A quill tube is provided. The quill tube includes a hollow body and a spherical head. The hollow body defines a bore within the quill tube. The bore is configured to direct a flow of fuel into a fuel injector. The spherical head is located at a first end of the hollow body. The spherical head includes a tip, a first surface and a second surface. The tip is located at a distal end of the spherical head. The first surface is configured to engage with the fuel injector. The second surface is positioned between the tip and the first surface. Further, a flange is located proximate to the spherical head. The flange is angularly positioned relative to the first surface. If the spherical head is contacted against an external surface, the flange is configured to cause the second surface to touch the external surface.

Quill tubes are typically used to deliver fuel to multiple fuel injectors present within an engine. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,283 relates to a high-pressure fuel injection pipe having a connecting head portion which is capable of preventing occurrence of cavitation erosion of an inner surface of the connecting head portion by having a contour of a cross section of an annular pocket occurring in an inner part of the connecting head portion. The fuel injection pipe has a connecting end portion of a thick-walled steel pipe, a seat surface, an annular flange formed so that the flange is axially spaced from the seat surface, and a conical surface connected to the seat surface, extending therefrom to the annular flange and tapering off to a free end of the connecting head portion.


A pipe support assembly which comprises a main body having a U-shaped recess therein, and a cover member for the body, the cover member having an arcuate configuration and being sized to fit between the first and second side walls, each of the cover members and body having a channel or a recess designed to receive a tie wrap to secure a pipe in position. The main body portion also has a clamping portion which comprises first and second resilient members.

In the installation of pipes and the like in various types of buildings and in particular pipes associated with air conditioning, refrigeration and heating, such as may be utilized in many commercial and industrial establishments, conventional practice is that the pipes are hung from the ceiling by strap hangers.
The most common type of strap hanger employed in the industry comprises a metal strap having apertures for fastening purposes. The strap is looped about the pipe to be secured and then a fastening such as a screw or a similar member is secured to a substrate such as a beam or rafter through the apertures. A similar arrangement is employed when the pipes follow a vertical outline as is also frequently required in their transporting of a fluid from one location to another.
This conventional means of fastening pipes suffers from several disadvantages. Initially, each pipe must be installed individually and as such the installation process is relatively labour intensive. Secondly, the hangers can cause rupturing of the pipes after a period of time. This would occur due to movement of the pipe within the pipe hanger and subsequent surface damage. This movement can occur either due to mechanical vibrations, and/or to a thermal expansion and contraction.


A crowd control barrier including a barrier member with side legs and feet connected to the legs, each foot having a foot member extending transverse to the barrier member. The leg-foot connections include a bracket extending up from the connected foot member and spaced substantially parallel top and bottom pins on the legs. The bracket has a substantially vertical slot above a transverse slot with the top pin slidably received in the vertical slot and the bottom pin movable transversely in the transverse slot. Teeth project upwardly from the bottom of the transverse slot with the teeth upper ends spaced less than the pin spacing from the bottom of the vertical slot. Lifting a leg slides the top pin up in the vertical slot and moves the bottom pin above the teeth whereby the leg and foot may be pivoted about the top pin whereby the bottom pin moves transversely in the second slot.

Placing barriers in areas to control crowds, whether to prevent access to certain areas or to direct the flow of a crowd, is well known.
Use of multiple barrier members to define a longer barrier is also well known. Such uses to define single longer barriers generally necessitate that the barrier members be generally alike, and yet each may need to be used in different environments and under different conditions. Standard uniform barrier members suitable for one environment/condition may be unsuited for a second environment/condition, even when used in the same locale since movement of a barrier may be necessary to adjust the crowd control to address different circumstances in particular areas (e.g., to prevent access to different areas, or to direct crowd flow in different directions). Moreover, such barriers often need to be transported to entirely different locations when used for crowd control which only temporarily necessary at a particular location (e.g., along the side of a street for a parade).
Still further, barrier members which are not vertically oriented, which is a particular concern when used on uneven ground, may present a danger of tipping should a person lean on the barrier member. Moreover, when adjacent barriers are not aligned (e.g., on uneven ground), a person walking alongside the barrier might bump into the side of one barrier member which stick out from the adjacent barrier member. Additionally, when used on uneven ground, while the foot at one side of the barrier member may lay flat on the ground, the foot on the other side of the barrier may stick up and present a significant risk of tripping anyone walking alongside the barrier.


Techniques are presented for data store population. Source code of an application is parsed for instructions related to data associated with a data store. Modified instructions are suggested for the original instructions and injected into the source code of the application. When the application executes with the modified instructions, the data being dynamically produced by the application is piped to a data store interface for dynamic and real-time update to a data store.

Generally, online application development was not built with data warehousing concerns or processing in mind. This is because compatibility with data warehouses was not a design consideration with most existing applications, which have been developed. Additionally, because of the data format disparity between different data stores, compatibility was often intentionally avoided within an application in order to create more perceived application portability and to decouple the application from any particular data store.
As a result, the traditional practice of Extract Transfer and Load (ETL) from a database has become and still remains the predominate approach. With ETL, an application generally produces a file in storage having data store updates embedded therein. A subsequent application will then process the file, translate it into a specific data store format, and interact with a data store interface to perform the updates on the data store. It is generally believed that this approach will also minimize data store transactions and may be used to better manage data store performance, since processing can be scheduled at low usage times.
However, the ETL technique usually entails batch operations, meaning that the updates produced by an application and temporarily housed in an intermediate file are processed once the file is completely populated by the application and once scheduling to access the data store is deemed appropriate. This can be a substantial disadvantage in today's real-time economy and business environment. Additionally, since the data is updated from a file (e.g., storage) rather than from in-memory structures of an application, the update processing may be less than optimal when the data store is eventually updated.
In fact, current business conditions put a significant premium on fast responses to changes in business events. Businesses rely on updated business data and metrics. Thus, the conventional luxury of an ETL batch cycle to restrict and control access to a business's data warehouse no longer exists. A more "live" or real-time approach is desired and often needed because business data has rapidly become time sensitive and critical to businesses.
There has become an increasing pressure to provide "right-time" integration between online applications and data warehouses so that the data in the warehouse is current. Once the data is up-to-date in near real-time, analytical warehousing applications process the data with a series of business-defined services. Some of these services may send real-time business alerts to interested parties, stakeholders, or automated applications. If automated applications receive the alerts, then business decisions or actions based on the real-time updates can be made nearly instantaneously.
It is therefore desirable to have more "active data warehousing," where a warehouse has access to data as it is created (e.g., live or real-time data). Thus, improved techniques for populating data stores are desired.


A method for optimizing a radio access network includes receiving at least one area of the radio access network to be analyzed from a user and receiving a desired outcome from a user. A plurality of network monitoring parameters related to a user requested analysis is identified. The identified plurality of network monitoring parameters is correlated. A root cause analysis is performed using an automated classification model based on the correlated plurality of network monitoring parameters. A recommendation related to the desired outcome is generated based on the performed root cause analysis.

Typically network operations have a variety of hardware and software systems for managing their networks. For example, network operator's Radio Access Network (RAN) operations and performance departments monitor and optimize their networks using known in the art systems for performance management which may utilize Network Equipment Manufacturer (NEM) cell based counters. The use of the geo-locating subscriber Radio Resource Control Signaling (RRC), Media Access Control (MAC) and radio frequency (RF) conditions found in measurement reports and MAC channel feedback typically allow improvement in prior knowledge down to sub-cell granularity levels. Such geo-located information is typically rendered in a geo-graphical user interface. However, many troubleshooting, parameter tuning and small cell planning approaches require manual so called 'best guess' methods. In many cases carrier revenue is deteriorating due to revenue loss to 'over the top services', such as, but not limited to, Facebook, Skype, Twitter and the like, increasingly making such carriers last mile telecommunication providers. Consequently, there is a need for carriers to dramatically reduce their operating expenses in order to remain viable and profitable.
One representative solution for reduction of carriers' operating expenses is employment of Self-Organizing Network (SON) functions. SON functions are functions that automatically monitor network operations and parameters, and user actions, and automatically take actions to optimize network operations. SON functions are typically structured hierarchically—with a high-level SON function (for example, a Network Manager (NM)) operating to optimize the overall network, and a plurality of lower-level SON functions (for example, at each Network Element (NE)) locally optimizing the NE, under the control and direction of the high-level SON function.
For many telecommunication carriers there is a need to advance implementation of SON functions of automatic network monitoring operations beyond neighbor cell management.

Optimizing radio cell quality for capacity and quality of service using machine learning techniques


A liquid ejecting device includes a casing, a carriage, and a cartridge. The carriage is configured to move in a first direction and a second direction. The cartridge is configured to be removably mounted on the carriage and includes a first cartridge and a second cartridge. The first cartridge has a first grip part. The second cartridge has a second grip part. The carriage is configured to move between a first position where the first grip part is exposed and positioned outside the casing through a first opening and a second position where the second grip part is exposed and positioned outside the casing through a second opening.

