Artificial neurons and processing elements for artificial neurons are disclosed. One processing element generates a continuous value signal based on the first plurality of inputs and generates a responsiveness based on a second plurality of inputs. An output value determining portion generates an output signal that is equal to a predetermined value when the responsiveness signal corresponds to a non-responsive and equal to the continuous value signal when the responsiveness signal corresponds to a responsive state. Another processing element produces an output signal having a magnitude equal to zero except during a fixed time after an event when the output signal has a magnitude based on an event time.

It appears that our understanding of neurons is rounded, but it is not. The advancement of the treatment of psychiatric illness is hampered because neuron-neuron interactions that cause animal behavior are poorly understood. Present-day neuron models are unlikely to advance our understanding of how neurons control behavior. These models are also unlikely to lead to the creation of animal-like robots. There are many correlations between animal behavior and levels of specific drugs, for instance. Although many physiological details are known about drug-neuron interactions, there is no mechanistic understanding of how individual neurons interact to produce normal or abnormal behavior either with or without the influence of drugs. Biological research has not yet uncovered the relationship between neuron-neuron interactions and gross features of brain function/dysfunction regarding animal behavior. Therefore, there are not clear indications of how to treat many dysfunctional behaviors. However, because of a general sense that we have a rounded understanding of the neuron and because many drug mechanisms have been highly characterized, we gravitate to drug treatments to modify problematic human interactions with an environment of things, ideas and other people. Aggression, shyness and phobia are a few problematic behaviors that psychiatrists attempt to treat with drugs. These undesirable behaviors arise from a minority of "primed circuits", expedited pathways through chains of neurons. Using drugs, we are not able to modify problematic pathways without affecting beneficial pathways. As an example, drugs such as SSRIs, serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors, known by such brand names as PROZAC, ZOLOFT and PAXIL, are well characterized regarding physiological effects on neurons. It is believed that such drugs can lift depression. Such drugs are not selective for problematic neural circuits, but rather have a selective effect on neuron physiology throughout the brain. Because we do not know how individual neurons interact with one another to produce a normal or a depressed state, we cannot know how an SSRI modifies neuron-neuron interactions causing depression to be lifted. Similarly, neuron-neuron interactions responsible for brain pathologies, such as epilepsy and bipolar disease, remain unknown. The notion of a rounded understanding of the neuron may be inferred by some due to the abundance of "smart machines", machines with "artificial intelligence", pattern-recognition software and "neural networks". It may be assumed by some that these entities have intelligence, like that, which is accepted to be a trait of animals. Therefore, one would deduce that these entities employ a known mechanism of animal neuron-neuron interaction. This is not the case. Present-day machines do not behave like animals. Intelligence devices, chiefly neural networks, which attempt to model the biological neuron, are dependent on computer hardware and software and are one-dimensional, being largely task-specific, requiring the intentional priming of pathways. Supervisory computer programs are often required to direct the behavior of these devices. Computer feedback systems that alter the functioning of these devices to suit a specific task in a specific manner are often required. These devices are static in nature rather than addressing the timing of events. Timing is of critical importance for animals in real environments. Pattern-recognition softwares, though some programs are responsive to temporal patterns, do not use a temporal mechanism to control an environment and do not attempt to model the neuron. Present-day Intelligence devices do not appear to have the ability to evolve a means of creating directed animal-like behavior in machines whether these devices are based on mechanisms used by biological neurons or not.


A Short Message Serving System (SMSC) can be configured to determine a format of a short service message (SMS) message with a read acknowledgement request. The SMSC can also be configured to generate a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) multi-segment short message that includes user data from the SMS message and comprises a plurality of ordered segments. The GSM multi-segment short message can include a read acknowledgement request.

Text messaging, or texting, is the act of composing and sending brief, electronic messages between two or more mobile phones, or fixed or portable devices over a phone network. The term originally referred to messages sent using the Short Message Service (SMS). However, text messaging has grown to include messages containing image, video, and sound content (known as Multi Media Message Service (MMS) messages). The sender of a text message is known as a texter, while the service itself has different colloquialisms depending on the region.
Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS) is a cross-industry collaboration between manufactures of wireless mobile devices and the carriers of wireless subscriber networks. EMS is an application-level extension to the SMS format for wireless phones available on Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks, code division multiple access (CDMA) networks and other networks (e.g. the Internet).
A User Data Header (UDH) is a binary structure which may be present at the start of a short message (e.g., a text message and/or a message with a digital photograph) segment in the Short Message Service (SMS) in a GSM format and/or a CDMA format. A UDH does not contain text of the short message, and the UDH specifies how the short message should be formatted and processed. Additionally, user data in the short message segment can include the text and/or the coding of a picture (e.g., a digital photograph) for the message.

Multi-segment short message with a read acknowledgment request


The single-layered structure of the invention comprises (A) 50 to 97% by weight of a polyolefin, (B) 2 to 45% by weight of a polyamide resin comprising a diamine component and a dicarboxylic acid component and (C) 1 to 45% by weight of a modified polyolefin and/or styrene copolymer. The polyamide resin B is dispersed in layers throughout the single-layered structure. With such a dispersion state of the polyamide resin B, the single-layered structure exhibits excellent fuel barrier properties.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a single-layered structure excellent in fuel barrier properties and a multi-layered shaped article having at least one layer made of the single-layered structure, more particularly, relates to a single-layered structure having a low fuel permeability and an excellent heat resistance which is particularly suitable for the production of containers of alcohol-containing fuels, tubes and parts, and relates to a multi-layered shaped article including at least one layer made of such a single-layered structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In view of lightweight, needlessness of anti-corrosive treatment, wide design liberty, reduction in the number of processing steps, and capability of full automatic production, resin containers formed by blow molding, etc. have come to attract attention as the fuel storage containers and the replacement of metal fuel containers by resin fuel containers is now advancing.
However, since polyethylene (high density polyethylene) hitherto used for resin fuel containers is poor in the fuel barrier properties despite its excellence in mechanical strength, moldability and economy, the fuel containers made of polyethylene cannot meet the recent regulations of fuel permeation from fuel container.
To solve this problem, many proposals have been made on the prevention of the fuel permeation, for example, by a fluorine treatment of the inner surface of containers or a blending of polyamide resin to polyethylene (JP 55-121017A, JP 5-156036A and JP 10-279752). However, the fluorine treatment is now scarcely used because the use of harmful gas requires safety precautions for its handling and troublesome recovery of the harmful gas after treatment. By blending a barrier resin into polyolefin so as to disperse throughout polyethylene in laminar, the fuel permeation can be reduced to some extent. However, the fuel barrier properties are sill unsatisfactory. If the addition amount of the barrier resin is increased, other problems are caused, for example, the absorption ability of crash impact is reduced and the moldability becomes poor, thereby failing to fully meet the regulations which are getting increasingly stringent. The use of alcohols such as ethanol as a fuel has been progressively considered because the use of fossil fuels can be reduced by adding alcohols into gasoline thereby to reduce the carbon dioxide emission. However, since known barrier resins such as nylon 6 and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers show poor barrier properties against alcohols, a material having an enhanced barrier properties is demanded.

Fuel barrier single-layered structure and multi-layered shaped article


A method of dispensing adhesive onto a stretched elastic strand includes applying a first volume of adhesive onto a first portion of the elastic strand, applying a second volume of adhesive onto a second portion of the elastic strand, and applying a third volume of adhesive onto a third portion of the elastic strand. The second volume is less than the first and third volumes. When the elastic strand is adhered to a substrate to form a personal disposable hygiene product, the first and third portions of the elastic strand define opposing ends of the elastic strand, which are adhered with a larger amount of adhesive to resist creep at the opposing ends. The reduction of adhesive in the second or central portion between the opposing ends significantly reduces the adhesive add on in the personal disposable hygiene product.

