the vocal folds, causing vibration. As the vocal folds vibrate, sound is generated. The actual sound produced is controlled and manipulated by other portions of the human anatomy, including positioning of the tongue, and the larynx. The cheeks, teeth, lips, sinus, chest, laryngeal and pharyngeal cavities all play a role in shaping the sound of the voice as well.
Training the voice is accomplished through repetitive exercises, each designed to strength one or more components of the human anatomy responsible for voice production or manipulation. Damage to any part of the human anatomy responsible for voice production can result in voice problems. While any individual may suffer from voice problems, individuals such as singers, who put great stress on their vocal cords, are more likely to develop problems. The increased risk of injury may also result from continued training and strengthening that singers often undertake to maintain their singing voice and stature.
What is needed in the art, therefore, is an interactive training tool, and methods thereof, that allow users to strengthen their vocals, while preventing or minimizing the risk of damage associated with vocal use or training.

Interactive training tool for use in vocal training


A protocol for local data transfers between a system manager for a computer system and a network operating system associated with the computer system and a method for exchanging command and response messages between the system manager and the network operating system using a bus master interface provided between the two. Various ones of the interface registers are reserved by the side transferring information, command written to the interface registers and the other side notified of the information transferred to the interface and the reservation released. The interface is also used to transfer responses to the side originating the command.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a system manager for a computer system, and, more particularly, to a protocol for local data transfers between a system manager and a network operating system associated with the computer system.
2. Description of Related Art
The desire to share computer resources has motivated the development and continuing improvement of computer networks. One such computer network is generally referred to as a local area network (or "LAN"). A LAN is a system of computer printers and other peripherals into a network suitable for transmission between various ones of the linked components located in relative proximity to each other, for example in different offices in a building, or in different buildings situated near one another. Similar to a LAN is a wide area network (or "WAN"). A WAN differs from a LAN in that a telephone network is also required to link at least some of the components included in the network to the remainder of the network components.
Various types of network operating systems are in existence today. They include the NetWare system manufactured by Novell, Inc. of Provo, Utah, the VINES system manufactured by Banyan, and the LAN Manager system manufactured by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. While such network operating systems often include a network manager, the network manager included in such systems have typically relies upon the network operating system to provide data to the network manager for performing network management functions. Since network managers have been forced to rely upon data transmitted by the network, prior network managers have focussed on analyzing the health of the network and have not been particularly well suited to analyze the health of the components of the network.
Thus, of the five functional areas of network management (configuration, fault analysis, accounting, performance and security) recognized by the OSI/Network Management Forum, network managers have been best equipped to performing configuration and security management. Network managers can also provide limited fault analysis, but, in most cases, only after failure has occurred. Recently, the development of larger networks, both LAN and WAN, which include multiple printer, communication, database, and file server locations have been contemplated. This drive towards combining increasing numbers of computer components into a single network, has led to an increased demand for greater management capabilities. While, in the past, failure alerts may have been satisfactory, there is an increasing demand for information that will lead to failure whereby potential failures may be reported in sufficient time to allow for corrective action before an actual failure occurs. In addition to this increased demand for information that will lead to failure, the capability of real-time analysis of the performance of a computer system is also seen as a highly desirable management capability, particularly in the development of larger, multiple file server networks which will challenge minicomputers and mainframe for larger scale applications. Furthermore, as many of such networks will utilize a WAN configuration, the need to be able to manage the network from a remote console is of increased importance. Total reliance on local management capabilities would be a significant detriment to such systems since at least one major component of the systems would likely be remotely located with respect to the remainder of the system, thereby producing a network unable to manage the entire system from a single management console or facility.
To improve the capability of the system manager to readily exchange information with the network operating system, thereby providing improved ability of the system manager to utilize the network in management operations as well as to provide for the capability of the system manager to generate alerts for the network, a communication link between the system manager and the network operating system will be required. In order to achieve such a link, a common set of conventions (or "protocol") for communications between the two must be provided.

Computer implemented method for transferring command messages between a system manager for a computer system and a network operating system associated therewith


Process of assignment and deallocation of a correlation unit or finger of a rake receiver intended to treat a received signal of a wireless communication system characterized in that the assignment of a finger is ordered by a CPICH detector operating on the level of the frame of said signal and in that the deallocation of the same finger is controlled by the analysis of a criterion derived from the RSCP indicator calculated on the level of a slot of said signal.