There is known in the art an on-carriage type inkjet recording device having a recording head and ink cartridges mounted on a carriage. One such inkjet recording device includes ink cartridges that can be replaced through an opening formed in a lateral side surface of the device casing. The inkjet recording device having this configuration facilitates the replacement of ink cartridges and enables space in the casing to be used more efficiently.

Liquid ejecting device facilitating replacement of cartridge


A connection includes an interventional medical device having a rotatable optical fiber, an assembly having a conduit for conveying a light beam to the rotatable fiber as well as a rotor and a fixed housing, and a coupling. A drive mechanism is attached to the rotor for continuously rotating the rotor. The coupling includes a rotatable portion attachable to a proximal end of the rotatable fiber and to the rotor so as to permit the rotatable fiber to rotate continuously with the rotor while the rotatable fiber remains in axial alignment with the light beam. The coupling also includes a stationary shield surrounding the rotatable portion. The stationary shield is attachable to the fixed housing so as to urge the rotatable portion and the rotor together. The proximal end of the rotatable portion of the coupling has a vee-shaped coupling surface that complements a distal end surface of the rotor. The rotor is at least partially hollow and includes a bearing that holds the light beam conduit in axial alignment with the rotatable fiber when the rotatable portion of the coupling engages the rotor. The rotatable fiber may be disengageable from the rotatable portion of the coupling when the stationary shield does not engage the fixed housing. The rotatable fiber may be surrounded by a sheath that is attachable to the stationary portion of the coupling. A fluid port connected to the stationary portion of the coupling enables introduction of fluid into the sheath and around the rotatable optical fiber.

This invention relates to connectors for connecting a rotatable optical fiber to a rotor shaft while maintaining the rotatable optical fiber in axial alignment with a stationary optical fiber.
Certain medical procedures such as in-vivo optical biopsy and optical coherence tomography (OCT) utilize diagnostic and interventional devices in conjunction with optical fibers that provide optical feedback to the clinician. The optical fibers are attached to an imaging console that displays an image or a processor that interprets data. Potential applications of such systems are stationary tissue spectroscopy of polyps and other mucosal tissues, linear scans of various portions of the human anatomy, and cross-sectional images of tubular vessels such as arteries, the gastro-intestinal tract, urological structures, the biliary tree, and neurological vessels.
Procedures such as tissue spectroscopy typically utilize an endoscope, cystoscope, colonoscope, or sigmoidoscope for direct visual feedback. The scope helps direct a biopsy device to a site of interest, such as a polyp or dysplastic or cancerous tissue, and also provides a working channel for the biopsy device, a light source, and an optical path for visual guidance. Other procedures involving optical feedback use trocars for direct access to some parts of the anatomy, such as the breast for breast biopsies, or other areas inaccessible through an orifice.


Various embodiments provide an ability to synchronize notifications with media playback. In one or more embodiments, when a user is consuming content, such as music, television, a game, an audible notification can be synchronized with the user's content consumption experience. For example, various embodiments can detect what type of content the user is consuming and changes in the content. For example, when the content is music, various embodiments can detect when the music changes or stops, and can then provide audible notifications to the user. Audible notifications can pertain to notifications associated with incoming messages, calls, and other information such as passive assistance notifications.

Many mobile devices allow user interaction through natural language voice commands to implement a hands-free mode of operation. Such is useful, for example, when a user is driving, when they are in a specific location, or when the device is connected with a wireless device. In the hands-free mode, it is useful for the mobile device to audibly announce incoming calls, messages, or other information such as calendar events and the like. Further, some devices provide so-called "proactive assistance" by announcing notifications such as weather changes, breaking news, and the like. This enables the user to receive the notification without having to look at the device or even touch the device.
However, one downside of such hands-free, audible notifications is the potential to disrupt a user's experience. For example, when a user is consuming content, such as music, television, a game, an audible notification can disrupt the user's content consumption experience.

Synchronizing notifications with media playback


A key switch device includes a base including an opening in a central part thereof; a light guide including an elastic body receiving portion, the light guide being supported by the base to be disposed in the opening; a button attached capable of approaching and separating from the base to cover the light guide; an elastic body disposed between the elastic body receiving portion and a lower surface of the button, the elastic body biasing the button in a separating direction where the button is separated from the base; a fixed contact piece including a fixed contact, the fixed contact piece being attached to the base; and a movable contact piece, which is attached to the base, including a movable contact to be brought into contact with the fixed contact when the button is moved toward the base in an approaching direction where the button approaches the base.

Conventionally, a known key switch device is, for example, a keyboard switch in which a cylindrical guide post is protruded from a base, a light guide is guided on the inner diameter side of the guide post, and a coil spring disposed on the outer diameter side elastically supports a button so that the button can be pressed in (see PTL 1, for example).


An apparatus for position-dependent control has a control unit, where the control unit takes the position of the apparatus as a basis for: a) controlling damping and/or echo cancellation for the apparatus, and/or b) switching a summit of the apparatus on or off or to a power saving mode, and/or c) prompting call acceptance.

The invention relates in particular to a mobile telephone having attenuation control, as used in connection with handsfree systems. Telephone terminal devices should maintain a certain decoupling between received and transmitted signal in order to operate properly or to comply with regulatory requirements. In the case of handsfree terminal devices the high levels of amplification required would make it necessary to introduce a very great attenuation/decoupling in order to avoid, for example, feedback, echoes or what is termed reverberation.
This attenuation/decoupling should be implemented for example either by a deviation control unit and/or by way of an acoustic echo canceller and/or by a combination of different decoupling methods. A deviation control unit inserts the necessary attenuation for example alternately in the transmitting or in the receiving direction.
Particularly in the case of mobile handsfree devices, such as e.g. cordless telephones or mobile telephones, the decoupling possible by an acoustic echo compensator is not usually sufficient on its own, however, to get by without an additional deviation control unit and/or further decoupling measures. A problem in this case is that said deviation control unit must be adjusted to the most unfavorable position, e.g. lying on the microphone, in order that the mobile handsfree device will still also operate sufficiently well under these "bad" conditions.

Apparatus for position-dependent control


Computer implemented methods and systems of processing transactions to determine the risk of transaction convert high categorical information, such as text data, to low categorical information, such as category or cluster IDs. The text data may be merchant names or other textual content of the transactions, or data related to a consumer, or any other type of entity which engages in the transaction. Content mining techniques are used to provide the conversion from high to low categorical information. In operation, the resulting low categorical information is input, along with other data, into a statistical model. The statistical model provides an output of the level of risk in the transaction. Methods of converting the high categorical information to low categorical clusters, of using such information, and other aspects of the use of such clusters are disclosed.

Credit cards are one of the predominant forms of payment for transactions, in both the retail and online environments. As such, credit card fraud (or more generally, financial card fraud, including credit card fraud, and fraud on financial instruments of general similarity to credit cards, such as debit cards, retail cards, and even checks) is a major source of risk and loss to both card issuers and merchants. This problem has existed ever since credit cards became a significant method of payment, but has become very substantial and well-appreciated problem in the past 10 years.
Various solutions have been applied to the problem with the most successful solutions being those based on statistical models developed from the transactional pattern of legitimate and fraudulent use of credit cards. The HNC Falcon solution is an example of this approach (see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,226). Traditionally, only information that can be gleaned from the numerical and low-categorical information of the transaction stream (information such as transaction amount, location, industry-code of the merchant, time and date, etc.), has been usable by statistical methods.
The textual information available in credit card transactions is typically a character string describing the merchant (commonly appearing in a standard monthly billing statement). Typical text descriptors contain the merchant name, store number, city, state, and ZIP code. The latter three fields are redundant, since these data are also coded in geographical and postal data fields. However, the merchant name offers unique information. This type of textual information has not been previously used in statistical models due to the extremely high dimensionality of text data and the consequent difficulty of transforming textual data into useful predictors of fraud. However, human fraud control experts recognize this information as being highly valuable.
In some instances, existing systems have used other categorical fields to identify and classify merchants, such as the merchant SIC code (Standard Industry Code), the merchant ID number, or the Point of Sale (POS) terminal ID. However, the use of merchant ID codes is problematic for different reasons. First, merchant ID codes are not always reliable or unique (although, arguably, HNC could require clients to provide standardized merchant ID numbers in both consortium data contributions and in the API data feed). Furthermore, there is little or no consistency in how merchant ID numbers are issued. Several large merchants use a single ID number, while others use a separate ID number for each franchise, department, or POS device. To illustrate the magnitude of this problem, in one sample of 47 million transactions, there were found nearly 3 million unique merchant ID numbers—an average of only 15 transactions per merchant ID number. This clearly indicates that a portion of these merchant ID numbers should be the same or related to each other.
Standard Industry Codes are equally unreliable by themselves. SICs classify merchants into general (and often arbitrary) categories. In some cases, industry codes are highly specific. For example, most major car rental companies and hotels/motels have uniquely assigned SIC codes (e.g. Avis=3389 or Budget=3366, Sheraton hotels=3503 or Motel 6=3700). For the most part, however, SIC codes have very poor resolution. Large fractions of all transactions are classified into overly broad categories, such as "department stores" (SIC=5311) or "grocery stores" (SIC=5411). Casual inspection of the merchant text associated with these transactions reveals that potentially valuable information is being ignored. For one obvious example, the merchant text could readily allow discrimination between "budget" and "high-scale" department stores.
In some countries like Japan, POS Terminal ID's are unique and follow a particular format from which each merchant can be uniquely identified. In addition, each POS device used by the merchant can also be uniquely identified. However, in most other countries, POS Terminal ID's are not unique and do not follow any standard format.
Variables built using low-volume merchants also tend to be statistically unreliable. If one were to attempt using merchant ID risk tables (providing a transaction risk factor for each merchant ID), the safest course would be to replace the individual merchant risk with the SIC risk associated with this merchant category. Under this scheme, valuable information would be lost for merchants with multiple ID numbers, when low-volume ID) numbers would default to SIC code, rather than the parent merchant. Obviously, it would be preferable for all Macy's stores to map to a single code (or to a sub-category "high-end department store"), rather than defaulting to a generic SIC code (in this case SIC=5311; "department stores").
This inadequacy of statistical methods has often been addressed by a human review stage that is consequent to the statistical filtering provided by a statistical model. Once an account has been statistically flagged as potentially containing fraudulent activities, a human analyst then reviews the accounts before taking fraud-control actions. The human analyst, unlike the statistical model, has the ability to understand textual data and incorporate it's significance into the overall analysis
Unfortunately, the human review process, in addition to the inefficiencies and inconsistencies associated with a non-automated stage, tends to degrade the quality of fraud identification more than help it. Human analysts, by necessity, have a significantly less assembled fraud experience than a computerized method can compile (e.g. at most thousands of cases, as compared with hundreds of millions by a statistical model). Consequently, the overall ability of human analysts to distinguish fraudulent transactions from non-fraud ones, given the same information, has consistently been demonstrated to be inferior to that of high-end computer-trained statistical models that were built using vast quantities of historical data. Even the advantage of access to textual information that is available to human analysts but not traditional statistical methods, is not enough to compensate for the loss of performance experienced when human analysts are allowed to "second-guess" computer-derived statistical fraud classification. Consequently, the current "best practices" process for fraud detection, under most circumstances, is not to allow human judgement to over-rule the computerized analysis.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a statistical method of risk measurement and detection, such as may be used for financial card fraud prevention that uses textual or other high categorical information to assist in the detection and measurement of transaction or account risk.