Liquid adhesive, such as hot melt adhesive, is applied onto various components during manufacture of disposable personal hygiene products such as diapers, adult incontinence products, and feminine hygiene products. Dispensing methods and systems have been developed for applying hot melt adhesive onto various components of the disposable personal hygiene product. In one example, these dispensing systems apply a hot melt adhesive filament to one or more stretched elastic strands, which are then adhered to a nonwoven substrate to form an elasticized portion of the disposable personal hygiene product. Downstream of the dispensing system, the various components (e.g., flat substrate layers and elastic strands) pass through a pressure nip to secure the components together.
Many disposable personal hygiene products include elasticized leg gathers adjacent to leg openings to secure the personal hygiene product against the user's legs and to contain any waste material captured by the personal disposable hygiene product. In these applications, a high level of creep resistance is desirable. "Creep" of an elastic strand is defined as the movement of either end of the elastic strand from an initial location where the end is adhered to a substrate. If an elastic strand undergoes any significant amount of creep after assembly, at least one end of the elastic strand will effectively de-bond from the substrate and reduce the ability of the elasticized portion to remain firmly engaged with the skin surface. To avoid this undesirable creep, a high quality bond must be formed by the adhesive applied to the elastic strand so that the elastic strand does not de-bond from the substrate.
One well understood method of improving the quality of an adhesive bond and thereby reducing creep is by applying additional adhesive on the substrate or the elastic strand(s). However, applying too much adhesive to the elastic strand locks the elastic strand along its length and thereby reduces the effectiveness of the elastic material to apply force to the substrate. In other words, the elastic strand loses the ability to apply sufficient retraction force to the substrate. Moreover, increasing the amount of adhesive used in disposable personal hygiene product manufacturing significantly increases cost and also reduces the "hand" or softness of the resulting product. Applying too much adhesive material may also lead to "burn through," which occurs when the adhesive material burns or melts through the adhered substrate. Consequently, the amount of adhesive used to adhere elastic strands to substrates should be minimized while also maintaining a high level of creep resistance, a high retraction force, and minimized burn through and stiffness.
However, conventional dispensing methods and systems for coating elastic strands in personal disposable hygiene products utilize a constant volume or coating of adhesive along the entire length of the elastic strand(s). As described above, the coating must be sufficient to prevent creep at the opposing ends of the elastic strand(s), and thus, the constant coating adds significant add on weight to the final personal disposable hygiene product. As described above, any excess adhesive add on is undesirable for multiple reasons, including reduced force retraction capability and softness and increased manufacturing cost.
There is a need, therefore, for an adhesive dispensing method and apparatus that addresses one or more of these difficulties and reduces the amount of adhesive used to form elasticized portions of personal disposable hygiene products.

Personal disposable hygiene product including adhesive applied on an elastic strand


Intelligent routing may be provided. First, a second peer via home relay may receive presence information indicating that a first peer is connected to a first foreign relay. Then the second peer may update, in response to the presence information, a routing table to indicate that a primary place to send data to the first peer is the first foreign relay. Next, the second peer may determine from the routing table that the primary place to send the data to the first peer is the first foreign relay. Next, the home relay may receive a request from a second peer to send data to the first peer via the first foreign relay. Then, in response to determining from the routing table that the primary place to send the data to the first peer is the first foreign relay, the data may be sent to the first foreign relay.

A peer-to-peer (P2P) computer network exploits diverse connectivity between participants in a network. Cumulative bandwidth of network participants rather than conventional centralized resources provide the core value to a service or application. Peer-to-peer networks are typically used for connecting nodes via largely ad hoc connections. Such networks are useful for many purposes. For example, sharing content files containing audio, video, data, or anything in digital format is very common, and realtime data, such as telephony traffic, is also passed using P2P technology.
Pure P2P systems do not have clients or servers, but only equal peer nodes that simultaneously function as both "clients" and "servers" to the other nodes on the P2P network. This network arrangement model differs from a client-server model where communication is to and from a central server. A typical example for a non P2P file transfer is a file transfer protocol (FTP) server where the client and server programs are distinct, and the clients initiate download/uploads and the servers react to and satisfy requests.
Hybrid P2P systems extend the core value of the described pure P2P systems by adding "relay" server(s) into the system. Relay servers in a hybrid P2P system enable virtual P2P communications where none are otherwise possible. Examples of hybrid enhanced virtual P2P include situations where peers cannot directly communicate due to: protocol, network topology or firewall issues; asynchronous online/offline peers where neither are online simultaneously; peer online awareness; or network address resolution necessary to establish virtual or direct P2P connections. Within a hybrid P2P system, relays are federated such that one peer's home relay may be another peer's foreign relay. Collectively the federated relays make up the relay routing network and in conjunction with the peers make up the overall hybrid P2P system.

Intelligent routing in a hybrid peer-to-peer system


The present invention can be used in a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor indicating an operating status thereof to a non-safety control device. The present invention allows the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor so as to become a easier operation. The multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor has a control unit to providing a safety control signal representing a result of a distinguish portion in a normal operating status, a safety control signal representing operation non-allowable in an abnormal status and a safety control signal representing operation allowable in a special operating status. The multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor also has an operating status indication portion for determining an operating status of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor from the normal operating status, the abnormal status and the special operating status, and providing the operating status to an external device via the same output line regardless of the result of the determination.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor forming a light curtain for detecting a human body and the like penetrating into a predetermined area. In more detail, the present invention relates to an output of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor provided for a non-safety control device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general cases, a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor for detecting a human body and the like, is utilized where a person can come in contact with a hazardous source, thereby providing safety to the person in view of a machine which is assessed as the hazardous source such as a press machine. The multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor includes: an emitting unit having a plurality of emitting elements arranged in a line; and a receiving unit having a plurality of receiving elements which receive light beams from the plurality of emitting elements and arranged in a line. A light curtain is formed by a plurality of light beams between the emitting unit and the receiving unit, to separate the hazardous source from the other area. In case where an object penetrates into the light curtain, the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor detects that the light beam is intercepted (blocked). In this case, the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor outputs a cutout signal for cutting out a power supply to a motor and the like which drives the hazardous source.
The multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor including various kinds of special functions has been developed. This is shown, for example, in Japanese published patent No. 2003-218679. The special functions are, for example, a muting function, an override function etc. as described below.
The "Muting function" is a function to temporarily disable the detection function of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor in response to a signal received ("muting signal", hereinafter) from an external muting sensor. When the muting function is activated, the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor temporarily provides a safety control signal representing an operation allowable even if the light beam is blocked. In detail, the safety control signal representing the operation allowable is ON state signal.
A photoelectric sensor and a limit switch are suitable for the muting sensor. A status of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is shifted to a status in which the muting function is activated ("muting status", hereinafter) when a condition regarding the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor meets the requirement that all of the light beams of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor pass through in a normal mode (normal operating status), namely the safety control signal is ON state, and the muting signal is received. On the other hand, when the condition regarding the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor does not meet the requirement, for example, a) one of any light beams is intercepted in the normal mode, namely the safety control signal is OFF state or b) an abnormal status is detected by a self check function of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor, a shifting into the muting status is not performed even if the muting signal is received.
The multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor has the self check function for watching fault itself, an abnormal condition from external noises etc. all the time. In case where at least one fault and some abnormal condition is detected by the self check function, a safety control signal representing an operation non-allowable is provided even if all of the light beams for detecting the object are passed through. In some cases, a product line is suspended when a product machine is cut off based on the safety control signal representing an operation non-allowable signal. In such a case, productivity may decrease. On the other hand, the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor outputs the safety control signal representing an operation non-allowable signal in accordance with an improper user's operation for setting an additional function such as the muting function since the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is developed under the fail safe concept.
Referring to FIG. 5, an example of system installing the muting function will be described.
In FIG. 5A, a robot 101 and a processing machine M are disposed in an area surrounded by protective fences. The protective fences have an opening for a path passed by an operator O who carries an object W into the area. The emitting unit 2 and the receiving unit 3 are placed in front of the opening. Consequently, the light curtain, namely a detection area A, is formed corresponding to the opening in order to detect the operator O existing at the opening of the protective fences.
As shown in FIG. 5B, a rotating motion of an arm 102 is locked by a rod 105 of a cylinder 104 when the emitting unit 2 and the receiving unit 3 of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor does not detect an operator O penetrating into the detection area A. Then, the lock status is detected by, for example, an optical sensor 110. The optical sensor 110 is connected to a muting input terminal of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor. Thus, the status of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is shifted to muting status based on the muting signal from the optical sensor 110. Consequently, the operator O is permitted to enter the detection area A to carry the object W on a rest 100.
The robot 101 rotates the arm 102, and provides the object W disposed on the rest 100 in an operation area, and the robot 101 carries it to a processing machine M. The robot 101 is able to rotate only when the rod 105 of the cylinder 104 equipped at a rotating unit 103 as shown in FIG. 5D is located downwardly. The robot 101 is not allowed to rotate in the case of FIG. 5B. Therefore, safety for the operator O in the detection area A is secured although the operator O is located in the detection area A.
In case of restarting of the robot 101 to operate, as shown in FIG. 5C, the operator O goes out from the detection area A and pushes a start button 107 of an operational panel 106. Consequently, the rod 105 moves downwardly as shown in FIG. 5D. Therefore, the muting status is canceled since a requirement for maintaining the muting status is not met based on passing through of the optical sensor 110. In this case, the arm 102 shown in FIG. 5C rotates and puts the object W on the rest 100.
However, for example, in case where the operator O does not exit from the detection area A completely and reaches for the start button 107, a careless stop occurs in that part of the industrial system since the muting status is canceled and the light beam is stilt intercepted by the operator O.
When the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor detects the object on the light curtain, the safety control signal becomes OFF state. This status is an interlock status. There are two ways to return from the interlock status to the normal operating status.
One way is to automatically reset; that is, a requirement for returning to the normal operating status is that all light beams passed through.
The other way is to manually reset; that is, a requirement for returning to the normal operating status is not only that all light beam are passed through, but also that an interlock reset signal is provided. In the case of an interlock by manually reset, an operator pushes an interlock reset button to reset the interlock of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor. However, the operator can not know whether the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor has been prepared for receiving the interlock reset signal or not. The operator does not know whether the interlock was reset or not, either.
To control the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor via a non-safety controller, such as a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) may solve these problems, but safety regulations may not permit one to control the safety component via a non-safety controller. Thus, these problems still remain.

