An automatic gain control (AGC) method and circuit (10) within a receiver uses a digital state machine (26) to implement the AGC function. independent from interaction with a host processor (36) and for multiple modulation protocols without duplicating circuitry. Modulation protocol and parameters for any of various gain responses are stored in a register (29). Multiple states, each corresponding to a predetermined range of RF input signal strength, are stored in the register. Each state contains parameters that determine a gain control signal for controlling a variable gain amplifier (16). The states are independent and may be selectively disabled to create asymmetric responses. Within any state, an adaptable number of iterations may be set to implement a different update rate or step size after a predetermined number of closed loop gain change iterations has not resulted in a transition to a state that represents a desired output gain.

Radio Frequency (RF) receivers typically incorporate Automatic Gain Control (AGC) circuitry to provide proper conditioning of the received RF input power such that the received signal is kept within the usable dynamic range of the receiver. The information embedded in the received signal is transported using one of many different modulation schemes wherein the information may be contained in the frequency or phase of the received signal (e.g. FM, PM, FSK, PSK, etc.), in the amplitude of the received signal (eg. AM), or in both the amplitude and phase of the received signal (eg. QAM). Receiver AGC requirements are driven by several modulation and protocol parameters including, but not limited to, peak-to-average power ratio of the modulation, demodulator dynamic range limitations, analog gain/filtering compression (linearity) responses specific to the particular receiver, protocol driven slotted timing structures, and synchronous versus asynchronous system requirements. Examples of current protocol structures that incorporate distinct AGC system requirements are IS95 (commonly known as CDMA), GSM, iDEN, ETSI EN 300392 known as TErrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) and APCO 25. Another standard is the TIA 902 Scalable Advanced Modulation (SAM) standard that is a 700 MHz public domain standard that may be used for public safety applications. In present receivers, AGC system design is generally tailored to specific protocols and modulation strategies.
As has been previously noted, the modulation's peak-to-average ratio greatly influences the selection of the AGC threshold. If the information within the received signal is contained only in the phase component (e.g. FM or PM), the AGC strategy is greatly simplified since the modulated information is not lost even when the receiver is operating in compression. However, as increasing portions of the information are contained in the amplitude component of the received signal, as indicated by increasing peak-to-average ratios of the received signal, the receiver linearity requirements greatly increase thus necessitating increased AGC complexity. With increasing peak-to-average levels, the AGC thresholds are selected so as to keep the receiver operating completely out of compression. Compression is an operating state typically encountered in strong RF input power conditions where an amplifier stage looses its small signal gain characteristic. Compression results in the loss of all or a portion of the amplitude component of the modulated information. Therefore, as the peak-to-average ratio of the modulation increases, it becomes increasingly critical for the AGC to engage sufficient attenuation to prevent the amplifier from operating in a state of compression.
Another important aspect of the AGC system design involves trade-offs between attack time and tracking characteristics as determined by the modulation scheme of the received signal and by protocol specific timing requirements. The AGC tracking rate must be set to avoid distorting the received signal, particularly in the form of undesired amplitude ripple of the received RF carrier induced by the closed loop AGC continuously tracking the signal level. This distortion is particularly detrimental to a received signal containing significant amplitude component within its modulation. To reduce the AM distortion effect, the AGC tracking rate (which is inversely proportional to the closed loop bandwidth of the AGC) must be slowed down such that the AGC cannot respond quickly to amplitude variations in the RF carrier induced by the modulation scheme. Slow AGC tracking rates are desirable for highly linear modulation strategies that incorporate a large amplitude component within the RF carrier, since fast AGC tracking of linear modulation strategies will result in the AGC tracking out the desired amplitude portion of the modulation. However, in a simplified closed loop control system, slowing down the AGC tracking rate has the undesired effect of increasing the AGC attack time. The AGC attack time is the duration required for the AGC to engage the required attenuation to achieve proper demodulation once the receiver has encountered an arbitrary change in RF input power level. Most modern protocol structures require fast AGC attack times. For a basic closed loop feedback system, the fast AGC attack time requirement is in direct conflict with the requirement to minimize AGC induced amplitude distortion of the desired signal. Therefore, there exists a paradox in receiver systems, where particular protocols may require fast AGC attack times necessitating high AGC tracking rates, while the highly linear modulation strategy incorporated into the same protocol may require slow AGC tracking rates that would degrade attack times. Previous receivers have attempted to resolve this paradox by focusing on specific protocols and modulation strategies without regard to readily adapting the system to accommodate multiple protocols and modulation types. It is advantageous for receivers to be readily adaptable to accommodate the numerous modulation strategies and receiver protocols that exist today.
AGC strategies are further complicated by protocol requirements necessitating AGC response to both synchronous and asynchronous signals. Some of these modulation strategies have specific timing requirements where the desired data is contained within specific slots of time for a given duration. Such strategies are synchronous, and are known as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) protocols. The same protocol can define another mode which is asynchronous, allowing direct radio-to-radio operation. For example, the TETRA protocol defines a TDMA Trunked Mode of Operation (TMO) and a radio-to-radio mode of operation known as Direct Mode Operation (DMO). In the DMO mode, the receiver is required to receive a discontinuous TDMA signal from another radio. Thus, the receiver AGC settling time should be extremely fast. For multi-national wireless communication companies, it is a competitive advantage to define common platforms that are able to meet these diverse protocol timing and modulation linearity requirements. Therefore, the AGC operation must vary significantly for each of these standards, and the receiver hardware must be adapted for all targeted standards, protocols and modulation techniques. Existing systems that are targeted to multiple standards incur significantly increased costs and/or performance degradation due to increased hardware complexity and/or increased system resource demands (i.e. increased host processing resulting in increased power consumption and increased latency in servicing user specific applications).
Skilled artisans appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.