Detecting and measuring risk with predictive models using content mining


A variable width gate for adaptively mating with boundaries of an opening to provide a barrier therebetween, the variable width gate comprising: (a) an extendable gate including a first gate section mounted to a second gate section, wherein either the first gate section or the second gate section includes a rib; (b) a tracker adapted to engage the rib and operatively coupled to the other of the first gate section or the second gate section not having the rib; and (c) a handle operatively coupled to one of the tracker and the rib, such that displacement of the handle manipulates the position of the tracker in relation to the rib to horizontally reposition the first gate section with respect to the second gate section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an impediment to inhibit movement through an opening, and more specifically to an expandable gate adapted to occupy at least a portion of an opening to inhibit travel therethrough. The expandable feature of the gate provides the functionality of custom fitting to occupy at least a portion of the opening and thereafter to retract and/or pivot to no longer occupy the same portion of the opening, thereby allowing free movement through the unoccupied portion.
2. Background of the Invention
A variety of gates are known and presently on the market that are designed to prevent children from passing from one area into another or from ascending or descending stairways. Several of these gates can be adjusted for use in openings having various widths.
Presently there are two common types of adjustable, pressure mounted, security gates that are used in the home for children and pets that include a plurality of gate panels that are roughly adjusted to inhibit movement through a passageway. The first type includes extendible bumpers on at least one side thereof that firmly engage the boundary defining of the passageway to hold the gate in place. The second type includes fixed position bumpers mounted to the gate panels that are caused to firmly engage the boundary defining the passageway by extending the gate panels.
Gates having extendable bumpers may incorporate mechanisms that include numerous interconnecting parts that require precise fits and positioning to interact with each other to extend and retract the bumpers. Gates are also known that utilize actuating mechanisms that include a complex arrangement of links, cranks, pull rods and springs that are interconnected to a pull handle. An example of such an actuating mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,461.


Systems and methods for detecting a document attribute using acoustics are provided. In one embodiment, a method for detecting a feature of a document using acoustics includes emitting a first acoustic signal from a first acoustic transmitter to a first acoustic receiver while a document is between the first acoustic transmitter and the first acoustic receiver, and emitting a second acoustic signal from a second acoustic transmitter to a second acoustic receiver while the document is between the second acoustic transmitter and the second acoustic receiver. The second acoustic signal differs from the first acoustic signal. The method also includes determining the presence of a feature of the document using at least one of the first acoustic signal or the second acoustic signal.

As documents have become more sophisticated, so have the techniques by which document features, or attributes, may be detected or authenticated. Even in the case of simple or traditional documents, advances have been made in the field of document feature detection or authentication. For example, acoustic technology may be suitable for detecting or analyzing certain features of a document. However, current acoustic techniques for detecting document features may suffer from poor signal-to-noise ratios, undesirable acoustic signal reflection, low resolution, or other issues.


A document management system that defines an index type for each management unit for managing a plurality of documents, individually selects a search area and an index acquisition area, from which the index type is acquired, displays in a list the index types defined for the management unit in a selected index acquisition area, makes a user select a desired index type from among the index types displayed in a list, sets a search condition using the selected index type, and searches for a document corresponding to the search condition from among a plurality of documents managed by the management unit belonging to the search area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a document management system, in which a document management server searches a document using index information.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a document management system for managing documents by associating the documents with index information, index search is generally used for searching the document including the index information corresponding to a keyword specified by a user. The index information includes a plurality of types of index definitions (also referred to as "index types", "item names" or "attribute names") and a value of each index definition (also referred to as an "index value" or "attribute value") given to each document. The index definition (type, item name, and attribute name) generally defines the index type necessary for each document management unit (e.g., for each database or each management hierarchy) instead of using the same definition for the entire document management system (all database).
However, the management becomes too complicated if the index is freely defined for various kinds of hierarchy. Thus, in some systems, the hierarchy is provided in which the index can be defined, and the index can be defined for each management unit in the hierarchy. When the index is searched in such a document management system, the management unit is specified as a search target, the user specifies a search condition (index definition and search keyword), and then the search is performed based on the specified search condition.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-097296, in step S401, when specification of a search target area where a document file is searched is received, in steps S402 and 403, a file name, position information, and a plurality of attribute names and attribute values of the document file included in the specified search target area are acquired and stored.
When an input of a search word (search keyword) is received in step S404, then in step S405, a plurality of attribute values corresponding to the search word are extracted from among the stored attribute values. In step S406, a plurality of attribute names corresponding to the plurality of extracted attribute values are acquired, and in step S407, the acquired attribute names are displayed in a list. When, in step S408, the attribute name desired by the user is selected from the displayed list, in step S409, a document file including the selected attribute name and the search word is extracted.
In steps S402 and S403 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-097296, since the file name, the position information, and the plurality of attribute names and attribute values need to be acquired for all the document files included in the search target area, if the search target area is set in a wide area, processing for acquiring the information takes time.
Further, in the system in which the index type can be defined for each document management unit, when the plurality of document management units are set as the search target area, the processing for acquiring the information about the index definition (information about the index type) alone takes much time. For example, if the management units in which ten index types are defined include ten kinds of hierarchy, when acquiring the information about the index definition from each hierarchy (each management unit) takes 0.5 seconds, then acquiring index definition information from ten kinds of hierarchy takes 5 seconds.
Thus, in such a system where the user inputs the desired index definition and the search keyword after the information about the index definition is acquired, the user needs to wait a while until the system acquires the information about all the index definitions.

Document management system and method thereof


A tool rack includes a frame having two sidewalls and two slots are defined through the two sidewalls. A plurality of recesses are defined in the frame and a rod having second recesses is connected between the two sidewalls. A restriction member is connected to the frame and two distal ends of the restriction member are movably engaged with the slots of the frame. The restriction member includes third recesses which are located in alignment with the recesses so that the tools are engaged with the first, second and third recesses. A stop plate extends from a distal end of an inside of each third recess so as to prevent the tools from disengaging from these recesses. When shifting the restriction member, the stop plates are moved away from the recesses so that the tools can be picked out from the tool rack.

A conventional tool rack is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/616,856 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,584,845 and includes a frame with a slide groove and multiple recesses which are located on two sides of the slide groove so as to receive the tools. The recesses each are composed of two clamp plates and each clamp plate has a spring piece which biases the tool to position the tool within the recesses. A restriction member is slidably connected to the frame and includes multiple restriction portions which are snapped on the tools to preventing the tools from disengaging from the recesses. At least one locking member connects the restriction member to the frame.
However, the clamp plates protrude from the frame and easily tangle the user's sleeves or clothes. The multiple clamp plates are arranged on the whole frame and make the frame look awkward. The tools are received in the frame at an angle and this occupies a lot of space so that the frame becomes bulky. The function ends of the tools protrude out from the frame and may be hit by stiff parts during working and this may damage the function ends. The tool rack can only accommodate fixed sizes of tools and which is not convenient for the users.
The present invention intends to provide a portable tool rack for carrying tools such as wrenches which are well positioned and can be arranged to save space required.