Safety multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor


A method for continuously mixing and degassing liquid, castable media, in particular components of casting resin or a casting-resin component with a filler such as quartz dust, aluminum oxide or dyes, and the equipment with which to implement the method. One object of the invention is to assure that casting-resin components are available in homogeneous and degassed form for further processing by either liquid components or a liquid component and a filler which are metered into a continuous degassing apparatus (1).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method for continuously mixing and degassing liquid, castable media, in particular components of casting resins and, where called for, fillers such as quartz dust, aluminum oxide or dyes, using a continuous degassing apparatus as well as equipment for carrying out the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An apparatus and a procedure for continuously degassing casting resin is known from the German patent document 42 22 695 A1. During the resin casting, the resins or hardeners may have to be mixed with fillers such as quartz dust, Mikrodol (ground dolomite), aluminum oxide and the like, or with further substances such as dyes, and must be degassed under vacuum in order that the products made from such casting-resin formulations, for instance electrically insulating parts, be endowed with the required properties. Whereas the mixtures of the resin/filler or hardener/filler are prepared in so-called formulating operations, and then are delivered to the end processor, other end consumers carry out such formulations of the mixtures of resin/filler or hardener/filler themselves. Typically such operations are carried out batch-wise.
When the end processor implements the formulation, the components as a rule also are degassed, and consequently, material is available batch-wise for processing. If such material is delivered from a formulation operation, it requires being set to the proper temperature and be degassed before being processed. Such a procedure entails uneconomical work stoppages if the consumption of one batch is followed by a wait for a subsequent batch. Therefore, the typical procedure calls for such charges being sufficient for one or two work shifts a day and that replenishment, or new metering and mixing, be carried out in the time remaining, preferably at night. As a result the supply containers and mixers must be commensurately large. If, on the other hand, casting material must be available around the clock, then all batch mixers must be kept ready. These batch mixers are present upstream in front of the supply containers from which the material will then be processed. Besides the corresponding expense in construction, the supplies of material must wait for substantial durations, sometimes hours, prior to procvessing. Moreover, there are significant initial delays until processing starts. Again such batch mixers, even when designed as so-called thin-layer degassing mixers, require comparatively long mixture degassing-times because the better degassed mixture flowing back from the discharge cone into the batch is constantly being mixed with the batch as yet not optimally degassed. Illustratively, such a thin-layer degassing mixer is known from the German patent document 30 26 429 A1.
In the light of the above state of the art, it is the object of the invention to create a method, and implementing equipment as initially defined above, making continuously available components of casting resin in homogeneous and degassed form for further processing. The present invention requires less expensive construction and, as compared to the total amount of material present in the facility, being operative with small and already pre-formulated amounts of material.

Method for continuously mixing and degassing liquid


A system for software development includes a central server comprising a revision control system module; a process server including a process tool module; a local server including a local development environment; and an integration server including a mapping module. The revision control system module includes a plurality of branches. The process tool module is configured to create a ticket indicating a product requirement. The central server is configured to maintain and update the ticket that variably associates the development artifact with a respective one of the branches of the revision control system module. The integration server is configured to copy changes in the ticket stored on the revision control system to the ticket in the process tool module, and accordingly control transitions of the development artifact between the plurality of branches in the revision control system module of the central server.

There are various recognized software development processes and methodologies. For example, the waterfall development methodology (i.e. linear methodology) provides a sequential approach to software development, according to which the development process is divided into various phases. These phases may include requirement analysis, software design, implementation, testing, integration, deployment and maintenance. Every phase of the development process is strictly defined in the beginning of the development process. For each of the phases, only if the particular requirements of the respective phase are met, can the byproduct of the respective phase advance to the next phase. Generally, the waterfall development methodology requires formal approvals and documentations in the beginning and at the end of each phase.
On the other hand, agile software development methodologies do not include the strict structure of, and are more flexible than, the water fall methodology. Agile processes adapt to changes of the project requirements and to particular needs of the project at any given moment. In other words, rather than creating formal documents to iterate and predict the requirements of the development project from beginning to the end, agile processes focus on the needs of the updated software as they evolve. In agile processes, the various phases are not strictly delineated in linear sequential fashion. For example, a testing phase is not necessarily a separate phase that is implemented only after completion of software design. Rather, testing may occur concurrently with designing and implementing other aspects of a development object.
Branching is an agile software development methodology, where each development element is assigned to a separate branch, with various development branches being worked on simultaneously. Branching provides a lot of flexibility, isolation and freedom for developers.

Integration of revision control systems and process tools


An implement for working of the ground or soil and applying seed, fertilizer or other materials into the ground which comprises a blade assembly mountable to an upright tool shank such as to allow at least limited pivotal movement of the blade assembly about a generally vertical axis, the blade assembly comprising blades which extend transversely relative to the shank and which are preferably in a V-shaped configuration, and one or more feed tubes which extend longitudinally of the blade or blades on the rear side thereof for supplying seed, fertilizer or other materials into the ground during the ground or soil working process.

A number of different implements are known which incorporate weeding or cutting knives, sometimes known as sweeps or sweep blades, which in use operate below the surface of soil and which are designed to sever the roots or stems of plants such as weeds or trees as they travel through the soil. In one form the implements are dedicated tools and comprise a rigid cutting blade. Alternatively weeding implements can be in the form of a rod which may be supported from a toolbar trailed from a prime mover such as a tractor so as to extend transversely relative to the direction of travel and which can be driven to rotate about its longitudinal axis. Implements of the above described type are required to be strongly constructed in a heavy gauge such as to carry out their required function. Consequently, these implements tend to disturb the soil more than is necessary or wanted.
Other forms of cutting knives for weeding are either in, or arranged in, a generally V-shaped configuration and secured rigidly to a tool shank normally to the trailing edge thereof. A disadvantage of this form of implement is that when the cutting knives engage roots or stems, the load applied to the knives is transferred as a twisting or torsional load to the tool shank. If the load is too high for example if a large stem or root or other obstruction is encountered by one of the knives, the twisting load transferred to the shank may be sufficient to damage the shank for example break off portion of the shank.
Sowing of seeds is also achieved in many different ways often in combined equipment for example in equipment which uses a plurality of transversely spaced apart furrow forming tynes for penetrating the ground and air seeding apparatus which feeds seeds to respective seed boots which are mounted to the rear of each tyne for supplying seeds into the furrows formed by the tynes. In addition to the supplying of seed, the seed boots may also be used to place fertilizer or other granular/liquid materials into the soil. The above type of equipment requires a plurality of tynes and a similar number of seed boots to feed the seeds/fertilizer into the ground. After a period of time, the mounting of the seed boots to the tynes tends to become worn resulting in significant movement of the seed boots relative to the tynes. This can result in seeds or fertilizer being placed in incorrect positions in the ground particularly when the implement is being used at high speeds.
It would be desirable if an implement was available which addressed one or more of the above disadvantages or which at least provided an effective alternative to the presently known implements. In particular it would be desirable if an implement was available which enabled both working of the soil as well as the application of seeds, fertilizer or other material or liquid into the ground or soil particularly but not exclusively in regions which are not normally capable of being easily cultivated.

Soil working, sowing and fertilizing implement


A regenerative compressed air energy storage system and a using method thereof. The system comprises a compressor unit, a high-temperature heat exchanger, a medium-temperature heat exchanger, an air storage chamber, a regulating valve, a medium-temperature regenerator, a high-temperature regenerator and an expander unit which are connected in sequence. The low-temperature side of the high-temperature heat exchanger, a high-temperature heat reservoir, a first valve, the high-temperature side of the high-temperature regenerator, a high-temperature cold reservoir and a second valve are connected in sequence. The low-temperature side of the medium-temperature heat exchanger, a medium-temperature heat reservoir, a third valve, the high-temperature side of the medium-temperature regenerator, a medium-temperature cold reservoir and a fourth valve are connected in sequence. A heating pipe inlet inside a compressor unit lubrication station communicates with the high-temperature cold reservoir through a high-temperature valve, and a heating pipe outlet communicates with of an intermediate cold reservoir.