In the field of wireless digital communications, several techniques are known for ensuring the division of a given frequency spectrum between several users, such as the TDMA (or Time division multiple access) technique, FDMA (frequency division multiple access) and CDMA (code division multiple access), the latter being based on the use of the Walch-Hadamard orthogonal codes.
The CDMA technique is used in 3rd generation telephony, in particular with the development of UTMS (Universal Mobile Systems Telecommunication) standard, as defined by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) organism of standardization.
As it is known, in wireless communication, a signal is often the object of dispersions, reflections, fading etc. . . . , causing the reception, within the receiver, of a multiplicity of shifted signals one against the others, characteristics of many paths.
One treats these reflections, multiple dispersions of a signal by means of a rake receiver, which comprises a multiplicity of units (fingers) for the treatment of the various reflections, shifted one against the others, in order to allow, after treatment, the summation of all the elementary contributions of the reflections resulting from multiple paths.
FIG. 1 illustrates the situation of a user equipment 2 comprising a rake receiver 3 likely to treat a number N of distinct reflection paths from a same signal emitted by a basic station 1. As a matter of clarity, only three paths, respectively 11-13, are represented in the figure and correspond to three distinct contributions of a same signal arriving to the receiver at shifted moments, and with different amplitudes.
Generally, the assignment of the fingers of a rake receiver is carried out by means of a pilot detection mechanism ("Common Pilot Channel" (CPICH)) and by its possible reflections. For this purpose, one achieves a measurement of the energy of the received signal and a comparison with a threshold value, as that illustrated in FIG. 2, in order to detect the different reflection paths. FIG. 2 shows that, following a first significant path of high amplitude corresponding to direct signal reception (Line of Sight), two reflection paths of lesser energy follow. The mechanism of threshold detection is regulated in a manner to avoid the false detections (Constant False Alarms Rate (CFAR)) but can cause an omission of one or more paths presenting a lesser energy, as the case of the 2nd reflection in FIG. 2.
In order to ensure a maximum effectiveness at the receiver, it is important that the process of assignment and deallocation of the correlation units (Finger) of the rake receiver is particularly reactive. Indeed, because of the receiver mobility but also because of the changing characteristics of the communication channel, the propagation paths offer multiple reflections that change quickly and it is essential that the rake receiver can follow these changes rapidly and precisely.
Obviously, this precision and this reactivity in the process of assignment and deallocation of the correlators (Finger) of the rake receiver initially determine the level of BLER (Block Error Rate).
In a second level, the reactivity of the receiver determines the effectiveness of the process known as HANDOFF, allowing one mobile equipment, in communication, to switch from a first to a second base station. Indeed, one recalls that in the UMTS context, the receivers must permanently follow the reception of data emanating from several base stations in order to allow, in a cell limit, the switching (handoff) from one station to another one without disconnection of the communication. For this reason, it is essential that a rake receiver is able to follow, precisely and rapidly, not only the propagation paths of its own base station, but also those emanating from the neighboring base stations.
It can thus be observed how critical is the problem of assignment of the resources of the rake receiver, and particularly that of each correlation unit which composes it.
One tries to avoid as much as possible the assignment of a correlator to a propagation path which would be proved, later on, not to correspond to a true reflection of the transmitted signal.
Conversely, an erroneous detection of a propagation path must be restored as soon as possible in order to deallocate the unduly affected correlator with the false path and to allow a new assignment.
Generally, in order to solve this critical problem, the assignment of a correlator (Finger) to a propagation path is based on one or more indicators, such as, for example, the power of the signal or the signal to noise ratio measured on the frame level.
In order to avoid false detections, likely to generate false assignments, it is necessary, in these known techniques, to carry out several consecutive measurements on this or these indicators and to integrate the result of these measurements on several frames.
This results, and that is a major disadvantage, to a high time constant in the assignment process and, finally, to a low reactivity of the receiver.
It is advisable to be able to gain from an effective and especially from a faster process in the assignment of the correlator of a rake receiver and the deallocation of the resources of this same receiver, deallocation necessary during a false detection or at the time of disappearance of a given propagation path.

Process for finger insertion and removal in a rake receiver and receiver for carrying out the process

Abstract: The invention also achieves a rake receiver for the implementation of the process.


The invention provides methods for making clay/wax nanocomposites and coatings and films of same with improved chemical resistance and gas barrier properties. The invention further provides methods for making and using emulsions of such clay/wax nanocomposites. Typically, an organophillic clay is combined with a wax or wax/polymer blend such that the cohesion energy of the clay matches that of the wax or wax/polymer blend. Suitable organophilic clays include mica and phyllosilicates that have been surface-treated with edge or edge and surface modifying agents. The resulting nanocomposites have applications as industrial coatings and in protective packaging.

The incorporation of phyllosilicate fillers in polymer films is used to enhance mechanical properties, heat resistance, and enhance barrier properties. Other properties improved with fillers include improved chemical resistance, electrical resistance, and flame retardancy. Since the late 1980s a great deal of research around the world has focused on methods to incorporate fully exfoliated smectite clays, primarily montmorillonite due to its extremely high aspect ratio, into a variety of thermoset and thermoplastic polymers.
Thermoplastic polymers such as polyethylene are used in flexible packaging applications because of its high resistance to the diffusion of water vapor and other polar molecules. When applied to a paper substrate the polymer film provides strength, and improved barrier properties. However, laminate structures such as these are difficult to recycle due to the tight bond between the polymer and the paper substrate. Alternative approaches include the use of wax coatings to impart water barrier resistance, especially water vapor, and still maintain recyclability. Unfortunately, wax coatings are poor barriers to nonpolar gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide, and the wax surfaces have a tendency to be slippery.
Because their surfaces are hydrophilic, the smectite clays must be surface-treated to render them compatible with olefinic materials. The approach that has most often been used is based on the technology utilized for the last fifty years to make organoclays as rheological control agents in paints, inks, greases, etc. This approach utilizes quaternary amine-based surfactants to render the basal surface of the clay compatible with the olefinic matrix. Various high-molecular-weight quaternary ammonium salts have been used such as dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammonium chloride, dimethyl benzyl hydrogenated tallow ammonium chloride, and methyl benzyl dihydrogenated tallow ammonium chloride. Other onium ions that have been used include the phosphonium and sulfonium groups. Surprisingly, this approach has not been very successful in promoting clay exfoliation in olefinic polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene and their copolymers.
Methods of producing organoclays that incorporate high-molecular-weight hydrotropes on the basal surface and an edge modifying surfactant adsorbed along its edges to render the clay platelets edges organophilic, yield organoclays which readily disperse in polyolefin systems.
Wax nanocomposites have many potential applications in paper packaging like increasing barrier properties (i.e., oxygen and moisture vapor transmission, oil and grease resistance, water resistance), increasing strength, increasing coefficient of friction, increasing block resistance, and increasing printability. With improved barrier capabilities and chemical resistance, wax nanocomposites could find use as industrial coatings and protective packaging, corrugated containers (i.e., meat, cheese and poultry packaging, flower shipping boxes), coated folding cartons (i.e., detergent boxes, dairy and bakery products, frozen food, pet food), bags and wrapping papers (i.e., fast foods, microwave packaging, pet foods, cement bags), industrial packaging (i.e., ream wrap, roll wrappers, beverage carriers), and liquid packaging (milk; juice, oil). The problem of recycling polymer-laminated paper is solved by using wax-based, emulsion nanocomposites in place of extruded polymer films. In addition, the coating speed of emulsion systems is considerably faster than polymer extrusion coating thereby reducing manufacturing costs.
Prior art has focused on the incorporation of nanoclays into waxes for improvement of various properties including reduced shrinkage and cracking of the wax when it is cooled from the melt and increasing melt viscosity. There is however, no evidence in the scientific literature to suggest that the incorporation of organoclays into waxes would lead to increased barrier properties of wax films and no mention of this application is found in prior art. This is consistent with polyolefin systems, where there is also no prior art demonstrating improved barrier performance in polyolefin nanocomposites. This is puzzling since the exfoliation of an organoclay is generally expected to reduce gas permeability by virtue of increasing diffusion path length. Because the clay crystal lattice is impermeable, anisotropic orientation of the clay platelets would lead to a tortuous diffusion path. In fact, the addition of organoclays, according to prior art, actually results in a decrease of barrier properties.
Thus a need exists for a method of improving the barrier properties and chemical resistance of wax and wax/polymer coatings while at the same time improving certain physical attributes such as surface friction and maintaining flexibility.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Coatings and films derived from clay/wax nanocomposites