Structure and process for compensating threshold voltage variation due to process variation. The structure includes a circuit segmented into sub-blocks having a predetermined size corresponding to a characteristic length associated with a process variation. A local circuit is located in each circuit sub-block, and a reference signal coupled to each local circuit. The local circuit generates a compensation signal in response to the reference signal to adjust an electrical parameter of the respective sub-block to a predetermined value.

Semiconductor integrated circuits are normally designed in view of process variations in forming the circuits. Specifically, process variations are presumed, and semiconductor integrated circuits are designed such that they will operate reliably for desired performance within the presumed range of process variation. However, since it is difficult to presume device performance variations, the period of time required to design semiconductor integrated circuits is increased, and it is necessary to give timing margins to allow semiconductor integrated circuits to operate in worst cases. The semiconductor integrated circuits thus designed tend to suffer performance reductions. There have recently been proposed variation compensation circuits capable of compensating for device performance variations of semiconductor integrated circuits to enable the semiconductor integrated circuits to exhibit a constant performance level.
Threshold voltage variation of FETs is a typical type of device performance variation that occurs due to, e.g., rapid thermal anneal (RTA) intra-die variations. As the device manufacturing variations are the result of physical configuration variations and chemical compositions of the semiconductor devices, these variations essentially cannot be avoided because manufacturing errors cannot fully be eliminated.
Current mirrors are often utilized in analog circuits to precisely reproduce reference voltages and currents in areas around and within a chip. While threshold voltage (Vt) must be matched across the chip, long-range Vt mismatches are known to exist due to long-range intra-die process variation from RTA. Known solutions try to keep the local environment of transistors as identical as possible and employ physically large transistors in an effort to minimize mismatch. As these long range mismatch solutions are generally required to act on a very large area, these solutions have been found to be prohibitively expensive.

Circuit to compensate threshold voltage variation due to process variation

International Business Machines Corporation


A motor drive unit is adapted to detect a motor lock-up condition (in which an electric motor is accidentally locked during driving) based on the fact that motor drive current increases in that event. Then, a capacitor for generating a voltage signal is charged with an arbitrarily adjustable charging current to overcome the motor lock-up. To do this, an IC is formed to incorporate therein such components as a first discharging circuit for discharging the electric charge of the capacitor and a hysteresis-type comparison circuit for comparing the charging current with a threshold level to thereby adjust the charging current suitable for the motor used. Such a versatile IC as described above enables adjustment of the motor startup trial period for individual motors having different characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a motor drive unit for driving an electric motor (hereinafter simply referred to as motor) such as a fan motor provided in a computer, a switchboard, and a printer, and more particularly to a motor drive unit having a motor lock-up detection circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a general arrangement of a motor drive unit equipped with a conventional motor lock-up detection circuit. Shown in FIG. 4 is a 2-phase motor 1 for rotating a fan. A resistor 2a, a Hall device 2, and a resistor 2b are connected in series between a power supply voltage Vdd and the ground. The rotational condition of the motor 1 is detected by the Hall device 2. The output signal of the Hall device 2 is fed to a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) 100, which is adapted to drive drive-transistors 9a and 9b.
A first-stage amplifier 3 amplifies the output of the Hall device 2, and outputs a rotational signal A. A mid-stage amplifier 4 further amplifies the rotational signal A and supplies it to a control circuit 5. The control circuit 5 generates a 2-phase drive signal based on the signal received from the mid-stage amplifier 4 and a reference signal. This drive signal is supplied to the drive-transistors 9a and 9b. Element 8 is a diode.
These components constitute a feedback loop for driving the motor 1 with a 2-phase half-wave driving signal in response to the rotational signal A. In a steady state, the motor 1 maintains a rotation at a substantially constant speed determined by the characteristics of the feedback loop.
An anomalous condition can take place where the fan is temporarily stopped or locked up by, for example, an obstacle accidentally hitting the fan. Under such lock-up condition, the rotational signal A will not change. As a consequence, the control circuit 5 remains locked up in a fixed output status. Thus, the motor 1 is either continually supplied with electric power or no longer supplied with any electric power from the control circuit 5.
If electric power is continually supplied to the stopped motor 1, excessive current will flow through it, thereby resulting in abnormal heating and eventual destruction of the motor 1. On the other hand, when no electric power is supplied to the motor 1, it cannot restore its rotational motion even after the obstacle is removed. In any event, accidental stopping of the motor entails adverse consequences.
To cope with such disadvantage, motor drive units are normally provided with an automatic return signal generation circuit 6 and a capacitor 7 for detecting lock-up condition and fulfilling automatic restoration function. Although the capacitor 7 collaborates with the automatic return-signal generation circuit 6, it is (usually) provided as an external component to be mounted outside the IC 100. However, when the electric capacity of the capacitor 7 is small, it may be built in the IC 100. For example, it may be included in the automatic return signal generation circuit 6.
The first-stage amplifier 3, mid-stage amplifier 4, control circuit 5, and automatic return signal generation circuit 6 are built in the IC 100, and connected to external elements via associated pins P1 and P2 (for hole signals), pin P3 (for capacitor 7), and pins P4 and P5 (for drive signals), as shown.
The automatic return signal generation circuit 6 monitors the rotational condition of the motor 1 based on the rotational signal A received. When it is detected that the rotation of the motor 1 has stopped, the circuit 6 starts and continues generating an automatic return signal E until the motor 1 resumes rotation. The automatic return signal E alternately assumes an ON state for a predetermined period (referred to as startup trial (re-startup) period) and an OFF state for another predetermined period (referred to as dormant period) as determined by the automatic return signal generation circuit 6 and the capacitor 7.
In the event that the motor 1 is stopped, the automatic return signal E is used instead of the control signal of the amplifier 4, in the control circuit 5 to restart the motor 1. For example, startup trial operation of about 0.5 second is repeatedly tried in each of startup trial periods, interlaced with dormant periods of about 3 second each, until the motor 1 restores its rotational motion.
As a result, unless the motor 1 is broken in the accident, it can recover a rotational motion as soon as a rotatable condition is restored. Incidentally, the lengths of a startup trial period and a dormant period are determined in accordance with the characteristics of the motor in question.
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown an exemplary arrangement of a conventional automatic return signal generation circuit 6. The capacitor 7 has a capacitance of 1 μF, for example, which generates a triangular or sawtooth charging and discharge voltage signal (hereinafter referred to as charging-discharging voltage signal) C as it is charged and discharged. A first constant current circuit 63 is adapted to supply charging current Ic1 of 3 μA, for example, to the capacitor 7. A second constant current circuit 64 is adapted to supply discharging current Id of 3.5 μA for example from the capacitor 7.
A comparison circuit 65 provides a HIGH (H) level comparison output D when the voltage of the charging-discharging voltage signal C inputted thereto exceeds a given operational threshold level of, for example, about 2.5 V, and provides a LOW (L) level comparison output D when the voltage of the charging-discharging voltage signal C is below a predetermined return threshold level, which is, for example, about, 1 V. A second switching circuit SW2 turns on or off the discharging current from the second constant current circuit 64 according to the level of the comparison output D. These elements constitute an oscillation circuit. In the example shown herein, the oscillatory charging-discharging voltage signal C thus obtained is an asymmetrical triangular wave signal that takes about 0.5 seconds to rise and about 3 seconds to fall.
In response to a rotational signal A, the pulse generation circuit 61 generates a pulse signal B having the same frequency as the rotational signal A. Upon receipt of a pulse signal B, the first switch SW1 instantly discharges the charged capacitor 7.
Because of these switches being connected to the oscillation circuit, when the motor 1 is in steady rotation, a pulse signal B is generated with a period of cycle in accord with the short period of the rotational signal A, thereby repeating discharging the capacitor 7 with that short period. Accordingly, while the motor 1 is in steady rotation, the oscillation of the charging-discharging voltage signal C is suppressed, so that the signal C turns out to be a sawtooth wave that oscillates slightly about "0 level". As a result, the comparison output D of the comparison circuit 65 remains at "L level".
On the other hand, if the motor 1 is stopped, the rotational signal A will not vary any longer, which causes the pulse signal B to be stopped, which in turn causes the oscillation circuit to start its own oscillation as stated above. That is, the charging-discharging voltage signal C becomes an asymmetrical triangular wave signal that rises for about 0.5 seconds and falls for about 3 seconds. The comparison output D of the comparison circuit 65 also becomes a similar pulse wave having the same period of oscillation as the charging-discharging signal C. Thus, whether the motor 1 is in the rotational state or in a locked-up condition or not can be detected from the difference in waveform of the charging-discharging voltage signal C. In this sense a so-called lock-up detection function can be fulfilled by the charging-discharging circuit.
A waveform shaping circuit 66 reshapes the waveform of the charging-discharging voltage signal C to provide a pulsed automatic return signal E. This automatic return signal E has alternating "H" startup trial period (each lasting about 0.5 second) and "L" dormant periods (each lasting about 3 seconds). This automatic return signal E is outputted after detection of the stopping of the motor 1 and until the motor 1 restores its rotational motion. So-called automatic return function is achieved in this way by generating such automatic return signal E.
In the automatic return signal generation circuit 6 shown in FIG. 5, current levels of the first and second constant current circuits 63 and 64, respectively, cannot be made very high. Therefore, in order to obtain required lengths of startup trial period and dormant period, it is necessary to make large the capacitance of the capacitor 7. In an effort to reduce the capacitance of the capacitor, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open H7-131995 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) discloses an automatic return signal generation circuit 6 equipped with an oscillation circuit for instantly discharging the capacitor by means of the comparator 65, a counter for counting the output of the comparator 65, and a comparator for generating an automatic return signal E based on the comparison of the count of the counter with a predetermined value.
It is noted that this prior art automatic return signal generation circuit has a limitation that each of the startup trial periods and the dormant periods has a fixed length (e.g. Startup trial period is about 0.5 sec and dormant period is about 3 sec) as set in accordance with the characteristics of the motor 1 used. Hence, the ratio of the two periods (defined to be the ratio of the startup trial period divided by the dormant period) is fixed to a predetermined value.
The startup trial period, dormant period, and the ratio are optimized for the type of the motor 1 to be used. Thus, there is a problem with prior art automatic return signal generation circuits that an IC 100 must have an automatic return signal generation circuit 6 optimized for that particular type of the motor used.
Although the first and second constant current circuits 63 and 64, respectively, can be modified to provide variable current levels so that the startup trial period and the dormant period, and hence the ratio thereof, can be varied, such modification raises the cost of the IC 100.