Receiver with automatic gain control that operates with multiple protocols and method thereof


A video processor card stores tap generation information for determining a predetermined tap coefficient when the tap generation information is used together with tap generation information stored in another video processor card, and supplies a video processing interface with the tap generation information. The video processing interface generates the tap coefficient from the tap generation information of the one video processor card and the other video processor card loaded therein. The video processing interface extracts video data having a predictive tap used to predict a target pixel and video data having a class tap used to classify the target data, and class classifies the target data based on the class tap. The video processing interface determine the target pixel based on the tap coefficient and the predictive tap of the class of the target pixel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage device, data processing apparatus, data processing method, program, storage medium, and data processing system and, more particularly to a storage device, data processing apparatus, data processing method, program, storage medium, and data processing system for allowing television receivers to perform sophisticated functions in an add-on fashion.
2. Description of the Related Art
In response to television broadcast signals, television receivers the image corresponding to a television broadcast signal and provide a sound output correspondingly associated with the image.
A Y/C separation process and other signal processing rapidly advances, and sophisticated television receivers performing excellent signal processing are developed one after another and are commercially available.
Even if a television receiver, more sophisticated than a model currently owned by a user, is commercially available, the user is unable to enjoy a sophisticated function unless the user retrofits the present model with a new one.
In the field of computers, a board having a predetermined function, such as a video processor board or a audio processor board, may be mounted. A video processor board that receives a television signal and performs an MPEG encoding operation may be installed in a computer. That computer records a television broadcast program on a real time basis while MPEG encoding the program.
As in the computer, it is contemplated that a board provided with a new function may be fitted into the television receiver. The user purchases a board capable of performing a signal processing and mounts it in his or her television receiver. The user thus enjoys the new function without the need for purchasing a new model.
If a new board having more sophisticated function is on sale subsequent the sale of a preceding board having a certain signal processing function, the preceding board becomes obsolete.
The signal processing technique rapidly advances. One highly sophisticated board quickly supersedes another. The motivation of the users to purchase the boards is thus reduced.
If a previously purchased board is usable with the function thereof taken advantage of, or if the function of the television receiver becomes sophisticated in function by adding a newly purchased board in addition to a previously purchased board, the motivation of the user to purchase the board is promoted.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Storage device, data processing apparatus, data processing method, program, storage medium and data processing system


Differential signal output nodes of a novel CML buffer are DC-coupled by contiguous conductors to the differential signal input nodes of a load (for example, a CML logic element). The CML buffer includes a pulldown load latch that increases buffer transconductance and that provides a DC bias voltage across the conductors and onto the input nodes of the load, thereby obviating the need for the load to have DC biasing circuitry. Capacitors of a conventional AC coupling between buffer and load are not needed, thereby reducing the amount of die area needed to realize the circuit and thereby reducing the capacitance of the buffer-to-load connections. Switching power consumption is low due to the low capacitance buffer-to-load connections. Differential signals can be communicated from buffer to load over a wide frequency range of from less than five kilohertz to more than one gigahertz with less than fifty percent signal attenuation.