A transmission apparatus includes a license data input unit accepting an input of license data which permits reproduction of a storage content linked from a streaming content; a multiplexer generating multiplexed data by multiplexing the inputted license data on a broadcast content for a predetermined period of time; and an output unit transmitting the generated multiplexed data to a content reproduction apparatus via digital broadcast. The content reproduction apparatus includes a receiving unit receiving multiplexed data; a demultiplexer extracting license data and a broadcast content from the received multiplexed data; and a content reproduction unit reproducing the extracted broadcast content, and when obtaining a storage content whose reproduction is permitted based on the extracted license data, reproducing the obtained storage content based on the license data by switching the reproduction from the broadcast content to the storage content.

There is a conventional content and license distribution method for a content distribution system in which a content reproduction apparatus obtains, from a content distribution server, both a content and its license in which usage rules for allowing the use of the content are described, as single data. For example, a patent literature 1 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-155734 Publication) discloses a method for downloading content data and its license as single data from a content server.
It can be assumed in the future content distribution that a content is linked with another content and a content reproduction apparatus reproduces these contents in sequence according to the link. For example, it is assumed that a content which places a link to another content (a link source content) is a real time streaming content to be distributed according to the schedule, while a content linked from the link source content (a linked content) is a storage content which is previously downloaded to the content reproduction apparatus. It is further assumed that the license of the linked content is changed with the lapse of reproduction time of the link source content. For example, it is assumed that needs for such control may grow that although a user can reproduce the linked content only once if he/she reproduces the link source streaming content for only 10 minutes from the beginning, he/she can reproduce the linked content three times if he/she reproduces the link source content for another 10 minutes.
However, in the case where the license of a storage content is changed depending on the reproduction time of a real time streaming content to be distributed according to the schedule, as described above, the conventional method requires obtaining, from a content server, a content on which the license that varies depending upon the reproduction time of the link source content is multiplexed, which is likely to cause increase in access to the content server for obtaining such content. Furthermore, since such link source content is a real time streaming content to be distributed according to the schedule, it is likely that the accesses to the content server for obtaining the content concentrate in a specific period of time. As typically shown in the above-mentioned example, in the case where the license of a linked content is changed depending on a link source content, regardless of whether the linked content is a streaming content or a storage content, access to a content server for obtaining such content are likely to increase. So an object of the present invention is to provide a method for solving these problems.

Transmission apparatus, content reproduction apparatus, and content and license distribution system


A cold-start control system includes an air pump control module that controls an air pump and an engine starting module that starts an engine. The air pump control module activates the air pump to supply oxygen to a catalytic converter based on a temperature of the catalytic converter. The engine starting module starts the engine based on the temperature of the catalytic converter.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent that it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Catalytic converters are commonly used with internal combustion engines to reduce emissions. The catalytic converters generally operate more efficiently at elevated temperatures. When the engine is started, the catalytic converter may not be immediately effective in removing emissions from the exhaust until the catalytic converter reaches an operating temperature (e.g., a "light-off temperature"). The light-off temperature is a point where the conversion of carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and nitride oxides (NOx) has reached 50% efficiency.
Preheating the catalytic converter by an external heating element (e.g., electric resistance heaters) may provide extra heat to the exhaust gas and the catalytic converter to reduce the time required to reach the light-off temperature. 12-volt electrical systems on most vehicles, however, do not provide enough energy to quickly pre-heat the heating element. It may take several minutes for the heating element to heat the catalytic converter to reach the light-off temperature before the engine can be started.

Cold-start control systems for internal combustion engines


An apparatus for use in automotive vehicle convertible roofs includes an elongated tensioning member being disposed adjacent to an edge of a window. At least a portion of the tensioning member is disposed in an elastomeric sealing member. A pair of resilient tensioning members are disposed adjacent to top and bottom edges of a backlite for deterring crosscar folding of the backlite while allowing fore and aft folding of the backlite when retracted.