The present invention relates to an implant system for teeth, and in particular to an improved implant system for teeth which is capable of enhancing strength of an implant tooth by improving an assembling structure of an implant planted in an alveolar bone, an abutment assembled to the implant and a crown covering the surface of the abutment, and implementing an easier dental operation, so that it is possible to increase a selectable range of operation based on the condition of patient's teeth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dental implant system, and in particular to an improved dental implant system which is capable of enhancing a strength of a dental implant by improving an assembling structure of an implant root planted in an alveolar bone, an abutment assembled to the implant root and a crown covering the surface of the abutment, and implementing an easier dental operation, so that it is possible to increase a selectable range of operation based on the condition of patient's teeth.
2. Description of Related Art
In the dental implant system, an implant root is inserted into an alveolar bone and is combined to a bone. Thereafter, an abutment adapted to support the implant is engaged to the implant root. A crown is covered onto the abutment. According to the above implant system, it is possible to independently plant one tooth. In addition, since the thusly planted implant has a certain supporting force, it is unnecessary to cut a natural tooth due to the damaged tooth or drawn-out tooth. In other cases, it is possible to stably support a denture. In addition, the life span of the same is long, and a physical appearance of the teeth is good. There are many advantages.
In detail, the implant may be classified into a screw type and a non-screw type.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a screw type system which is first introduced and is most widely used and has the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,330,891, 4,763,788, 4,824,372, 5,064,375, 5,064,425, 5,069,622, 5,080,589, 5,098,293, 5,125,841, 5,145,371, 5,154,612, and 5,269,685.
As shown therein, the screw type implant includes an implant root I which has a self-tapped screw I1 in an outer circumference of the same and is inserted into and combined with an alveolar bone S, an abutment A which is fixed to the implant root I by an abutment screw A1 screwed to an inner circumference of the same, and a crown engagement member E which is engaged to the abutment A by a fixing screw A2 of the crown.
Here, reference character A0 represents an auxiliary screw which seals a screw hole of the implant root I until the implant root I is combined with the alveolar bone S and helps a bone combination of the implant root in the alveolar bone and prevents an insertion of a debris of food. A dotted line represents a crown C processed and installed, after the alveolar bone and the operated portions are healed up.
The above screw type implant system needs lots of parts, so that the fabrication and maintenance costs are expensive, and an operation is complicated. Therefore, a complication may be developed. In addition, the medical care insurance rate of the patient may be increased.
In particular, the above system is implemented based on an engaging force of the screws A1 and A2 between the parts, the maximum external force such as a uniting force, etc. is determined based on the size of the width of the screw thread and the width and length of the implant. Therefore, the supporting force is small. In case that the supporting force is not bearable, the screws may be loosened.
In addition, the dental implant system in the screw type may be resistant to the compressing force when a uniting function is performed in the mouth. However, when the tension force is increased, the screws may be loosened during the use of the implant.
In addition, a certain gap between the implant root and abutment is formed by a poor interconnection between the implant root and abutment, whereby a certain bacteria may invade thereto to cause a sanitation problem and an inflammation in a surrounding tissue, so that an alveolar bone may be absorbed.
FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the dental implant system of the non-screw type which is invented to overcome the problems of the screw type implant system. As shown therein, there is provided a locking taper method which is implemented based on a surface friction force with respect to the engagement between parts.
The constitution of FIG. 2 is a representative in the locking taper method which is commercially available of "Bicon".
In the constitution of the above system, a well I2 having the tapered surfaces which are expanded in an upper direction is formed in the interior of the implant I inserted into the alveolar bone S, and a post portion A3 having a certain taper corresponding thereto is extended in a lower portion of the abutment A. Namely, the abutment A is engaged to the implant I based on a surface friction force between the well I2 and the post portion A3.
An expanding flare portion A4 is provided in an upper portion of the abutment A, and both sides of the same are cut into provide a conical head forming a slanted surface A5.
In the above conventional dental implant system, the engaging operation with respect to the alveolar bone S is implemented by the dental implant system I, and the abutment A supporting the crown C is engaged to the implant root I.
However, since an external force such as a uniting force is applied to the abutment A through the crown C, the strength of the above system is determined based an engaging force between the abutment A and implant root I and the strength of the implant root I itself.
When compared with the screw type of FIG. 1 in which the engagement is implemented based on the screw treads of screws A1 and A2 which have relatively smaller diameters, the locking taper method of FIG. 2 has much higher engaging forces, and it has a screw loosening problem. However, since the maximum strength is determined based on the minimum diameter of the engaging part, there is a big problem in that point.
Namely, when assembling the implant root I to the abutment A, the post portion A3 of the abutment A is inserted into the well I2 formed in the center of the implant root I. Therefore, the size "a" of the neck portion of the post portion A3 and the size "b" of the surrounding portion of the implant root I which size is obtained by subtracting the size of the neck portion are too small as shown in FIG. 3.
Therefore, a breaking problem may occur in case of the teeth requiring a larger uniting force such as back tooth,. The above problem may be most critical to the conventional implant system. So, it is most needed to overcome the above problem.
In particular, after being implanted, the minimum diameter of the surrounding cave of the implant is preferably about 2.0 mm. Therefore, in case of the constitution in FIG. 2, the minimum diameter should be 7.5 mm. The relatively small portion needs a small implant. The size of the neck portion of the post portion of FIG. 2 should be over 2.0 mm not to be easily broken. In the above conventional method, the actual use of the implant is limited due to the impossibility to decrease the size of the implant, In addition, if the size of the implant is much smaller, the implant may be easily broken. Therefore, there are many problems for actually using the same.
In the conventional implant of FIGS. 1 trough 3, the upper portion and lower portion of the implant root may not be formed at a certain angle therebetween.
Namely, when planting the implant root into the alveolar bone, it may be necessary to avoid an anatomical structure(cortex which forms a lower alveolar pipe, biperforate, and maxillary sinus) of a maxilla or mandible under a certain circumstance. In order to avoid the above anatomical structure, an implant root bent at a certain angle is necessary. However, since the conventional implant root has a well in the center of the same, it is impossible to form a bent type implant.