The power industry, as a social basic industry, is one of the lifeline industries of national development. With the rapid development of the domestic economy, the demand for electricity is also growing, and thus the difference between peak and valley loads of power grids is gradually widening. An energy storage technology is a critical technology to solve such problems as small capacity and high load fluctuation of distributed energy systems, and is of great significance for the development and improvement of the energy storage structure of the power grids.
A compressed air energy storage system is a widely used energy storage technology. The main principle of the compressed air energy storage system is to store the surplus power at a valley load period of the power system as energy and release it at a peak load period thereof so as to drive an expander to generate electricity. The compressed air energy storage system has such advantages of large capacity, low cost, high safety and reliable operation and is particularly suitable for providing peaking service and capacity backup for the power grid.
The main energy conversion equipment of the compressed air energy storage system comprises a compressor and an expander. The compressor and the expander are provided with pressure-loaded bearings, a high speed gear box and the like. Since these parts require oil lubrication and oil cooling during operation, and thus it must be ensured that an oil system is ready before the compressed air energy storage system operates. Normally, the oil system is allowed to start when the oil temperature of the lubrication station reaches 30 degrees Celsius or higher. However, due to the influence of the ambient temperature, the oil temperature of the lubrication station before starting is usually lower than the allowable starting temperature during most of the year and especially in winter, the lubrication station has a warm-up time of up to half an hour or even longer. However, when the peak-load regulation, especially deep peak-load regulation of the power grid is performed, the response time of a peak-load regulation unit is generally required to be on the order of several minutes. If the response speed of the system is slow, it is impossible to provide high-quality capacity support for the power grid and its technical competitiveness and economy will be greatly compromised. It is obvious that the existing compressed air energy storage system should be optimized to meet the response speed of the grid dispatching better.

Regenerative compressed air energy storage system and using method thereof


To prevent blowing of a fuse resistor due to application of static electricity to a trimming pad. In a fuse trimming circuit capable of switching the input level of a CMOS input circuit by supplying a voltage or a current to a trimming pad so as to blow a fuse resistor, a P-channel MOS transistor is inserted and connected between the trimming pad and the fuse resistor, and the MOS transistor is controlled to be turned on at a time of trimming. Thus, at the time of the trimming, electrical connection can be established between the trimming pad and the fuse resistor. At all times except the time of the trimming, electrical disconnection can be performed between the trimming pad and the fuse resistor if a control signal is not supplied to the control pad. Further, the parasitic diode of the MOS transistor functions as a static protection diode.

Fuse trimming circuits are employed for improving the output accuracy of an internal circuit in a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) (refer to Patent Document 1, for example). A description will be directed to a conventional fuse trimming circuit, with reference to FIG. 5. A fuse trimming circuit 10 includes a CMOS input circuit 11, a fuse resistor 12, a trimming pad 13, a P-channel MOS transistor 14, and N-channel MOS transistors 15 and 16 for static protection. The fuse resistor 12 can be blown by application of a voltage or a current and pulls down a level at the input terminal of the CMOS input circuit 11 to a ground potential GND in an unblown state. The voltage or the current for blowing the fuse resistor 12 is supplied to the trimming pad 13. The P-channel MOS transistor 14 pulls up the level at the input terminal of the CMOS input circuit 11 to a power supply potential VDD in a state where the fuse resistor 12 is blown.
One end of the fuse resistor 12 is connected to the input terminal of the CMOS input circuit 11, and the other end of the fuse resistor 12 is connected to a ground line GND. The trimming pad 13 is connected to the one end of the fuse resistor 12. The source of the MOS transistor 14 is connected to a power supply line VDD. The drain of the MOS transistor 14 is connected to the input terminal of the CMOS input circuit 11. The gate of the MOS transistor 14 is connected to the ground line GND. The drain of the MOS transistor 15 is connected to the power supply line VDD. The source of the MOS transistor 15 is connected to the input terminal of the CMOS input terminal 11. The gate of the MOS transistor 15 is connected to the ground line GND. The drain of the MOS transistor 16 is connected to the input terminal of the CMOS input circuit 11. The source and gate of the MOS transistor 16 are connected to the ground line GND.
When trimming is unnecessary in the fuse trimming circuit 10, the fuse resistor 12 is not blown. Thus, the input terminal of the CMOS input circuit 11 is fixed at an "L" level (the GND potential). When the trimming is necessary, the predetermined voltage or current is supplied to the trimming pad 13, thereby blowing the fuse resistor 12. Thus, the input terminal of the CMOS input circuit 11 is fixed at an "H" level (the VDD potential).
[Patent Document 1]
JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2000-133778A (FIG. 2)


H plane and E plane of a second rectangular waveguide element are inclined at an angle of 45° with respect to H plane and E plane of a first rectangular waveguide element. A connection element disposed between the first and second rectangular waveguide elements has an inner periphery that surrounds a central axis extending in a direction of electromagnetic-wave propagation. The inner periphery includes surfaces parallel to H plane and E plane of the first rectangular propagation path element, and these surfaces form a staircase such that abutting sections between the surfaces parallel to H plane and the surfaces parallel to E plane constitute projections. The staircase is inclined in a direction corresponding to a direction in which H plane of the second rectangular propagation path element is inclined. Accordingly, an electric field is concentrated in the projections of the connection element, and a plane of polarization of an electromagnetic wave propagating through the connection element is rotated from a plane of polarization in the first rectangular waveguide element towards a plane of polarization in the second rectangular waveguide element.

FIG. 14 illustrates a most-commonly-used conventional twisted waveguide, which is a rectangular waveguide having a twisted structure. Since a rapid twisting of a twisted waveguide having such a structure is not allowed during its manufacturing process, the waveguide requires a predetermined length in the propagation direction of an electromagnetic wave. Moreover, the waveguide also requires a large space in the joint portions. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-23201 ("Patent Document 1 ") discloses a structure for solving these problems. Specifically, FIG. 15 illustrates the structure of a twisted waveguide according to Patent Document 1. In this twisted waveguide, a second rectangular waveguide element 2 is attached in a manner such that the second rectangular waveguide element 2 is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a first rectangular waveguide element 1. Furthermore, a resonant window or filter window 3 having a transmission center frequency as a predetermined frequency is disposed between the first rectangular propagation path element and the second rectangular waveguide element 2 such that a plane of polarization is inclined at ½ of the predetermined angle mentioned above.