This invention relates generally to automotive vehicles and more particularly to a window system for use in an automotive vehicle convertible roof.
Soft top convertible roofs in automotive vehicles have commonly employed flexible, polyvinyl chloride back windows, which are also known as backlites. Flexible, polymeric backlites are often preferred over glass windows since they tend to maximize the size of the backlite opening thereby improving rear visibility. The flexible, polymeric material allows for an enlarged window opening since it is less expensive to manufacture, lighter weight and typically easier to stow as compared to rigid, glass windows. An example of such a flexible, polymeric backlite is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,655 entitled "Window Which can be Fastened in a Folding Top by Means of a Zipper, and a Process for Exchanging a Surface Section" which issued to Ball et al. on Dec. 21, 1993.
However, flexible, polymeric backlites often suffer from undesired permanent kinking, distortion or wrinkling when stowed or fully retracted. This can lead to poor window aesthetics and premature cracking of the backlite during use.
In accordance with the present invention, a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for use in automotive vehicle convertible roofs includes an elongated tensioning member being disposed adjacent to an edge of a window. In a further aspect of the present invention, at least a portion of the tensioning member is disposed in an elastomeric sealing member. In yet a further aspect of the present invention, a pair of resilient tensioning members are disposed adjacent to top and bottom edges of a backlite for deterring crosscar folding of the backlite while allowing fore and aft folding of the backlite when retracted. In still another aspect of the present invention, a first end of an elastic strap is attached to a movable roof bow while an opposite end is attached to the roof covering material adjacent to a corner of the backlite.
The backlite system of the present invention is advantageous over conventional devices since the present invention tensioning members encourage the upper and lower sections of the backlite to stay tensioned or taut during folding thereby deterring kinking, distortion or wrinkling. In addition, it has been found that the elastic straps of the present invention apply a diagonal tensioning load to the backlite to further cause the backlite to remain taut while being folded. Furthermore, the present invention backlite system is aesthetically pleasing by hiding the tensioning members from view while providing an easy to assemble, low cost and lightweight backlite tensioning assembly. The present invention provides superior tensioning performance while greatly enhancing the durability and quality of a flexible backlite. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Backlite system for use in an automotive vehicle convertible roof


A memory device includes a memory array having a plurality of rows and columns of nonvolatile memory cells (e.g., PRAM cells) therein and a first plurality of local bit lines electrically coupled to a corresponding first plurality of columns of memory cells in the memory array. A first plurality of bit line selection circuits are also provided, which are responsive to bit line selection signals. A first plurality of bit line discharge circuits are electrically connected to respective ones of the first plurality of local bit lines. A bit line discharge control circuit is provided to drive the first plurality of bit line discharge circuits with equivalent bit line discharge signals during an operation to read data from a selected one of the first plurality of local bit lines.

One class of nonvolatile memory devices includes phase-changeable random access memory (PRAM) devices, which offer many advantageous electrical characteristics relative to FLASH, SRAM and DRAM memory devices. PRAM devices support non-volatile data storage, random access addressing and relatively high speed read and write operations. PRAM devices may also be configured to have relatively low power consumption requirements.
The nonvolatile characteristics of the PRAM devices may be provided by configuring each memory cell with a chalcogenide alloy (e.g., GST: Ge2Sb2Te5) having programmable resistivity characteristics. For example, during a write/programming operation, the chalcogenide alloy within a memory cell may undergo resistive heating to thereby alter the resistivity of the chalcogenide alloy and cause the memory cell to be "set" into one logic state or "reset" into another logic state.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional diode-type PRAM cell 10, which is electrically coupled to respective bit and word lines (BL and WL). In this PRAM cell 10, the chalcogenide alloy (e.g., GST alloy) may be programmed to have a relatively high resistance state (high-R state) or a relatively low resistance state (low-R state). This state may be detected during a reading operation by biasing the bit line BL at a higher voltage relative to the word line to thereby establish a forward current path through the PRAM cell 10. The magnitude of the established current (e.g., bit line current) in the forward current path is measured to determine the state (high-R or low-R) of the cell 10.
FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional memory device 200 having a plurality of PRAM memory blocks 210a-210n therein that are electrically coupled to a column decoder/driver circuit 220. Each of these PRAM memory blocks 210a-210n is illustrated as including a plurality of memory cell blocks (CBLK), word line drivers (WD), row decoders (XDEC) and local bit line selection circuits (YD) therein. Each memory cell block (CBLK) includes a two-dimensional array of PRAM cells 10 (C) spanning multiple columns and rows. Each row within the cell block (CBLK) is associated with a corresponding local word line (WL) and each column is associated with a corresponding local bit line (BL). The word lines are driven by a word line driver (WDC), which is shown as an inverter having an output electrically coupled to one end of a local word line (WL). The local bit lines (BL) are electrically coupled to a bit line selection circuit (BDC), which is shown as an NMOS transistor having a gate terminal responsive to a column selection signal Yi and a source terminal electrically coupled to a corresponding global bit line (GBL). The global bit lines (GBL) are controlled by the column decoder/driver circuit 220, containing a column decoder (YDEC), sense amplifier (SA) and write driver (WRITED) therein. Because the size of each memory cell block (CBLK) is a function of the drive characteristics of each word line driver (WD) and bit line selection circuit (YD), the resistance of each local word line (RWL) and the resistance of each local bit line (RBL) may indirectly influence the capacity of the memory device 200 for a given layout area.
To improve PRAM device performance, some techniques have been developed to reduce local word line resistance. One such technique is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0270883 to Cho et al., entitled "Memory Device with Reduced Word Line Resistance". As illustrated by FIG. 4 of Cho et al., a relatively long global word line may be replaced by a plurality of shorter local word lines (e.g., LWL0, LWL1 and LWL2) that are connected to respective pull-down switching devices (e.g., NMOS transistors N101, N102, N103, . . . , N106). These pull-down switching devices have gate terminals responsive to global word line signals (e.g., SWL0, SWL1 and SWL2). An additional technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,480,438 to Park, entitled "Providing Equal Cell Programming Conditions Across a Large and High Density Array of Phase-Change Memory Cells." In the '438 patent, bit line and word line compensation circuits are used to minimize resistance variations across the cells of an array to thereby provide equivalent cell programming conditions. Additional PRAM devices are disclosed in an article by W. Y. Cho et al., entitled "A 0.18 um 3.0V 64 Mb Non-Volatile Phase-Transition Random-Access Memory (PRAM)", Digest of the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, Session 2, Paper 2.1, pp. 1-2, Feb. 16, 2004. U.S. Pat. No. 6,791,867 to Tran, entitled "Selection of Memory Cells in Data Storage Devices", discloses a non-volatile memory device having memory cells therein with programmable resistance states and shunt elements connected in series within controlled current paths. Additional PRAM devices are disclosed in: U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0030814 to Oh et al., entitled "Data Read Circuit for Use in a Semiconductor Memory and Method Thereof", U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0246808 to Cho et al., entitled "Writing Driver Circuit of Phase-Change Memory" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,113 to Park et al., entitled "Programming a Phase-Change Memory with Slow Quench Time".