Enhanced sonar mount structures, systems, and associated processes provide accurate, precise, and repeatable alignment of a sonar head in relation to a vessel, whether in or out of water. The enhanced mount typically comprises a tilt mechanism, wherein the sonar head can be lifted to a stowable position, e.g. for any of vessel maneuvering, mooring, or trailering. The mount typically comprises a cross tube coupled to a clamp mechanism and to a Z tube. The clamp mechanism is operable to establish and maintain any of Z direction or pitch. The enhanced mount provides repeatable positioning of both the cross tube and the Z tube, and may preferably provide any of ship to ship interchangeability, lateral and vertical adjustability, break away clamping of the cross tube, quick release mechanisms, hingeable stowage, or manual or remote pan or tilt. An optional modular mounting kit aids in situ installations.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to electronic equipment that is used in connection with boats and ships. More particularly, the invention relates to a sonar mount for use with a boat or ship.
2. Description of the Background Art
Performing sonar surveys is an important marine industry. The usefulness of sonar surveys is directly affected by the accuracy and precision with which the sonar head is mounted to the boat or ship. As well, sonar surveys are important for Homeland security, in addition to and federal and state mandates for management of coastal zone resources.
Sonar equipment typically consists of an electronics unit, which is placed in the boat for the operator to use, and a sonar head unit, which is placed in the water beneath the boat. Accurate and precise placement of the sonar head is critical to correct operation of the sonar equipment. It is not possible in most cases to install a sonar head to a boat at the time the boat or ship is manufactured. Rather, such equipment is retrofitted to the boat. If a boat has sonar equipment, then a provision must also be made for removing or otherwise relocating the sonar head from the boat when the boat is placed on a trailer. This is because the sonar head typically projects well below the bottom of the boat's hull and, as such, would prevent the boat from being trailered without first removing or relocating the sonar head. This introduces many problems with regard to recalibrating the sonar head to the boat when it is replaced. Further, the sonar head is typically part of a heavy mounting assembly and, as such, positioning and replacing the sonar head is not a trivial task.
It would be advantageous to provide an enhanced sonar mount structure, system and associated process that improves the accuracy and precision with which a sonar head is mounted to the boat or ship. Such a development would provide a significant technological advance.
Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide such a sonar mount structure, system and associated process that is readily integrated with associated marine electronics, and provides ease of setup, usability and efficiency to get a survey task performed, so the user can focus on real-time decision making. Such a sonar system would constitute a further technological advance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Enhanced sonar mount systems, structures and processes


A method and an apparatus that reduce the burden on routers by removing the aggregation and physical Wide Area Network (WAN) interface functions from the router are provided. The aggregation and physical Wide Area Network interface transparently forwards traffic and routing information to and from the WAN without becoming a router. The disclosed forwarding technique and apparatus is applicable to IP protocol as well as other protocols. As provided, the routing device is connected to a forwarding device via the Local Area Network (LAN) and the IP Multiplexer forwards data packets to one or more physical WAN links.

The Internet is undergoing explosive growth in order to support a dramatic increase in users, applications and services. This growth is resulting in network congestion as the existing Internet infrastructure struggles to handle the increased load. Internet service providers and their customers are looking for ways to cost effectively upgrade the existing infrastructure to handle this growth and be positioned for continued growth in the future. Faster and more affordable Internet access techniques are required.
Some background of how networks conventionally operate is briefly discussed. Conventionally, separate computing devices are connected to one another through networks that forward information based upon the destination IP address provided in the Internet Protocol. Devices in the same geographical proximity are typically connected by Local Area Networks (LANs) such as Ethernet networks. These computing devices learn the IP address (identity) of other computing devices on the same LAN by broadcasting an address resolution request to all computing devices on the LAN. Computing devices that are not on the same LAN require assistance in locating each other and typically communicate with an intermediary device whose purpose is to determine a path between the two devices and forward information onto this path. These intermediate devices typically use routing protocols to determine this path and are frequently referred to as routers or route switches.
In short, routers are devices that direct traffic between hosts, typically by building routing tables that contain information on the best paths to all destinations that they know how to reach. Routers use a hop-by-hop mechanism to keep track of the next-hop information in order to forward packets to their ultimate destination.
As networks have become more complex, routers have been asked to perform several other functions, besides routing. Some routers can be used to enable computing devices to transfer information to and from other computing devices in different geographical areas. These networks are called Wide Area Networks (WANs), and routers connect computing devices on LANs to one or more WAN links via physical WAN interfaces integrated into the router or provided by an external WAN access device. These routers perform routing, aggregation of WAN links and provide physical connections to the WAN links, as shown in FIG. 1A. Link aggregation is the bonding of multiple channels into a single, higher speed connection.
The increase in transfer of electronic information over the Internet is putting an increased burden on routers. The current Internet infrastructure depends on highly integrated routers or a combination of router and data service units (DSU) products to provide high speed access to the Internet.
It is desired to provide a method and apparatus to forward data (such as IP datagrams) across a network without invoking routing. Existing alternatives for forwarding IP datagrams across a device without forcing that device to become another router on the network are inadequate for this objective. For example, bridging and static forwarding are two standards-compliant vendor interoperable solutions in use today, but both solutions were unable to meet the objectives for forwarding.
One possible alternative is IEEE 802.1d: Transparent bridging (switching), which is widely deployed in interconnecting Ethernet switched Local Area Networks. A transparent bridge operates in promiscuous mode, accepting every frame transmitted on all the LANs to which it is connected. When a bridge is first plugged into the network, its tables are empty. So it uses a flooding algorithm and outputs every frame on the LANs to which the bridge is connected, except for on the LAN the frame came on. The bridge then uses an algorithm called "Backward Learning". Since the bridges operate in promiscuous mode, they look at the source MAC address to determine which machine is accessible on which LAN. They use this information to build their forwarding table. It uses this table information to forward subsequent packets to the host whose address it had learned previously.
Bridging has several severe disadvantages when considered for use between heterogeneous network links. Bridging is not feasible on such links because frames on the WAN links do not have data link layer MAC headers, while frames on the LAN segments do. Therefore, a bridge would be unable to perform the backward learning algorithm on WAN links. If a bridging solution was used, then all LAN traffic would have to be flooded on all the WAN links. This is extremely wasteful of bandwidth and prevents scaling to levels demand by service providers. Further, bridging does not support load balancing and multi-homing. To summarize, bridging makes inefficient use of WAN links; broadcast messages waste expensive bandwidth; and bridging does not support efficient load-balancing in multi-homing applications.
Another potential alternative is static forwarding, which refers to routes being manually entered into the routers. Network reachability is not dependent on the state of the network itself. Whether a destination is up or down, the static routes would remain in the table and traffic would be sent towards the destination. Static forwarding is a less than optimal solution for WAN aggregation and forwarding. Since the ISP community is organized in a tiered manner, most Tier 1 ISPs have smaller ISPs as customers. Therefore, using static addresses, when a customer ISP adds or removes customers, routes must be manually added or removed, as shown in FIG. 3. This can become quite cumbersome and unmanageable. Additionally, without running dynamic routing protocols, intelligent route selection can not be made. Network problems can not be bypassed and service interruptions can occur. To summarize, static forwarding does not scale to higher-tier ISP's; higher-tier ISP's have other ISP's as customers, and static forwarding requires manual updating even when the other ISP's customers change; and static forwarding does not provide for intelligent routing.


Implementations of the present disclosure include methods, systems, and computer-readable storage mediums for model-to-model transformation including actions of providing a source meta-model, the source meta-model having a plurality of classes and one or more references, receiving first user input to a graphical editor, processing the first user input to provide a plurality of class modules and one or more reference modules, each class module corresponding to a class of the plurality of classes and each reference module corresponding to a reference of the one or more references, automatically generating transformation code based on the plurality of class modules and the one or more reference modules, receiving a source model, the source model being provided based on the source meta-model and being provided in a computer-readable file that is stored in memory, and generating a simulation model based on the source model and the transformation code.

Modeling concepts are used for modeling various processes, such as business processes. Petri-Nets are a modeling concept that can be used to model processes. In some examples, even the simplest form of Petri-Nets (e.g., ordinary place/transition nets) provides a very expressive modeling concept. In some examples, extensions (e.g., inhibitor arcs, time, priorities) make Petri-Nets Turing complete.
The uptake of Petri-Net based simulations is low, because modeling industrial problems using Petri-Nets is not a trivial task. For examples, Petri-Nets do not provide support for constructing large models. Modeling a complete business process, for example, with several activities and associated resources (e.g., an enterprise-scale business process) becomes a complex, cumbersome task when using Petri-Nets. Model transformations have been introduced to address this problem.


According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a display unit on which an antenna is mounted, an LCD provided on the display unit, and a controller which controls the amount of radiation of an electromagnetic wave from the antenna, when the antenna is located in a downward direction of an image displayed on the LCD.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an information apparatus having a display unit on which an antenna for radiating an electromagnetic wave and an operation control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some types of information apparatus, such as a personal computer for example, include an antenna mounted on its display unit in order to radio-communicate with another apparatus. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,723 describes an example of a laptop computer having antennas mounted on the top portion and side portion of a display unit thereof.
In recent years, an information apparatus referred to as a "tablet PC" in which a display unit having a tablet on its display section is rotatably mounted on the main body through a hinge, has gained more public acceptance. Generally, this kind of information apparatus achieves a tablet usage condition called tablet mode by matching the back face of the display unit with the top face of the main body such that the tablet face is directed upward.
When a tablet PC on which an antenna for radiating an electromagnetic wave has been mounted is used, particularly when the tablet PC is used in the tablet usage condition, the antenna may be located near the user's body (such as the stomach). Since it is said that the electromagnetic wave may have an influence on a human body, there is a standard specified by law relating to electromagnetic waves.