A fire resistant, forced air cooled enclosure for one or more computer digital data storage devices is provided. An operable digital data storage device is mounted in a fire resistant enclosure. One or more openings are formed in the enclosure. A movable fire resistant hatch is positioned adjacent each of the openings and each hatch is movable between a closed position in which it closes the opening and an open position allowing ambient air to pass therethrough. A fan is positioned either inside or outside of the enclosure for actively driving ambient air through the opening to cool the data storage device. A hatch closure system is provided for closing each of said hatches automatically in the presence of a threshold temperature. The hatch closure system includes a temperature sensitive element which, when activated in the presence of the threshold temperature, causes the hatch to move to its closed position.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus for protecting an operable computer digital data storage device from damage and loss of data in a fire. More particularly, the present invention provides for the first time a compact, forced air cooled, fire resistant enclosure for an operable computer digital data storage device. Typical computer digital data storage devices include computer hard drives, optical disk drives, solid state memory devices, tape drives, computers, or any other device which can actively read and write digital data with the intent of storing and retrieving computerized digital data.
As digital data storage devices become able to store staggering amounts of data, the loss of a digital data storage device in a fire becomes more and more catastrophic. There is clearly a need to provide a compact, reliable fire resistant enclosure for operating digital data storage devices.
The prior art includes a relatively large enclosure for operable digital data storage devices, such as the Engler U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,833, which dissipates heat generated by the digital data storage device through the insulated walls of the container. The Engler design requires a relatively large enclosure since it does not provide any active or fan-driven cooling system. The present invention, in contrast, provides a compact enclosure a fraction of the size of the Engler enclosure. The compact size of the present invention is achieved primarily because of a forced-air cooling system not present in the Engler device.
The prior art includes other digital data storage device enclosures with "passive" cooling systems, such as Pihl et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,341 which cools by convection through a partially open vent door. This technique is "free convection" because no fan or other active device is used to cause the convection. The Kikinis U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,597 utilizes a rather complex, passive heat exchanger with a rather large heat sink structure. That design requires a cumbersome insulation injection mechanism to fill the heat sink space when a threshold temperature is sensed.
The prior art also includes the Kishon et al published U.S. application No. U.S. 2004/0064631 dated Apr. 1, 2004. The Kishon et al device utilizes passive conduction of heat generated by the data storage device through screws to the device cover (see paragraph [0021]). This technique is limited by the relatively low amount of heat transferable through the metal screws. The active, fan-driven cooling provided by the present invention achieves a much greater cooling capacity.
The prior art also includes forced air cooling systems for operational digital data storage drives, but not used together with a compact, fire resistant enclosure.
The present invention provides a compact fire resistant enclosure having one or more fire resistant movable hatches. In its open position, the movable hatch provides inlet and/or exhaust passage for ambient air. A fan driven cooling system (also referred to as "forced convection") actively cools the digital data storage device with ambient air. As used herein and in the claims, the word "fan" and the phrase "fan means" are used broadly to include bladed fans, squirrel cage fans, blowers, impellers and other active devices used to cause forced convection currents of air. When a predetermined temperature is sensed, the movable hatch or hatches automatically close. The mechanism for closing the hatch can be, without limitation, a temperature sensitive element such as an eutectic metal, plastic, rubber, chemical, liquid, solid or wax that melts or expands at a specific temperature and causes the hatch to close. The temperature sensitive element can be used together with actuation springs that expand or contract to close the hatch. The temperature sensitive element could also support the top of the enclosure and gravity close the hatch when the element melts. Alternately, the movable hatch or vent door may be electronically closed by a solenoid wherein the solenoid is actuated by a thermocouple or other element when a specific temperature is sensed. Other electronic actuation means or other passive methods (temperature sensitive elements) may also be utilized to automatically close the hatch or vent door. Furthermore, another embodiment is to provide air inlet and exhaust ports or passageways that are automatically closed, either actively (electronic actuation) or passively (temperature sensitive elements), when a specific temperature is sensed. Another variation is to cause the top (or upper wall) of the enclosure to open and close by either being hinged along one edge, for example, or by providing a moving portion of the top (or upper wall) of the enclosure. The "temperature sensitive element" is either an eutectic metal, wax, plastic, rubber, chemical, liquid, solid, electronic sensor or electronic actuator, for example. In addition, multiple data storage devices may be "rack mounted" in a single enclosure.
In each of the embodiments described herein, a temperature sensitive element is "activated" in the presence of a threshold temperature. For example, a meltable tab is activated by melting, a solenoid coupled to a temperature sensor is activated by either extending or retracting its arm in response to the temperature sensor, and an evaporative material is activated by expanding in the presence of the threshold temperature.
A primary object of the invention is to provide a fire resistant enclosure for an operable digital data storage device having a forced air cooling system capable of cooling large capacity data storage devices.
A further object of the invention is to provide a fire resistant enclosure for an operating digital data storage device having an extremely reliable sensing and actuation system with minimum moving parts.
A further object of the invention is to provide a fire resistant enclosure for an operable digital data storage device which substantially reduces or eliminates false alarms and the associated damage and mess created by prior art systems in the event of a false alarm.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a fire resistant enclosure for one or more operating computer digital data storage devices, which is relatively small in size while simultaneously having a large capacity for cooling the data storage device.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawings wherein:

Fire resistant, forced air cooled enclosure for computer digital data storage device


A hydrogel-lightguide based sensory system susceptible to a stimulus signal produced by ambient and stimulating sensory cells embedded in a hydrogel body of the system. Sensory cells generate an optical signal (in response to a user-defined triggering with excitation light or, alternatively, due to bioluminescence) the properties of which, determined based on detection of such signal with an optical detector device, provide characterization of the stimulus and information required for user-defined activation of emitter cells encapsulated in the hydrogel. When activated, emitter cells generate matter and/or light directed to interact with the ambient.

As the autonomous building block of the body, cells are known to have abilities to sense the local ambient environment and respond to external chemical and physical cues. Cells are also known to secret cytokines and hormones that are critical for homeostasis and useful for therapeutic purposes. Efforts have been made to employ these cellular functions for diagnosis and treatment by injecting specialized cells or implanting bioengineered cells in biological tissue, for example in patients. To make use of the cellular functions of so implanted specialized cells, it is often necessary to establish communication with these cells from a distance to be able to send regulatory control signals to the specialized cells or to receive signals, from these cells, that represent the cells' sensory response to the ambient.
Light offers an attractive means of communication with the cells in the biological system. Despite the great promise of light-mediated, cell-based sensing and therapy, there remain challenges that currently available phototherapeutic modalities have not overcome. Such challenges include high optical loss in the biological tissue due to scattering and absorption, a need to dispose the specialized cells in close proximity of the targeted biological tissue, low spatial density with which these specialized cells can be juxtaposed with the biological tissue (which leads to the need to illuminate these cells and collect cells' sensory signals at low intensity levels), and a need to removably bring the source of light (for example, an optical fiber) irradiating the specialized cells in contact with or inside the tissue itself, to name just a few.
There remains, therefore, a need in a methodology that facilitates light delivery into cells implanted in a biological tissue at at least dermatological depths or deeper (in order to, for example, photo-activate light-matter interaction processes in the tissue), that overcomes the abovementioned challenges, and that does not cause trauma associated with a post-irradiation removal of the light-delivery system from the tissue.

Light-guiding hydrogel devices for cell-based sensing and therapy


A device and method for providing a load calculating device is presented. In one embodiment, a load calculating device can include a variable acquiring unit configured to acquire monitoring variables. The monitoring variables can include in a detected value by a sensor monitoring a state of a circuit board and a performance characteristic obtained by a tool monitoring performance of the circuit board. The device can also store a first statistical model that is one of a regression model, an occurrence frequency distribution and a probability distribution; a second storage configured to store a second statistical model that is one of a regression model, an occurrence frequency distribution and a probability distribution. An arithmetic processor can then be used to calculate the intermediate variable from the monitoring variables according to the first statistical model and calculate the physical quantity from calculated intermediate variable according to the second statistical model.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a load calculating device and a load calculating method which estimate a physical quantity relating to a failure phenomenon at least one place on an circuit board located in an electronic apparatus while the electronic apparatus is in operation, to execute a load calculation or fault diagnosis on the circuit board on the basis of the estimated physical quantity.
2. Related Art
Electronic apparatuses may be subjected to loads resulting from physical or chemical effects associated with a manufacture, test, or use environment. An electronics circuit board in the electronic apparatus may thus be damaged depending on the design thereof. For the electronics circuit board, it is expected that in response to demands for reduced size and thickness, improved performance, and multifunctionality, elements will be three-dimensionally mounted in the circuit board, components will be built into the circuit board, signals of greater capacities will be transmitted at higher speeds, and the elements generate a greater quantity of heat. Thus, the electronics circuit board may be at a higher risk for possible failures such as thermal fatigue damage to solder junctions, inappropriate insulation resulting from electromigration or whisker, element cracks, damage to micro-junctions, swelling or stripping of resin, and damage to wiring. Further, users' various purposes of utilization of the electronics circuit board further increase the uncertainty of the estimation of loads, which is important in reliability design. In the reliability design, the estimation of the load in a field (user specifications) is important in correctly understanding acceleration factors for reliability test conditions for field (user specification) conditions. However, for digital information apparatuses, users have various purposes of utilization, so that in more and more cases, the conventional estimation conditions for the field load fail to correspond to reality. Thus, a new method for reasonably calculating the field load is required. It is also important to inform the user of load history or a performance degradation condition while the apparatus is in use or when the apparatus is found faulty because this gives the user a feeling of security.
The failure phenomenon estimation problem involves a tradeoff between a plurality of failure modes and is complicatedly associated with a large number of parameters. It is thus difficult to determine how to deal with the problem only on the basis of local examinations. This is likely to result in the following ad-hoc determinations or actions without sufficient analysis of data structures; "the factors should be subjected to regressive analysis", "the high correlation coefficient is expected to indicate a strong association", "the average should to be taken in order to eliminate variations", "this factor may have an impact and should thus be slightly weighted", or "the physical quantity for a particular place should be used as a performance index". For individual problems that have been sufficiently verified by failure phenomenon analysis, such an itemized design method often leads to high-performance processes owing to calibration data accumulated for many years. Further, such quick, responsive guidelines are important in a chaotic time of foundation. However, failure estimating methods or reliability designing methods overly adapted to the individual problems are often readily affected by a variation in circumstances or conditions. Furthermore, such a method has difficulty dealing quickly with new problems, possibly reducing general efficiency. It is thus important to provide uniform formulation for parts independent of the specialty of the problem as well as design guidelines for load and reliability modeling.
Related documents include Proc. 1974 Symp. on Mechanical Behavior of Material (T. Endo et al. (1974), pp. 371), Collected Papers of the Japan Society for Mechanical Engineers (Ippei USU, Hiroyuki OKAMURA, A, Vol. 44, No. 386, (1978), pp. 3322), and Hierarchical Bayes Model and Related Matters (Takashi MATSUMOTO, Makio ISHIGURO, Toshiro INUI, Kunishi TANABE, Iwanami Shoten, 2004).