Nonvolatile memory devices having bit line discharge control circuits therein that provide equivalent bit line discharge control


A percussive drill bit provided with an improved chuck assembly for a down-the-hole drill hammer. The bit has a head at its forward end with a shank extending from the head. The shank is screw threaded along its length. A reciprocating chuck is provided as a sleeve with internal screw thread as corresponding to those of the shank. The shank is releasably secured in the chuck with the read end of the shank providing a striking face. An arrangement of external splines on the chuck, and a retaining shoulder at its rear end, provide for the required guided movement of the chuck within a drill hammer wear sleeve.

Drill bits of this kind conventionally have a shank which fits inside the drill housing and an exposed head at the forward end. The head is provided with teeth on a drilling face at its working end. The shank has splines which are engaged by corresponding splines in a chuck secured in the drill hammer. The rear end of the bit shank forms a striking face onto which a reciprocating piston hammer impacts during operation. Between the striking face and the splines, is a section of reduced diameter. This section defines a pair of shoulders between which a retaining ring, normally above the chuck, slidably engages the bit. The section of reduced diameter has to be longer than the axial thickness of the retaining ring. This allows for the necessary axial or longitudinal movement of the bit.
The drill hammers operate with different air flow paths which sometimes require the bit to include a foot valve tube. There is however a tendency towards drill hammers with bits that do not require these tubes.
The features required on a bit make this component a difficult one to machine. They also dictate that it must be of a certain minimum length which affects its weight and the overall length of the drill hammer. A drill hammer will ordinarily use about five bits during the course of its life.

Percussive drill bit provided with an improved chuck assembly


A method and an apparatus for processing wood chips, wherein the wood chips are treated with steam in a gas removal apparatus. The condensate formed in the gas removal apparatus is removed from the gas removal apparatus and the wood chips are treated with a processing solution in order to remove metal ions from the wood chips. Condensate formed in the gas removal apparatus is used as processing solution.

The invention relates to a method for processing wood chips. The invention also relates to an apparatus for implementing the aforementioned method.
When manufacturing cellulose and paper pulp, the ligno-cellulose-containing wood chips used as raw material are cooked in an alkaline solution in order to separate the fibres and lignin contained in them from each other. The manufacture comprises several stages, both before and after the cooking. Before cooking, the wood chips are introduced to a gas removal stage, where gases are removed from both inside the wood chips and the spaces between them by directing hot steam to the wood chips. After the gas removal stage the wood chips are directed to the impregnation stage, where cooking chemicals are impregnated to the wood chips before the wood chips are directed to the cooking stage. Cooking takes place in an elevated temperature and it takes approximately 30 to 240 minutes, depending on the raw material and the cooking temperature. After cooking the lignin is separated from the lignin-fibre mixture by washing it in one or more washing phases. The remaining fibrous pulp is led for further processing, such as, for example, bleaching. The bleaching stage is also composed of several different phases, where the pulp is processed by means of bleaching chemical and scrubbed.
Nowadays pulp mills tend to use in pulp bleaching more bleaching methods that are based on the use of oxygenous chemicals, such as oxygen, peroxide and ozone bleaching. These oxygen-based bleaching methods are both ecological and economical and their implementation is beneficial in controlling the chemical recovery cycle of the mill, especially a so-called closed chemical recovery cycle.
The wood chips directed to the pulp digester naturally comprise organic compounds formed by metal ions and inorganic salts, for example, silicates, i.e. sand. Most common are compounds and salts formed by ions of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, barium, iron, copper and manganese. Under the effect of the alkaline conditions in the digester a part of the metallic cations attached to anionic groups of wood dissolve in the cooking liquor by wood reactions and dissolution, or they react directly with the cooking liquor. A part of the metal compounds in the wood chips are very poorly soluble in alkaline conditions, and move on in the pulp manufacturing process as organic compounds combined to fibres or organic or inorganic compounds precipitated to the fibres. Poorly soluble metal compounds formed in the cooking liquor, for example calcium carbonate, tend to precipitate on the heat surfaces of the heat exchangers at the digester house and the evaporation plant because their solubility product decreases when temperature rises. On the other hand, potassium, which remains soluble in alkaline environment, causes problems in the black liquor combustion after cooking, which black liquor combustion is a part of the cooking liquor regeneration process. Potassium causes problems especially in the superheater part of the recovery boiler, by forming potassium chloride, which adheres to the steam tubes and is corrosive in high temperatures. Because of this the steam pressure and temperature of the recovery boiler must be lowered when the raw material of the pulp is chloridic wood chips. As a result of this the electricity production of the recovery boiler decreases and thus causes economic losses. Metals combined to the pulp, especially transition elements, cause problems in the bleaching performed later by means of oxygenic chemicals of the pulp. Metal ions for example catalyze the decomposition of oxygenic chemicals. Consequently, in order to reach the desired bleaching result, the chemical must be used in excess in the bleaching. This increases the chemical costs of bleaching. In addition, the metal ions catalyze side reactions that cut the cellulose fibres and thus cause pulp loss and deteriorated quality both in cooking and bleaching. They also cause the coloring of bleached pulp, mostly yellowing during storage. Further, metal ions, especially calcium ions together with the chemicals in the pulp suspension, form precipitations on the walls of the pulp production and finishing apparatuses, which precipitations cause clogs in the process apparatuses, as well as spotting of the finished pulp and other fouling.
Therefore, nowadays the aim is to remove metal ions from pulp in various ways. It is very common to remove metal ions from pulp coming from cooking by processing the pulp before the bleaching stage in a special metal removal stage, i.e. chelating stage (Q-stage). In this stage the pulp is washed with an acidic solution, to which a compound that is able to form complexes, i.e. chelates with the metal ions in the pulp has been added. Suitable chelating agents are, for example, ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) and diethylene triamine penta acetic acid (DTPA). These reagents are water soluble, easily soluble and commercially available. Another alternative is to wash the pulp after the acidic bleaching stage, in which case the metal ions remain in the washing water.
It has also been suggested that metal ions are removed from wood chips before they are directed to cooking. A method of this type is disclosed in patent application FI 20021152 (the corresponding US application 2003/0000661), where after the steaming of the wood chips, which takes place before cooking, the wood chips are treated with warm water solution. The water solution used includes water, condensate of the wood chip steamer or other condensate from the mill, rainwater or wastewater from the bleacher. As can be learned from the publication, this method is applicable only in removing potassium ion-containing compounds. The other metal ions in the wood chips do not react to this treatment and therefore remain in the wood chips.
Another method is disclosed in publication U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,367, wherein metal ions in the wood chips are removed by chelating chemicals used in producing pulp by the batch cooking method. According to the method during the packing of the digester is packed with wood chips, DTPA-containing water solution is fed to the steam used in packing the wood chips. DTPA forms chelates with the metal ions in the wood chips and the formed chelates are removed from the digester with the black liquor removed in the black liquor processing stage following the chelating stage. The solution according to the publication does remove the problems caused by metal ions in connection with pulp cooking and processing, but it transfers them to the processing of black liquor. That is, the chelates formed by the DTPA decompose in high temperatures. The metal chelates removed from the digester with black liquor end up at the evaporation plant, where they decompose and cause problems there by precipitating on the heat delivery surfaces.