Information apparatus and operation control method thereof


A fluorescent-lamp-driving device contains a driving control circuit that receives direct current power voltage and a lamp control signal for performing drive control on fluorescent lamps and converts the direct current power voltage to alternating current power voltage, and a transformer containing a winding at its primary side and windings for driving a heater and for maintaining discharge at its secondary side. The alternating current power voltage is supplied to heaters of the fluorescent lamps at their high electric potential side. The driving control circuit increases the frequency of the alternating current power supply to a frequency thereof in which voltage of the fluorescent lamps is equal to a discharge start voltage of the fluorescent lamps or less based on the lamp control signal at a period of starting-up time of the fluorescent lamps.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fluorescent-lamp-driving device that is applicable to a backlight device driving a plurality of hot cathode fluorescent lamps (HCFL), and a liquid crystal display apparatus using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
The backlight device has recently been used in a liquid crystal television or a liquid crystal monitor using a large-scaled liquid crystal display panel. As light source of the backlight device, fluorescent lamps such as a plurality of cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL), a plurality of external electrode fluorescent lamps (EEFL), or LED elements arranged like grid array are often used. As the fluorescent lamps, a plurality of HCFLs each having heaters may have also been used other than CCFL and EEFL.
HCFL has the same structure as that of fluorescent light tube used in a widely distributed lighting apparatus or the like for consumer electrical appliances and has excellent color reproductivity, good luminance efficiency and low applied voltage so that it has excellent characteristics as compared with those of CCFL. HCFL, however, may be necessary for heaters of both the end of the lamp so that it has a complex circuit, which results in high costs. This is because HCFL has not often used in the liquid crystal display. The fluorescent lamp generally contains fluorescent-lamp-driving device because the fluorescent lamp is driven by an alternating current. The fluorescent-lamp-driving device has often a function such that its output current is controlled so as to become a constant and keep its luminance constant even if input direct current voltage varies or impedance of the fluorescent lamp varies.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a backlight device 1 related to a related art using n pieces of HCFLs. The backlight device 1 shown in FIG. 1 contains a driving control circuit 2, a driving circuit 3 of high voltage side, a driving circuit 4 of low voltage side, a transformer 5 for inverter, two heater transformers HT1 and HT2 of high voltage side, n pieces of heater transformers LTi (i=1 to n) and n pieces of balance transformers BTi (i=1 to n).
The driving control circuit 2 is connected with a primary winding w1 of the transformer 5 for the inverter. A secondary winding w3 of the transformer 5 for the inverter is connected with heaters Hh1, Hh3, . . . , Hhn−1 of high voltage side of odd-numbered fluorescent lamps L1, L3, . . . , Ln−1 in parallel. A secondary winding w2 of the transformer 5 for the inverter is connected with heaters Hh2, Hh4, . . . , Hhn of high voltage side of even-numbered fluorescent lamps L2, L4, . . . , Ln in parallel. The transformer 5 for inverter supplies alternate current voltage having a predetermined operating frequency that may be necessary for discharging.
The driving circuit 3 of high voltage side drives the heaters Hh1, . . . , Hhn of high voltage side via the heater transformers TH1 and TH2 of high voltage side with the fluorescent lamps being divided into two groups of the odd-numbered fluorescent lamps L1, L3, . . . , Ln−1, and the even-numbered fluorescent lamps L2, L4, . . . , Ln in order to equalize luminance of n pieces of fluorescent lamps L1, . . . , Ln. Thus, the driving circuit 3 of high voltage side is connected with the heater transformers HT1 and HT2 of high voltage side. The heater transformer TH1 of high voltage side is connected with the heaters Hh1, Hh3, . . . , Hhn−1 of high voltage side of odd-numbered fluorescent lamps L1, L3, . . . , Ln−1 in parallel. The heater transformer TH1 of high voltage side supplies the heaters Hh1, Hh3, . . . , Hhn−1 of high voltage side of odd-numbered fluorescent lamps L1, L3, . . . , Ln−1 with heater power.
The heater transformer TH2 of high voltage side is connected with the heaters Hh2, Hh4, . . . , Hhn of high voltage side of even-numbered fluorescent lamps L2, L4, . . . , Ln in parallel. The heater transformer TH2 of high voltage side supplies the heaters Hh2, Hh4, . . . , Hhn of high voltage side of even-numbered fluorescent lamps L2, L4, . . . , Ln with heater power.
The driving circuit 4 of low voltage side is connected with a primary side of each of n pieces of the heater transformers LTi (i=1 to n) and supplies the heaters Hl1, . . . , Hln of low voltage side of n pieces of fluorescent lamps L1, . . . , Ln with heater power. A secondary side of the heater transformer LT1 of low voltage side is connected with the heater Hl1 of low voltage side of the fluorescent lamp L1. A secondary side of the heater transformer LT2 of low voltage side is connected with the heater Hl2 of low voltage side of the fluorescent lamp L2. Similarly, a secondary side of the heater transformer LTn of low voltage side is connected with the heater Hln of low voltage side of the fluorescent lamp Ln.
The balance transformer BT1 for detection of lamp current is connected with a terminal of the heater Hl1 of low voltage side of the fluorescent lamp L1. The balance transformer BT2 therefor is connected with a terminal of the heater Hl2 of low voltage side of the fluorescent lamp L2. Similarly, the balance transformer BTn therefor is connected with a terminal of the heater Hln of low voltage side of the fluorescent lamp Ln.
A terminal of a secondary side of the balance transformer BT1 is connected with a terminal of a secondary side of the other balance transformer BT2 in series. The other terminal of the secondary side of the balance transformer BT2 is connected with a terminal of a secondary side of the other balance transformer BT3 in series. Similarly, the secondary side of the balance transformer BTn is connected with a terminal of a terminal of the heater Hln of low voltage side of the fluorescent lamp Ln. The n pieces of balance transformers BT1, . . . , BTn detects lamp load current that runs in each of n pieces of fluorescent lamp L1, . . . , Ln serially and outputs a lamp current detection signal S4 indicating a sum total of the lamp load current by the n pieces of fluorescent lamp L1, . . . , Ln. The backlight device 1 having such a configuration can control luminance of the n pieces of fluorescent lamp L1, . . . , Ln so as to become a constant based on the lamp current detection signal S4, so that it is possible to construct a liquid crystal display apparatus having characteristics such as an excellent color reproductivity, good luminance efficiency and low applied voltage which are excellent ones as compared with those of CCFL or the like.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. S63-190297 has disclosed on page 3 and FIG. 1 a discharge-lamp-lighting device. The discharge-lamp-lighting device contains a timer circuit, an inverter circuit, a current-limiting element and pre-heating circuit. The timer circuit is connected with an electric power supply and a control signal is output after a set period of time has been elapsed from a point of power-on time. The inverter circuit is connected with the timer circuit and the discharge lamp is connected with the inverter circuit through the current-limiting element. The inverter circuit includes at least one of pre-heating winding which supplies the discharge lamp with low voltage such that the discharge does not start based on the control signal during the set period of time from a point of power-on time.
After the set period of time has been elapsed from the point of power-on time, the inverter circuit supplies the discharge lamp with high voltage such that the discharge can start based on the control signal. On the assumption of this, the pre-heating circuit includes a voltage detection device and is connected with the pre-heating winding of the inverter circuit so that it detects that output voltage of the pre-heating winding is low and pre-heats electrodes of the discharge lamp. The apparatus having such a configuration can combine the timer circuit (lighting circuit) and the pre-heating circuit as one piece of power circuit, which enables the lighting device to be downsized and to be reduced in weight.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H06-045079 has disclosed on page 2 and FIG. 1 a luminescent-lamp-lighting device. The luminescent-lamp-lighting device contains a transistor inverter having a resonance circuit and an output transformer, and a filament pre-heating member. A switching transistor is connected with a direct current power supply and by switch operation of this transistor, an alternate current voltage generated in the resonance circuit is output to the output transformer. The output transformer is connected with a luminescent lamp. On the assumption of this, the filament pre-heating member limits operating frequency of the switching transistor to an operating frequency such that it is difficult to start the luminescent lamp because the filament is pre-heated until a set period of time has been elapsed from a point of direct-power-on time. After the set period of time has been elapsed from the point of direct-power-on time, the filament pre-heating member changes the operating frequency of the switching transistor to an operating frequency such that the luminescent lamp can start. The device having such a configuration enables blackening due to cold start of the luminescent lamp, shortening of lift time of the luminescent lamp or the like to be prevented.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-338790 has disclosed on page 3 and FIG. 1 a discharge-lamp-lighting device and an illumination apparatus. The discharge-lamp-lighting device contains a direct-current power supply, first and second switching members, resonance inductance, resonance capacitance, a drive resonance circuit, temperature-sensitive resistor, and a drive signal generation circuit of feed-back type. The first and second switching members are connected to each other in series and are connected with the drive signal generation circuit. The resonance inductance is connected with the drive signal generation circuit. The discharge lamp is connected with the resonance inductance. First resonance capacitance is connected with electrodes of the discharge lamp and the electrodes of the discharge lamp are connected with the direct-current power supply through second resonance capacitance.
According to this discharge-lamp-lighting device, the discharge lamp is driven based on high frequency alternating current generated by the alternative switching operations by the first and second switching. The drive resonance circuit resonates based on feed-backed voltage generated at the resonance inductance that feeds back the current flown through the discharge lamp. On the assumption of this, the temperature-sensitive resistor is connected with the drive resonance circuit and resonance frequency of the drive resonance circuit varies in succession at a point of power-on time. The drive signal generation circuit controls the first and second switching members so as to switch them on alternatively based on the resonance voltage of the drive resonance circuit.
The discharge-lamp-lighting device having such a configuration can start the operation of discharge lamp after pre-heating the filament electrodes at a point of power-on time, thereby improving a feature of switching the discharge lamp on and off. At the same time, the temperature-sensitive resistor connected with the drive resonance circuit operates at a relative low voltage so that reliability thereof can be improved.