Load calculating device and load calculating method


This disclosure provides a person support formed from an elastomeric composition. The elastomeric composition includes a polymer blend with the polymer blend consisting essentially of a first and second SEEPS copolymer. The first and second SEEPS copolymers are present in the polymer blend in an amount of from 75 to 95 percent by weight and 5 to 25 percent by weight, respectively, based on the total weight of the polymer blend. In addition, the sum of the first and second SEEPS copolymers in the polymer blend is 100 percent by weight. The first and second SEEPS copolymers have a weight average molecular weight of weight of at least 200,000 and 125,000 to 175,000, respectively. The disclosure also provides a patient support for supporting a patient with the patient support formed from the elastomeric composition.

Many patient supports (e.g., mattresses) are designed to minimize pressure on the body, yet remain inadequate. Ideally, a patient support should provide a nearly uniform pressure plateau over a wide range of displacements that result from patients of varying body weights using the patient support. Instead, many patient supports tend to have an extended elastic response (for lighter weight patients) or densification and bottoming out of the patient support (for heavier weight patients). Both scenarios are undesirable.
A patient support having a new and improved formulation designed to address one or more of the aforementioned deficiencies is desired.

Patient support formed from an elastomeric composition including a polymer blend of seeps copolymers


A method and system to rapidly, passively, range and track maneuvering airborne emitters (enemy targets and threats) for tactical fighters using batch based recursive estimators for track initialization and track maintenance that includes providing information processing that has angle and signal amplitude data, threat database, and feedback from pilot cue analysis. The system includes pilot cue analysis which computes airborne emitter (target and threat) heading and corresponding accuracy to determine if sufficient accuracy is available to present the pilot with proper pilot cue options. The first stage is a range bank also called a compound parallel hypothesis evaluator and the second stage is an interactive multi-model. Both stages provide for the output of the algorithm to be a range measurement and an associated confidence factor. The algorithm inputs azimuth angle elevation angle and range and is capable of inputting data from three different data pre-processors (i.e., sensor data fusion).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to aircraft such as tactical fighter aircraft that can employ passive technology for early target detection and target tracking, and specifically to an improved method and system that enhances the. implementation of tactical fighter configuration data and sensor assets for maneuvering or non-maneuvering airborne RF emitters, which represent targets or threats, to enhance the tactical fighter's ability to either avoid or intercept and destroy targets.
Using only a fighter aircraft's passive RF multifunction aperture azimuth measurements along with prescribed fighter aircraft maneuvers, the invention provides an ability to meet passive geolocation quality performance against an active airborne RF emitter (threat. or target). Geolocation involves estimating the target's state vector and error covariance which basically includes range, speed, heading azimuth and elevation.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern warfare requires the airborne defense of military and civilian targets, typically by tactical fighters, whose job is to seek out and destroy incoming enemy aircraft seeking to destroy friendly military and civilian complexes, whether on ground or at sea. At the current speeds and aircraft stealth configurations of potential target aircraft, there exists a critical need for rapid but accurate passive range target speed and heading estimates in order to prioritize incoming aircraft threats, avoid them, and possibly target them. The complex problem provides for a total integration of all of the tactical fighter's onboard and remote assets. The entire weapon system, which includes remote support help with communications and radar, must be completely integrated and used with all the on board aircraft equipment, including ownship and wingmen systems to maximize the ability of the tactical fighter to destroy enemy targets.
A very important aspect of current warfare for airborne weapon systems is to employ passive systems to avoid detection by the oncoming targets. It is felt that current systems based on onboard ownship weapons and information systems have not utilized bootstrap capability of an entire weapon system that. incorporates all of the tactical fighter's on board assets in addition to the remote assets. The prior art shows in U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,541 issued Apr. 18, 1995, a method and system for recognizing targets at long ranges. One of the drawbacks of the system described in this patent is the fact that the system is not completely passive, and does not take advantage of all of the weapon system assets available.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,867 issued Mar. 28, 2002, shows a tracking system that includes an apparatus and process for early target detection that uses the passive infrared tracking capability of infrared radiation emitted from a flying target and for generating a succession of line-of-sight (LOS) or LOS rate signals that are stored in a database. The electromagnetic finder in the system is configured to operate at first detection threshold for receiving relatively low magnitude reflections. Estimations are made of LOS and first-stage data, facilitating early steering of the interceptor for dually homing onto the target. Again, there is no bootstrapping of the entire ownship system capabilities to solve the overall problem.
The successful operation and maneuvering of a tactical fighter in an actual battle scenario places a tremendous amount of work on the pilot and flight crews to accomplish a successful operation, intercepting and destroying an enemy bomber or fighter. In addition to the safe operational management of the aircraft itself, there is the requirement of a continuous and instantaneous situational awareness of the threat environment, and especially the early warning detection of targets or potential targets to allow ownship and wingmen to achieve either target avoidance or interception and weapon deployment passively in the most efficient and potentially successful intercept. In today's weapons environment, it is also a requirement that ownship and wingmen typically are in a passive mode to avoid detection themselves from the incoming targets.
Thus, each tactical fighter, which often includes two aircraft, ownship, and wingmen, have configuration data and sensor assets which can be used for passively initializing potential target tracks and provide passive range estimates of estimated quality for these initialized tracks and to sustain or maintain or drop the tracks, whether it be for maneuvering or non-maneuvering incoming airborne RF emitters, which could be either threats or real targets.
The present invention provides for a solution of this problem, which includes providing a method and system for a flyable airborne emitter (target) location solution in the cockpit by bootstrapping batch maximum likelihood (ML), probabilistic data association filter (PDAF), and recursive interacting multiple model (IMM) methodologies that use 1) noisy electronic warfare (EW), 2) interferometer measurements, such as the cosine of cone angle, 3) pulse descriptor word (PDW) data, 4) priority mission data, 5) real time mission constraints, and 6) available real time track information from other on board avionics and off board information sources. By utilizing the present invention, the entire weapon system on board ownship and wingmen abilities are enhanced to attain the most rapid and accurate passive range estimates.
The present invention involves the enhancement and modification in order to bootstrap the approach presented in IEEE paper entitled "Bearings—Only Tracking of Maneuvering Targets Using a Batch Recursive Estimator," published in IEEE Transactions On Aerospace And Electronic Systems, Volume 37, No. 3, July 2001. The information presented in this article is incorporated into this patent application by reference. The paper approach describes a batch recursive estimator for tracking maneuvering targets from bearings-only measurements in clutter, such as low signal-to-noise ratio targets. The approach was used to combine batch maximum likelihood probabilistic data association (ML-PDA) estimator with the recursive interacting multiple model (IMM) estimator with probabilistic data association (PDA) to result in better tracking initialization, as well as track maintenance results in the presence of clutter. The methodology describes also how batch recursive estimator can be used for adaptive decisions for ownship maneuvers based on target state estimation to enhance target observability.
The present invention provides a method and system that can bootstrap the approach presented in this article to greatly enhance passive range convergence. The present invention also deals with the inner workings of the interacting multiple model.
The high level block diagram defining the IEEE AES paper is shown in FIG. 1. The methodology discloses track initialization (maximum likelihood probabilistic data association filter) and track maintenance (interacting multiple model PDAF with amplitude information) pieces. The real time measurement inputs are noisy angle measurements and signal amplitude. The output is a range estimate and quality factor. This approach will be limited and range conversion slow. The IEEE AES paper approach does make for an excellent basis to develop the invention by bootstrapping architecture as described below. When looking at FIG. 1, the IEEE AES paper approach shows angle and signal amplitude data, which is fed to a track initialization and track maintenance data. The final result is range estimate and quality factor. One of the limitations is that in the IEEE AES paper, only the angle and signal amplitude data are used. The internal design parameters are fixed, so no real time adaptive capability is available.
In current tactical fighter aircraft, for pilot situational awareness, there are various pilot cue analyses that are provided in the form of heads-up display and other cockpit information devices that clearly show numerous variables to the pilot concerning the status of the aircraft and the attitude. Using the pilot cue analysis and the information given to the pilot, both in ownship and wingmen, with the present invention, an entire mission system's functionality can be provided that takes advantage of all the information available to ownship.
This invention provides the innovative use of the interacting multiple model (IMM) Kalman filter-based algorithm in two stages. The ability to meet passive geolocation quality performance against an active airborne emitter (target) using only fighter aircraft passive RF multifunction aperture azimuth measurements along with the prescribed fighter aircraft maneuvers is achieved. The geolocation involves estimating the target state vector and error covariance. Stage one includes monitoring the measurement residuals by processing measured multifunction aperture (MFA) azimuth and elevation when available data over a set of candidate initial state vectors to weed out improbable geolocation solutions (and converge to the most likely) to effectively initialize the Kalman filter state vector. In stage two, the invention continues processing the subsequent angle measurements in the two-model interactive multiple model whereby the airborne target dynamics are modeled as (1) straight (i.e., constant speed and heading) and (2) undergoing maneuver (i.e., heading change) over a brief period of time. The present invention then overall enhances a tactical fighter aircraft's ability to intercept and destroy incoming targets.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Passive RF, single fighter aircraft multifunction aperture sensor, air to air geolocation

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


Disclosed herein are new prognostic molecular markers for prostate cancer. More specifically, the invention has identified that overexpression or amplification of at least one of AURKA or MYCN define a distinct subgroup of prostate cancer that is predisposed to the development of lethal NEPC, who will benefit from early intervention.