1. Technical Field
The disclosed embodiments relate to CML logic buffers and to the communication of signals from CML logic buffers to loads.
2. Background Information
Digital logic circuitry is being used in applications involving signals of ever increasing frequencies. Within a cellular telephone, for example, digital circuitry is now used to realize high speed frequency dividers. The receiver chain of a cellular telephone, for example, may include a local oscillator having a phase locked loop. The frequency divider in the feedback loop of the phase-locked loop may be a digital counter. Parts of this counter, for speed reasons, may be realized in a type of logic referred to as "current mode logic" (CML). One type of CML logic gate is a buffer (sometimes called a "clock driver").
FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a diagram of a conventional non-inverting CML buffer 1 that is AC-coupled in conventional manner to a load 2. The load has two differential signal input nodes 3 and 4 for receiving differential signals. N-channel field effect transistors (FETs) 5 and 6 and resistors 7 and 8 represent circuitry that is typical of a CML load. The gate of transistor 5 is coupled to the load's differential signal input node 3. The gate of transistor 6 is coupled to the load's differential signal input node 4. Load 2 works properly when a DC bias voltage of an appropriate magnitude is present on the gates of transistors 5 and 6. The differential signals that are received on input nodes 3 and 4 transition above and below this DC bias voltage. Resistors 9 and 10 represent a biasing network that places an appropriate DC voltage VBIAS2 on the gates of transistors 5 and 6.
Buffer 1 receives differential CML input signals on a pair of differential signal input nodes 11 and 12 and drives differential CML output signals out of a pair of differential signal output nodes 13 and 14 to load 2. Buffer 1 typically involves an N-channel FET pulldown current source structure 15 that serves as the load for a pair of input N-channel pullup FETs 16 and 17. Current mirror structure 15 operates to sink DC bias currents 18 and 19 from output nodes 13 and 14, respectively. A remotely located bias voltage generator typically supplies a bias voltage VBIAS1 that determines the magnitudes of DC bias currents 18 and 19. When the received differential CML input signals are received onto differential signal input nodes 11 and 12, the transistors 16 and 17 are to communicate the differential signals onto differential signal output nodes 13 and 14. Each of the differential signal input signals varies over a voltage range and typically has a DC bias voltage offset. The DC bias voltages of the differential CML input signals in combination with the source-follower operation of transistors 16 and 17 and DC bias currents 18 and 19 serve to establish a DC bias voltage on differential signal output nodes 13 and 14. This DC bias voltage on the differential signal output nodes of buffer 1 is generally different than the DC bias voltages VBIAS2 that should be present on the gates of transistors 5 and 6 of load 2. The differential signal output nodes 13 and 14 of buffer 1 are therefore AC-coupled through capacitors 20 and 21 to the differential signal input nodes 3 and 4 of load 2. This allows the DC bias voltages of the buffer and load to be different, but allows transitioning differential signals to pass from buffer 1 to load 2.
FIG. 2 (Prior Art) is a waveform diagram that illustrates operation of conventional buffer 1 of FIG. 1. The upper waveform shows how a relatively high frequency signal having a pulse width of five hundred picoseconds passes through capacitors 20 and 21 from the buffer to the load. A lower frequency signal, however, is rejected due to the AC-coupling. The lower the frequency of the signal, the more the signal is rejected. The lower waveform shows how a relatively low frequency signal having a pulse width of ten microseconds is largely rejected by the AC coupling between buffer and load. By the end of the ten microsecond pulse of a digital logic value "high", the voltage level of the signal has nearly fallen to a voltage defined to be the opposite digital logic value (a digital logic value "low"). By the end of the ten microsecond pulse, ninety percent of the signal has been attenuated. Accordingly, a typical CML buffer that is AC-coupled to its load may be employed only where the signals to be communicated to the load are of an adequately high frequency such that the desired signals make it to the load with adequate signal strength. A more versatile buffer circuit is desired.

Versatile and compact DC-coupled CML buffer


A window for an aircraft cabin has a first pane (3) with a high fatigue strength on the inside facing the cabin and a second pane (4) with a lower fatigue strength smaller than the first fatigue strength on the outside facing the atmosphere. The space (3A) between the window panes (3, 4) is sealed but connected through a pipe to an air pressure controller responsive to the atmospheric pressure. The pressure controller may be an air pump (12) or variable volume chambers (19, 20) for keeping the pressure in the space between the panes at the prevailing atmospheric pressure without actually venting the space to the atmosphere.