Fluorescent lamp driving device and liquid crystal display apparatus using the same


A device supporting the arm of a fisherman using a spinning-type fishing rod having a cylindrical rod handle providing a gripping area for the hand of the fisherman, comprising a cradle member supporting the upper forearm of the fisherman and a rod handle support member holding the fishing rod handle in alignment with the cradle member. The rod handle support member is positioned below and rotatably connected with the cradle member about a horizontal axis of rotation. The handle support member and the cradle member are each rotable about the horizontal axis to a plurality of positions in response to pressure applied to said cradle member and the rod handle support member. A clamp attached to the rod handle support member removably grips the rod handle to the handle support member. Self-adjusting positioning means both locks said cradle means with the handle support member at any of a plurality of positions at a locked position wherein the forearm is in a comfort zone and further unlocks the cradle member and the handle support member from the locked position both in response to pressure exerted by the forearm to find a new comfort zone and in response to pressure associated with the fishing rod during fishing that in turn exerts pressure on the rod handle support member. The fishing rod handle gripping compartment and the arm cradle compartment each have an axis positioned in a vertical planes that are offset from one another with the vertical plane of the cradle compartment being nearer to the torso of the fisherman so as to allow the fisherman to hold the fishing rod handle from under the handle.

The present invention relates generally to fishing rods and in particular to spinning-type fishing rods.
A spinning-type fishing rod has a long, flexible rod that creates unusual stresses on the arm of the fisherman when a fish has struck the bait and the fisherman must both fight the strength of the struggling fish and eventually struggle to reel in the fish. The arm of the fisherman is aligned at an unnatural angle during the time of maximum leverage when the rod is being pulled upwardly during a strike and likewise during the time the fisherman is reeling in the fish. Stresses are typically concentrated on the forearm of the fisherman and in particular in the wrist area of the forearm. It is apparent that as the forearm of the fisherman becomes aligned with the handle of the rod, the wrist area becomes bent at an angle relative to the rest of the forearm as pressure grows during strike activity and the fishing rod is being pulled upwardly so that unusual stress is concentrated at the sharply bent wrist, which restricts blood circulation at the wrist.
Prior art that has attempted to overcome the problem of forearm and wrist stress while fishing with a spinning rod includes patents that have the object of supporting the forearm of a fisherman holding a long fishing rod. U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,129 issued to Capra on Mar. 29, 1977, provides a fishing rod stabilizing handle which directly replaces the conventional posterior rod handle of the spinning rod or which is configured as an attachment for engagement to the conventional posterior handle. The rod stabilizing handle of is a broad upwardly directed elongate surface projecting from one side of the handle for alignment with and direct engagement of a substantial length of the underside of the forearm portion of the fisherman. U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,438, issued to Warren, Jr. on Feb. 23, 1995, describes an arm support for stabilizing a fishing rod on the arm of a fisherman and for removing at least some of the playing pressure of a fish or heavy lures from the fisherman""s wrist while the fisherman is playing the fish on a fishing line extending from a reel mounted on the fishing rod, which arm support includes an elongated straight portion which protrudes rearwardly from fixed or removable attachment to the handle of the fish rod and a generally C-shaped curved portion including multiple, short, straight rod segments connected together and shaped to fit beneath the forearm of the fisherman. One end of the curved portion is positioned under the fisherman""s wrist and the other end is located under the forearm so that the curved portion exerts pressure upwardly against the fisherman""s wrist and forearm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,735 issued to Latouch on May 24, 1994 discloses a splined shaft 22 glued or otherwise affixed to a fishing rod handle 12 and an arm bearing extension 16 having a splined coupling 22 splined onto splined shaft 22. Splines that run on the outside of added shaft 12 cooperate with splines that run on the inside surface of a cylindrical hole to prevent rotation of the fishing rod relative to the extension. The rod can be withdrawn from the extension and rotated and then be reinserted into spline locking relationship with the extension at a new orientation. The necessity of having a special splined shaft 22 more or less permanently affixed to the fishing rod handle greatly limits the range of usability of the Latouch invention. U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,510 issued to Arsenault on Mar. 12, 1968, discloses a hand grip and an arm support disposed in the axial direction of a fishing rod and connected to the rod handle.
My prior application Ser. No. 427,408 describes a device supporting the arm of a fisherman using a spinning-type fishing rod having a cylindrical rod handle comprising an adjustable rotatable arm cradle supporting the upper forearm of the fisherman, a partially cylindrical elongated handle support member defining a partially cylindrical compartment that holds a selected area of the fishing rod handle in alignment with the arm cradle, an adjustable post connecting the arm cradle means with the handle, and an adjustable clamp for removably gripping the rod handle to the handle support. The arm cradle is rotatable to a selected angle relative to the rod handle and is removably lockable at the selected angle. The connecting post can be lengthened or shortened to a selected position and removably locked at that position. The clamp that presses the fishing rod handle against the top of the holding compartment of the handle support member is adjustable by means of a vertical screw that raises or lowers the clamp.
My prior application Ser. No. 427,408 is incorporated by reference into the present application.
The present invention provides a device supporting the arm of a fisherman using a spinning-type fishing rod having a cylindrical rod handle providing a gripping area for the hand of the fisherman that comprises a cradle member supporting the upper forearm of the fisherman and a rod handle support member holding the fishing rod handle in alignment with the cradle member. The rod handle support member is positioned below and rotatably connected with the cradle member about a horizontal axis of rotation. The handle support member and the cradle member are each rotable about the horizontal axis to a plurality of positions in response to pressure applied to said cradle member and the rod handle support member. A clamp attached to the rod handle support member removably grips the rod handle to the handle support member. Self-adjusting positioning means both locks said cradle means with the handle support member at any of a plurality of positions at a locked position wherein the forearm is in a comfort zone and further unlocks the cradle member and the handle support member from the locked position both in response to pressure exerted by the forearm to find a new comfort zone and in response to pressure associated with the fishing rod during fishing that in turn exerts pressure on the rod handle support member. The fishing rod handle gripping compartment and the arm cradle compartment each have an axis positioned in a vertical planes that are offset from one another with the vertical plane of the cradle compartment being nearer to the torso of the fisherman so as to allow the fisherman to hold the fishing rod handle from under the handle.
My present application differs from my prior application Ser. No. 427,408 in several respects. Primarily, the ergonomics of my present invention has been improved relative to my prior application. For example, my present application includes an adjusting swivel that provides automatic rotation of the arm cradle portion relative to the rod-gripping portion. The automatically adjusting arm cradle is advantageous in two ways: first, the arm cradle automatically rotates to a new locking position in response to pressure being exerted by the fisherman""s arm at any time during fishing, particularly in response to pressure exerted during a strike; second, the arm cradle automatically rotates to the most comfortable locking position in accordance with the size of the forearm of the user. It is noted that the automatic swivel differs significantly from my prior application, which describes a manually adjustable arm cradle angle relative to the fishing rod that increases the comfort level for the fisherman. Another difference from my prior application is the elimination of the manual vertical adjustment of the arm cradle portion relative to the rod-holding portion described in my prior application. This improvement is made possible by the automatically adjusting swivel of the present invention. Furthermore, my present application has positioned the center-lines of the rod-gripping portion and the arm cradle portions at a slight offset so that the palm of the hand of the fisherman can be placed under the rod grip during use, thus increasing the ability to the fisherman to hold the fishing rod in an extended position for a longer period of time. A further feature of my present invention is that the arm cradle portion and the rod-gripping portion can be easily disassembled and placed into a fishing box and then assembled at site.
The present invention will be better understood and the objects and important features, other than those specifically set forth above, will become apparent when consideration is given to the following details and description, which when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, describes, illustrates, and shows preferred embodiments or modifications of the present invention and what is presently considered and believed to be the best mode of practice in the principles thereof.
Other embodiments or modifications may be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings therein, and such other embodiments or modifications are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope and spirit of the subjoined claims.


Methods, systems, and apparatus for obtaining one or more metadata files, determining, by one or more computers and in accordance with a minor compaction setting, to perform a minor compaction of the one or more metadata files, creating one or more intermediate metadata files that each include at least compacted contacts of one or more of the metadata files, according to the determination to perform minor compaction of the one or more metadata files, determining, in accordance with a major compaction setting, to perform a major compaction of one or more of the intermediate metadata files, and creating one or more snapshot metadata files that each include at least compacted contents of one or more of the intermediate metadata files, according to the determination to perform the major compaction of one or more of the intermediate metadata files.

A cloud computing system can store data by distributing the data to a system of multiple computers connected by one or more communications networks. At least some of the data stored by the cloud computing system can include data files. The cloud computing system can also store log files that record operations performed on the stored data files.