Method and apparatus for processing wood chips


A seal assembly for effecting a fluid tight seal between a pipe and an opening in the wall of a structure, particularly a relatively thin-walled structure made of a rigid plastic, fiberglass, or of metal, for example. The seal assembly generally includes a seal ring and an annular nut. The seal ring includes a relatively rigid fastener component having external threads, and a relatively resilient sealing component joined to the fastener component and including a first sealing projection for providing a compressive seal between the seal ring and one side of the structure wall, and a second annular sealing projection for providing a compressive seal between the seal ring and the outer surface of a pipe inserted through the seal ring. The seal ring is inserted through the opening in the structure, and the annular nut is threaded onto the external threads of the fastener component and into engagement with a first side of the wall to thereby compress the first sealing projection against the opposite, second side of the wall. Thereafter, a pipe is inserted through the seal ring to compress the second sealing projection between the outer surface of the pipe and the seal ring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seal assembly for providing a fluid tight seal between a pipe and an opening in the wall of a structure, such as an underground structure in an underground pipeline system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Seal assemblies are used to provide fluid tight seals between pipes and structures in underground pipeline systems, such as septic tanks and fluid distribution boxes in sewer systems, for example. The structures are commonly made of cast concrete, rigid plastic, fiberglass, or metal, for example, and include a plurality of walls having one or more openings through which pipes extend. The seal assemblies are used to provide fluid tight seals between the wall openings and the outer surfaces of the pipes.
Concrete structures are typically formed with relatively thick walls, and gaskets used with concrete structures include cast-in gaskets and expansion-type gaskets which are made entirely of a resilient material such as rubber. Cast-in gaskets include an annular body having an outwardly-projecting anchor component or flange which is cast within the concrete of the wall such that, when the concrete cures, the flange is embedded within the cured concrete to firmly anchor the gasket within the wall opening. Cast-in gaskets also include either an inwardly-projecting sealing projection or lobe for providing a compressive seal with the outer surface of a pipe, or a resilient boot portion which is sealingly clamped to the outer surface of the pipe with a take-down clamp. Expansion-type gaskets include an annular body which, after being placed within the opening in the structure wall, is radially compressed by an expansion ring assembly to compressively seal the gasket against the wall opening. Thereafter, a take-down clamp is used to sealingly clamp a boot portion of the gasket against the outer surface of a pipe.
Although cast-in and expansion-type gaskets are effective for concrete or other structures having relatively thick walls, these types of gaskets can be less effective or, in some circumstances cannot be used at all, with structures having relatively thin walls which are made of a rigid plastic, fiberglass, or a metal, for example. In particular, the foregoing materials do not easily accommodate cast-in gaskets, and the relatively thin walls of such structures do not provide a sufficiently wide opening surface to which a gasket can be radially compressed using an expansion ring assembly.
One known seal assembly includes an elastomeric body with a rigid, threaded flange, and a nut threadable onto the threads of the flange to compress a portion of the elastomeric body into engagement with an internal wall of a structure about an opening in the structure. Thereafter, after a pipe is extended through the elastomeric body, an external take-down clamp is used to clamp a portion of the elastomeric body around the external surface of the pipe to provide a seal between the gasket body and the pipe.
A disadvantage of the foregoing seal assembly is that same requires the use of an external take-down clamp to provide a seal between the gasket body and a pipe, necessitating additional parts and increasing the number of installation steps. Also, because nearly all of the body of the seal is made of elastomeric material, which tends to be more expensive than other materials, the cost of the seal assembly is relatively high.
Another known seal assembly which is designed for use with relatively thin-walled structures includes a generally cylindrical body made entirely of plastic and including external threads, an annular flange spaced from the threads and projecting radially from the body, and an internal wall which includes a plurality of tear-out portions which may be selectively removed to provide openings of different sizes through the internal wall of the body. In use, the cylindrical body is inserted through an opening in a structure, and a separate annular nut is threaded onto the external threads of the body to capture the wall of the structure between the nut and the annular flange, and the flange is deflected to engage with and seal the side of the wall opposite the nut. Thereafter, one of a plurality of tear-out portions of the internal plastic wall is removed, and a pipe is inserted through the resulting opening in the internal wall, with the plastic wall opening slidably engaging the outer surface of the pipe to provide a deflection or wiper-type seal.
A disadvantage with the foregoing seal assembly is that the deflection or wiper-type seals between the plastic annular flange of the seal body and the wall surface, and between the opening in the internal plastic wall of the body and the outer surface of the pipe, are typically not very robust and may be prone to failure, particularly under fluid pressure. Also, failure of the plastic tear-out portions upon their removal could compromise the integrity of the seal between the seal body and the pipe, particularly when the seal assembly is used with small diameter pipes.
What is needed is a seal assembly for providing a fluid tight seal between a pipe and an opening in a structure, particularly a thin-walled structure made of a rigid plastic or of metal, which is an improvement over the foregoing.