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an aggressive subtype of prostate cancer that can arise de novo, but much more commonly arises after hormonal therapy for prostate adenocarcinoma (PCA) (PALMGREN et al., Semin Oncol., 34:22-9 (2007)). It is known that the amount of neuroendocrine differentiation increases with disease progression and correlates with patient exposure to long-term androgen deprivation therapy. NEPC reportedly differs histologically from PCA, and is characterized by the presence of small round blue neuroendocrine cells, which do not express androgen receptor (AR) or secrete prostate specific antigen (PSA), but usually express neureondocrine markers such as chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and neuron specific enolase (NSE)(WANG et al., Am J Surg Pathol., 32:65-71 (2008)). The prostate cancer specific TMPRSS2-ERG gene rearrangement (TOMLINS et al., Science, 310:644-8 (2005)) has been reported in approximately 50% of NEPC (LOTAN et al., Mod Pathol. (2011)), similar to the frequency in PCA (MOSQUERA et al., Clin Cancer Res., 15:4706-11 (2009)). This suggests clonal origin of NEPC from PCA and distinguishes NEPC from small carcinomas of other primary sites LOTAN et al., Mod Pathol. (2011), SCHEBLE et al., Mod Pathol., 23:1061-7 (2010), WILLIAMSON et al., Mod Pathol. (2011)). The poor molecular characterization of NEPC accounts in part for the lack of disease specific therapeutics.
The development of treatment related neuroendocrine prostate cancer (t-NEPC, also referred to as anaplastic prostate cancer) is thought to drive approximately 25% of the nearly 34,000 cases/year of lethal prostate cancer in the United States (Jemal et al., CA Cancer J. Clin 61(2): 69-90, 2011). However, because t-NEPC is under-recognized and patients are rarely biopsied to make the diagnosis, this number may actually be higher. Data from autopsy studies suggests that the incidence of t-NEPC may be significantly underestimated (Brawn and Speights, Br J Cancer 59(1):85-88, 1989). With the introduction of new highly potent androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapies into the clinic, the incidence of t-NEPC will likely escalate. Patients who develop t-NEPC have an aggressive clinical course, often develop visceral or lytic bone metastases, responds only transiently to chemotherapy, and most survive less than one year (PALMGREN et al., Semin Oncol., 34:22-9 (2007)). t-NEPC is becoming an important entity to recognize as all patients eventually develop resistance.

Molecular subtyping, prognosis and treatment of prostate cancer


A laminated dielectric filter is formed by coupling a plurality of resonators to one another by electromagnetic-field coupling. In the laminated dielectric filter, a bypass circuit formed of a series circuit including bypass capacitors and transmission lines is provided in parallel to a magnetic-field bypass coupling between non-adjacent resonators. Thus, capacitance of the bypass capacitors can be regulated without being affected by the magnetic-field bypass coupling between the non-adjacent resonators. As a result, attenuation poles outside a passband can be controlled freely.

Recently, with reduction in size of communication equipment, laminated dielectric filters effective for size reduction are used commonly as high-frequency filters. One example of conventional laminated dielectric filters is described with reference to drawings as follows.
FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of a conventional laminated dielectric filter. The conventional laminated dielectric filter shown in FIG. 4 includes dielectric layers 301, shield electrodes 302a and 302b, resonator electrodes 303a, 303b, and 303c, capacitor electrodes 304a, 304b, 305a, 305b, 307a, 307b, and 307c, and side electrodes 308a, 308b, 308c, 308d, 309a, and 309b. In the dielectric layers 301, the shield electrode 302a, the resonator electrodes 303a, 303b, and 303c, the capacitor electrodes 304a, 304b, 305a, 305b, 307a, 307b, and 307c, and the shield electrode 302b are positioned sequentially. In addition, the side electrodes 308a and 308b on the left and right side faces of the dielectric body connect the shield electrodes 302a and 302b to form ground terminals. The side electrode 308c on the back face of the dielectric body connects the shield electrodes 302a and 302b and a common short-circuit end of the resonator electrodes 303a, 303b, and 303c to form a ground terminal. The side electrodes 308d on the front face of the dielectric body connect the capacitor electrodes 307a, 307b, and 307c corresponding to the open ends of the resonator electrodes 303a, 303b, and 303c, respectively. The side electrodes 309a and 309b on the left and right side faces of the dielectric body are connected to the capacitor electrodes 304a and 304b to form input/output terminals.
The structural view of the laminated dielectric filter thus configured is shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. FIG. 5A is its left side view and FIG. 5B its front view. FIGS. 5A and 5B also show schematic capacitors formed between electrodes formed on an upper surface of a dielectric layer and electrodes formed on an upper surface of another dielectric layer, which oppose each other, respectively.
An equivalent circuit of the conventional laminated dielectric filter shown in FIGS. 4, 5A and 5B can be illustrated as shown in FIG. 6. The resonator electrodes 303a, 303b, and 303c form front end short-circuit ¼ wavelength resonators R303a, R303b, and R303c as shown in FIG. 6. The open ends of the resonators R303a, R303b, and R303c are connected to the ground terminals via the loading capacitor elements C307a, C307b, and C307c, respectively. The open ends of the resonators R303a and R303b are connected to each other via an inter-stage coupling capacitor element C305a and the open ends of the resonators R303b and R303c via an inter-stage coupling capacitor element C305b. Furthermore, the resonators R303a and R303c on the outer sides are connected to the input/output terminals via input/output coupling capacitor elements C304a and C304b, respectively.
Therefore, the laminated dielectric filter shown in FIG. 4 functions as a bandpass filter with the one ends of the capacitor elements C304a and C304b serving as the input/output ends. In addition, two attenuation poles are formed by a parallel resonance circuit formed of the inter-stage coupling capacitors C305a and C305b and magnetic-field couplings 401a and 401b occurring between the resonators R303a and R303b and between the resonators R303b and R303c. The frequencies of the attenuation poles depend on inter-stage coupling capacitance and the magnitude of the magnetic-field couplings, i.e. resonant gaps.
In the configuration as described above, however, the resonators R303a and R303c on the both sides bypass the resonator R303b positioned at the center to be coupled directly to each other by a magnetic-field coupling as indicated with the numeral 401c. Therefore, frequency characteristics of the two attenuation poles vary and thus the characteristics as designed cannot be obtained. The magnetic-field coupling 401c is determined uniquely when the magnetic-field couplings 401a and 401b are determined, i.e. when the resonant gaps are determined. Consequently, the two attenuation poles cannot be controlled freely while consideration is given to the magnetic-field coupling 401c.

Laminated dielectric filter, and antenna duplexer and communication equipment using the same


A headrest support system comprises a seatback support frame having an upper cross member adapted to support a headrest. The cross member has opposite top and bottom surfaces with axially aligned holes formed therethrough. A headrest guide sleeve is received through each of the axially aligned holes formed in the cross member to coupled the headrest to the support frame. The holes include outward extending flanges defining an inner contact surface for engaging and supporting the headrest guide sleeve.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a headrest support system for an automotive seat assembly, and more particularly, to a tubeless headrest support system for an automotive seat assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automotive seat assemblies generally include a seat cushion interconnected with a seatback wherein the seatback may be pivotally moveable with respect to the seat cushion. The seatback generally includes a seatback frame over which is placed a foam pad and trim covering material. Typically, an adjustable headrest is operatively coupled to the seatback frame for movement by an occupant of the seat assembly. The headrest generally includes a headrest support portion mounted on a pair of elongated support posts. Each of the posts are received within cylindrical headrest guide sleeves for providing selective vertical adjustment of the headrest relative to the seat back. The seatback frame includes an upper cross member for supporting the headrest above the seatback.
Common practice in the automotive industry includes welding or attaching short vertical tubes to the upper cross member of the seatback frame for receiving the headrest guide sleeves that interact with the headrest posts and mounted the headrest to the seatback. The tubes, however, are relatively expensive and are subject to misalignments and distortion when welded to the seatback frame. For example, it is known in the art that heating of the tube structures during a welding operation can cause a geometric distortion resulting in a misalignment with a headrest support posts and causing high operating efforts when the headrest height is adjusted by the occupant of the vehicle.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a cost effective and geometrically reliable headrest support system.