Seal assembly for pipe-to-structure connections


A method of full semiconductor chip timing closure includes the steps of determining a system level place and route. Next, a static timing analysis for each of a number of subsystems is performed. Finally, a full chip static timing analysis is performed.

In conventional design and verification techniques, large hierarchical designs have two stages of timing closure, these are block-level timing closure and full-chip timing closure. In block level timing closure, for each individual block, a user must determine constraints for each block and achieve timing closure after the place and route operation is complete. The constraints for individual blocks are often decided in an ad-hoc manner, by assuming some numbers for input and output delays and giving some margin for top-level net delays. Once all blocks are hardened (i.e. place and route is completed), the blocks are integrated at the top-level. This conventional methodology is shown in FIG. 1, where blocks B1, B2, up to . . . . BN are individual place and route (PNR) blocks. The characteristics of this approach include that it is a bottom up approach, the input arrival times and output required times are numbers assumed at the block level, and the full-chip activities are started after blocks are frozen.
The conventional methodology results in iterations because each block is synthesized without looking into how the block fits into the full chip environment. The block level timing constraints for input setup and output data valid were assumed numbers, derived without taking into account the actual net delays at the top level.
Disadvantages of the conventional approach include that in the conventional approach top-level net delays are not measured accurately since this can be estimated only after top level routing is completed, and the design and verification process is quite iterative and time consuming, and not well suited to automation.
FIG. 2 shows a timing diagram with delay budget for block level design. In FIG. 2 the B1 and B2 timing budgets can not incorporate top level net delays accurately because this is unknown during the initial synthesis and place and route operations. The actual top level net delays may be significantly off from initial estimates causing iterations during full-chip Static Timing Analysis.
It would be desirable to have a design and verification technique for block level design that accurately determines net delays and reduces the number of iterations required.

Method of full semiconductor chip timing closure


A storage device may include a non-volatile memory including a plurality of zones, the non-volatile memory configured to sequentially store data in at least one of the plurality of zones, and a processing circuitry configured to, receive a first write command and first data from a host, the first write command including a first logical address, identify a first zone of the plurality of zones based on the first logical address, compress the first data based on compression settings corresponding to the first zone, and write the compressed first data to the first zone.

Various example embodiments of the inventive concepts relate to a storage device, a storage system, and/or an operating method thereof, and more particularly, to a storage device, a storage system, and/or an operating method thereof, which set a plurality of zones of a non-volatile memory on the basis of an attribute of write data, and compress and store the write data according to a compression method corresponding to the plurality of zones.
A data center may store various pieces of data by using a storage device, such as a solid state drive (SSD), etc., and may provide a service. SSDs may store hot data, which refers to data which is frequently accessed, and cold data, which refers to data which is relatively less accessed. SSDs based on the related art randomly store hot data and cold data without classification therebetween. Therefore, in the SSDs based on the related art, compression efficiency is reduced, and a write amplification factor (WAF) increases due to frequent garbage collection.

Storage device and operating method thereof


A mobile terminal comprises an antenna, radio unit, signal processing unit, signal analyzer unit, received signal information storage unit, and reception quality storage unit. Signal processing unit comprises a received signal processing unit and notified information processing unit, while the received signal information storage unit comprises a common pilot channel information storage unit and common control channel information storage unit. Received signal processing unit measures the reception quality of a common pilot channel and stores it in the common pilot channel information storage unit. Notified information processing unit extracts transmission power of the common pilot channel and common control channel from report information, and then stores them in the common control channel information storage unit. Signal analyzer unit calculates the reception quality of the common control channel and the interference signal level, based on the information stored in the received signal information storage unit.

A CDMA-based mobile terminal, when receiving on an individual traffic channel, conducts closed-loop power control between the mobile terminal and a network so as to optimize the reception quality (JP2001-7761A).
However, since a common control channel (CCCH) for use in call control is shared by users of other mobile terminals, power control cannot be conducted during reception on the common control channel. For this reason, depending on radio environments, reception of the common control channel cannot be performed, in which case the mobile terminal will suffer from a failure in call connection, a delay in connection as a result of re-transmission.