A system and method for providing a plurality of interconnects for a microcircuit is disclosed. The microcircuit has a plurality of functional components. The method and system include determining the placement of each of the plurality of functional components and determining a width of each of the plurality of interconnects. The determination of the width is based on a capacitance between each interconnect and a portion of the plurality of interconnects.

Interconnects are utilized to carry signals from one portion of a microcircuit to another portion of the microcircuit. All circuits have a delay associated with them. A portion of this delay is due to the interconnects, which introduce a delay when transmitting a signal from one component in the circuit to another. The delay introduced by an interconnect is related to the geometry of the interconnect, the resistance of the interconnect, the load on the interconnect, the capacitance of the interconnect to ground, and any coupling between the interconnect and other structures or interconnects in the circuit. For example, the delay due to the capacitance of the interconnect is related to the time taken to charge or discharge the capacitance. The delay due to the interconnect also relates to the voltage input to the interconnect, the resistance of the interconnect and the driving current of the transistor charging or discharging the interconnect. It any microcircuit, a reduction of the delay is beneficial to performance. Thus, it is desirable to minimize the delay introduced by interconnects.
When designing a logic circuit, the structure for and position of interconnects in the logic circuit are generally determined automatically by a router. Typically, the pitch, and width of an interconnect as well as the separation between interconnects are assigned by the router. The pitch is sum of the width of an interconnect and the space between interconnects. The width of each interconnect is typically fixed. Using the fixed width of each interconnect, the position and length of each interconnect, as well as the separation between each interconnect can be determined. The circuit can then be fabricated using the output of the router.
Because the width of the interconnect is fixed, the delay introduced due to the interconnect can be reduced. In order to reduce delays due to interconnects, conventional systems try to minimize interconnect length, and consequently, indirectly try to reduce the contribution of delay due to interconnect. What is needed to reduce this delay are more flexible routers which can also vary the width of interconnect lines. The present invention addresses such a need.

Method and system for providing an interconnect layout to reduce delays in logic circuits


Disclosed herein is an apparatus configured to log transactions of a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) into a software-accessible buffer. The apparatus includes a memory management unit (MMU) configured to translate a logical memory address to a physical memory address for accessing a physical memory. The apparatus also includes a TLB configured to store a plurality of entries, where each entry includes a logical memory page address and an associated physical memory page address. The apparatus further includes a software-accessible buffer and a TLB event logging circuit configured to detect an event associated with an entry of the TLB and store information regarding the detected event in the software-accessible buffer.

In a modern computer system, an operating system often assigns physical memory to serve as virtual memory for various user applications. Using virtual memory in a computer system allows memory protection and the extension of physical memory beyond the main memory, such as dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), in a computer system. Thus, a processor generally runs user applications using virtual memory addresses. However, physical memory, such as a cache or main memory, is addressed using physical addresses. Therefore, a memory management unit (MMU) is usually used by a CPU to translate the virtual memory addresses to physical memory addresses before a physical memory can be accessed by the user application through the CPU. Similarly, for input/output (I/O) devices, such as graphic cards, an input/output memory management unit (IOMMU) may be used to translate device addresses into physical addresses in the main memory. In a virtualized environment, a hypervisor may assign host physical memory to a virtual machine, which may run a user application that uses guest virtual memory addresses. Thus, address translations may also be needed in the virtualized environment.
The translations between virtual memory addresses and physical memory addresses are usually stored in a page table in the main memory due to the size of the page table. However, accessing the page table in the main memory is not as fast as desired. To speed up the address translation, a MMU may store recent translation results into local buffers or caches called translation lookaside buffers (TLBs), which can be accessed much faster than the main memory.

Real-time memory-page state tracking and its applications


A brake device includes a first member having holders, each of the holder configured to be in contact with a corresponding rolling body and hold the rolling body rotatably; a second member provided in contact with the rolling body and configured to rotate the rolling body in the holder according to a relative displacement with the first member; and a pressing mechanism configured to press the first member and the second member against each other. This makes it possible appropriately to set performance regardless of, for example, a projecting area of a surface of the first member, the surface being pressed by the second member.

As a conventional brake device such as a disk brake, for example, Patent Literature 1 discloses friction surface coating for a friction material of a brake device, in which a pad friction flat-surface of a brake pad is pressed against the disk friction flat-surface of a disk rotor rotating together with a wheel, and braking force is applied to the wheel by virtue of frictional force between the disk friction flat-surface and pad friction flat-surface according to the sliding of the one flat-surface against the other.

Brake device, friction couple for brake device, and brake pad


The cervical collar has three principal pieces: a back panel, a main collar body, and a chin piece. The chin piece is permanently attached to the main collar body and is only attached at its ends to the main collar body so that the center portion of the chin piece can adjust to chin configuration. The back panel engages behind the neck and is tightened with respect to the main collar body to properly support the patient's head and protect the cervical spine. The chin piece adjusts to the patient's chin configuration because it is sufficiently flexible and only supported away from the chin area. Each of the pieces has a foam cushioning layer.

When a human body is stressed, such as by injury, various kinds of damage may occur. Stress to the cervical vertebrae may cause nerve damage and, when that high on the spinal cord, nerve damage can lead to significantly debilitating paralysis. The extent of paralysis is related to which particular cervical vertebra is adjacent to the damaged nerve. Therefore, it is essential to provide a cervical collar which properly supports the head and neck of an accident victim until the scope and nature of the damage is determined.

Cervical collar with end-supported chin strap


A bifurcated toothbrush having two brush carrying members angled with respect to one another at the working end of the toothbrush handle. Each brush is designed for a distinct purpose and the brushes are spaced at a sufficient distance from one other to move the cheek or tongue away from the surface being brushed.

Most toothbrushes of the prior art include one handle and one brush. There have been variations on both the handle and their brushes. For example, prior art inventors have suggested curved and angled handles. They have also advanced other toothbrushes of varied shapes and designs. In more recent times, hygienist and dentist groups have recognized the inadequacies of prior art brushes. For instance many brushes do not properly access all difficult to reach areas for total teeth cleaning and gum massage. Because of these needs, brushes with cone shape bristles, some with straight or angled handles, and other variations in brushes have been presented to the public. However, most users resist using more than one brush for a single cleansing.
The present invention relates to a toothbrush that improves access to the subgingival and interproximal areas of teeth in inaccessible but frequently diseased areas of the mouth. This aids in plaque removal. A further functional property of the brush is that it provides the user with improved visibility of the buccal surfaces of the molars by lifting the cheek laterally and posteriorly out of the way during use. The brush utilizes the anatomy of the teeth, oral structures and the ergonomics and habits of adults during home oral hygiene procedures.


An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a plurality of apertures receiving a plurality of terminals having pin portions projecting from the housing for insertion into complementary holes in a printed circuit board. At least some of the terminals are mounted in the housing for movement between first and second positions in response to mounting the connector to the printed circuit board. In the first position, the terminals are fixed relative to the housing to facilitate alignment and insertion of the pin portions into the holes in the printed circuit board. In the second positions, the terminals can float relative to the housing to accommodate a differential in thermal expansion between the housing and the printed circuit board. Other terminals are mounted in the apertures and maintained in a fixed position relative to the housing when some of the terminals are in floating positions. An insertion tool having a flat bottom surface applies an insertion force to the top of the housing and also defines an upper limit for movement of the terminals within the housing.

A well known type of electrical connector commonly is called a header connector and includes an elongated housing of dielectric material mounting a plurality of terminals having pin portions projecting from the underside of the housing for insertion into holes in a printed circuit board. The pin portions are inserted into the holes in the printed circuit board with an interference fit. The terminals usually are mounted in rows lengthwise of the elongated housing for engaging complementary terminals of a mating electrical connector which can be interconnected with the header connector to electrically couple the mating connector with circuit traces on the printed circuit board. The pin portions of the terminals often provide solder tails for soldering to the circuit traces either in plated-through holes in the board or to solder pads surrounding the holes.
Various problems are encountered in both the manufacture and use of such electrical connectors. In particular, during manufacture it is desirable to fix the terminals in the dielectric housing, within aperture means corresponding to the holes in the printed circuit board, so that the pin portions are properly aligned for easy insertion into the board holes. If the terminals are not fixed to align the pin portions, a misaligned pin can be damaged during assembly, or the pin may interfere with proper assembly of the connector onto the board.
On the other hand, when the terminals are fixed within the connector housing, and with an interference fit between the pin portions of the terminals and the holes in the printed circuit board, problems arise in use because of different thermal expansion coefficients between the di-electric material of the connector housing and the substrate of the printed circuit board. Sometimes, the terminals are allowed to float (or relatively move) within the connector housing to compensate for the differential in thermal expansion. However, floating pins can cause manufacture/assembly problems, as described above.
This invention is directed to a unique mounting of the terminals within the connector housing to fix the terminals for easy manufacture and assembly of the electrical connector to the printed circuit board and subsequently to allow the terminals to float relative to the connector housing.