CDMA-based mobile terminal, CDMA-based mobile communication method, and communication quality estimating method


A collapsible storage device includes a collapsible container and a lid for the container. The container includes a plurality of resilient wall panels and a flexible hinge connecting each adjacent pair of wall panels. The container may be foldably converted between a substantially flat collapsed position and a substantially rectangular prismatic expanded position by articulating the wall panels about the flexible hinges. One side of the lid is adapted to cover an opening into the container when the container is in an expanded position. The opposite side of the lid is adapted to receive the substantially flat collapsed container within a recess in the lid.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed toward a device for storing objects, and more particularly a collapsible storage device.
2. Background Art
It is sometimes desirable to have a storage device in which the device is convertible between an expanded position and a collapsed position. In the expanded position, the storage device is capable of retaining objects within an interior space. In the collapsed position, the storage device has less or even no storage capabilities but is more convenient to store because it takes up less space.
One storage device is a collapsible metal box container having a bottom, four sides, and a lid. The bottom and four sides are connected to each other with pin and knuckle hinges, and the lid is connected to one of the sides with pin and knuckle hinges. Each of the bottom and two opposing sides is divided into a pair of opposing triangular segments that are connected to each other with pin and knuckle hinges. The box can be folded or unfolded between an expanded box shape and a substantially flat or planar collapsed shape.
Another storage device is a collapsible cardboard container having a square bottom, four rectangular side walls extending upwardly from the bottom, and an opening opposite the bottom. A removable lid is provided to cover the opening with a peripheral flange fitting about the side walls. Each side wall is separated into three sections, and at least one of the sections of each of the four side walls is divided into a pair of hingedly connected opposing triangular segments. The container may be folded between a collapsed position and an expanded position by twisting the side walls to either fold or unfold the triangular segments.

Collapsible storage device and method of making the same


A strip light assembly including an elongated light carrying member with a series of lights extending along the length thereof, and an elongated translucent tubular cover member in which the light carrying member is removably slidably mounted, the interior of the cover member having radially spaced internal projections positioned to receive the light carrying member therebetween to maintain the light carrying member in selectable different angular orientations in the cover member.

Strip lighting assemblies are used in many different environments. Sometimes it is desirable to be able to readily adjust the angular orientation of the light produced by a strip lighting assembly. Although various ways of doing this have been previously proposed, such prior proposals have not proved to be particularly commercially successful.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a strip lighting assembly with which the angular orientation of the light produced can be readily angularly adjusted.


A container 10 for rearing aquatic animals includes a floor portion 12 which defines a plurality of openings. A wall portion 100 bounds the floor portion 12 to form, together with the floor portion 12, a chamber for receiving the aquatic animals to be reared. A filter 105 is arranged in the openings of the floor portion 12. A closure plate 103 openably closes the openings in the floor portion 12. The invention extends also to a system which includes a plurality of the containers 10. The containers 10 are supported, in a partially immersed state in a vessel of the system. A circulating arrangement of the system circulates water through the containers 10.

Aquatic animals are commonly reared for commercial or research purposes and for the ornamental fish market, as well as (on occasion) for species preservation reasons. Current practices, whether in laboratory conditions or in commercial conditions, for rearing aquatic animals from embryo stages often manifest a mortality rate of more than 80%. Such a figure is typical in the case of zebrafish (Danio rerio) which are popular for use in genetic research and which, as a result, are often bred in laboratories. In genetic research particularly, such a high mortality rate can, result in the extinction of valuable species, strains or constructs, some of which may have an inherently diminished ability to survive. In commerce, this degree of mortality renders many forms of aquaculture marginally economically viable.
There is a growing need for commercial fish farming as many stocks of feral fish types have been fished almost to extinction.
Existing rearing practices leave a lot to be desired. For example, it is common to "catch" the animals being reared from time to time in a mesh sieve, as when transferring them from one container to another. Forced contact with hard surfaces results in perforation of the protective mucus layer of the animal which may result in infection of the animal by micro-organisms including pathogens.
It is undesirable that a growing animal wastes effort (and hence metabolites) in swimming against a current such as those resulting from recirculating equipment as used in the rearing environment.
Certain types of existing rearing containers include devices resembling chemist's separating funnels with a water flow introduced from below and overflowing at the top. There is a significant current, a risk of losses of animals by being caught in the overflow or injury caused by a restrictive screen.
Another rearing device makes use of a plastics box with a "V" shaped notched overflow at one end. Again, animals may be trapped in the overflow or lost from the container through the notch. Bubbles of air are frequently used for aerating and stirring the water but the resulting currents may be too severe for many purposes.
In this specification, the term "aquatic animal" is to be understood, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, as a fresh water or marine water animal and includes vertebrate and invertebrate animals.


A spacecraft system including a spacecraft assembly or “stack” having an upper stage of a rocket-powered launch vehicle providing a final boost phase during launch. The stack also includes a payload structure rotatably interconnected with the upper stage. The upper stage and the payload structure together define a central axis that is generally coincident with the thrust axis during launch. The stack has an axis of maximum moment of inertia that is not parallel to the central axis. The stack has internal damping such that unstable nutation occurs if the upper stage and the payload structure rotate together about the central axis at the same rotational rate and in the same direction. The system includes a controller that rotates the payload structure relative to the upper stage during the final boost phase to alleviate coning motion of the stack.

Satellites or other spacecraft are commonly mounted to a launch-vehicle upper stage that places the satellite in orbit during the final launch or boost phase. Such upper stages have been stabilized by spinning the spacecraft and launch vehicle upper stage together about a spin axis. However, the spacecraft and launch vehicle each typically contain a propellant tank having fluid therein that dissipates kinetic energy, leading to instability. Such instability causes the system's spin axis to deviate from its desired longitudinal orientation, coning further outward during the course of the spin. Even a few degrees of coning can result in several kilometers of error in the final orbit. Incorporating sufficient propellant margin to accommodate such coning can require on the order of about 100 kg of fuel, which the upper-stage tanks may not be able to accommodate. Furthermore, large cone angles can cause significant error in not only altitude but also orbital inclination and ascending node. If the coning becomes severe enough, a complete tumble can result. If this occurs, the spacecraft is generally lost, causing a premature end of the mission. Furthermore, substantial time and resources may be required to predict the coning behavior of a given spacecraft and launch vehicle upper stage. If the launch vehicle and spacecraft (payload) fluid motions are incompatible, extensive analysis, testing and the like may be required.

Momentum stabilized launch vehicle upper stage