Aircraft windows must satisfy several requirements. Once such requirement is a clear visibility from the cabin to the outside. Further, the window structure must be capable of maintaining the static pressure inside The cabin even at high altitudes. Window components are not supposed go protrude outside the outer skin surface of the aircraft body in order to avoid an adverse influence of the window construction on the aerodynamic characteristics of the outer aircraft skin to avoid any increase in the drag caused by the window construction.
Conventional aircraft windows comprise two window panes for an increased reliability. One of these window panes, namely the outside main pane, is relatively thick and has a high fatigue strength achieved for example by making the thick window pane of stretched acrylic glass. The other window pane is relatively thin and has a small fatigue strength. Such thin window panes are made of stretched acrylic glass. Such thin aircraft window panes are referred to as auxiliary panes. Conventionally, the thick or main window pane is installed As an outer window pane in a window frame away from the cabin while the thin auxiliary pane is installed ac an inner pane next to the cabin. The construction is conventionally such that the strong outer window pane takes up the cabin interior pressure in normal operating condition. The inner auxiliary pane is not required to take up the inner cabin pressure under normal operating conditions since the cabin pressure is effective between the inner and outer window panes. Both panes are held in a window frame by an elastic sealing profile that holds both panes in the frame as a structural, nodular unit which is inserted into the window frame and secured in the frame which in turn is secured to the aircraft body structure.
As mentioned, the space between the panes is conventionally connected to the interior of the cabin through a small diameter bore so as to provide a pressure equalization between the space between the panes and the interior of the cabin. It the exterior main pane should break, it is necessary that the auxiliary pane takes up the entire anterior cabin pressure. However, in such an emergency it is only necessary to assure that the particular flight can continue to its destination without a total failure of the inner window pane. On the other hand, the main window pane must be capable of taking up the inner cabin pressure under all operating conditions, including normal operating conditions. As a result, the main pane has a tendency to bulge outwardly, whereby the stretching of the material facilitates the adverse effects of external harmful materials such as corrosives becoming effective on the outer window surface. The effects of corrosives and the like aided by the outward bulging of the main window pane are thus very disadvantageous, especially with regard to the useful service life of the main window panes which are rather expensive and must be frequently replaced when they no longer permit a clear visibility to the outside. Moreover, the outward bulging of the main window panes in conventional aircraft windows adversely affects the aerodynamic drag, thereby increasing the drag. Another disadvantage is seen in that the connection of the space between the panes to the cabin facilitates fogging of the window panes when moist air enters into the space between the panes so that the visibility through the window is impaired.
German Patent 693,159 (Wagner et al.), published on Jun. 6, 1940 discloses a self-supporting transparent nose cone shell structure of an aircraft. A transparent, strength providing inner wall (2) of the nose cone carries a plurality of radially outwardly extending ribs (18) circumferentially distributed around the nose cone for carrying an outer transparent wall skin (3). The space between the two transparent walls (2) and (3) is heated to prevent fogging of the nose cone.
German Patent 737,294 (Diez et al.), published on Jun. 3, 1943 discloses an aircraft cabin window with a stronger outer window pane (1) and a thinner inner window pane (2). The space (4) between the window panes is sealed by a seal (3) and an air cleaner device is positioned to reach into the inner space. The air cleaner device holds, for example active charcoal or silica gel.
German Patent 933,371 (GOtz), published on Aug. 25, 1955 discloses a dryer cartridge for an aircraft window that is inserted through the thinner inner window pane into the space between the inner pane (9) and the outer stronger pane (10). A tablet (3) of air drying material is inserted into the cartridge which is also equipped with a rubber membrane that responds to a pressure difference between the pressure in the space between the panes and the cabin pressure. The cartridge is exchangeable.
German Patent Publication 1,252,533 (Hertel), published on Oct. 19, 1967 discloses aircraft cabin windows that have a common frame structure which in turn forms part of the aircraft body structure. A strong inner pane (6) and a smooth outer covering (9) enclose a space (3). The outer covering (9) is supposed to reduce aerodynamic drag.
East German Patent Publication 23,321 (Riedel et al.), published on Jun. 29, 1962 discloses a double window for pressure chambers, especially aircraft cabins in which in addition to the regular window frame that spaces the stronger inner window pane (4) from the thin outer window pane (7), a further frame (8) is provided which holds a foam rubber seal (13).
The just described prior art leaves room for improvement, especially with regard to the arrangement of the window panes and with regard to the control of the air pressure in the space between the window panes.


A method and apparatus for uphauling the sail of a windsurfer is provided. The method and apparatus for uphauling a sail uses the sailor's body weight to uphaul the sail. The apparatus connects between the windsurfer rig and a harness worn by the sailor. The uphaul line includes a means for shortening the length thereof to allow the sailor to adjust the length thereof during the uphaul process. The method includes attaching the uphaul line to the sailor, the sailor leaning in an opposite direction of the sail to use his or her body weight to uphaul the sail. Before the sailor loses his or her balance, the sailor grabs the conventional uphaul and steadies the rig. Then, the sailor moves his or her body forward and shortens the uphaul line. The sailor can then lean back again to continue uphauling the sail.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for uphauling a windsurfer sail, and more particularly to a sail uphaul apparatus that allows a sailor to use his or her body weight to raise, or "uphaul," a windsurfer sail.
2. Related Art
The sport of windsurfing utuilzes-a specialied surfboard, or "sailboard," having a mast that is mounted on the sailboard by means of a universal joint. A sail is interconnected with the mast, and a boom extends from the mast and about the sail. The entire mast, boom and sail assembly may be referred to as the "rig." The person who participates in the sport, hereinafter referred to as a "sailor," stands upon the sailboard, and while keeping his or her balance, manipulates the boom to angle the sail with respect to the direction of the wind to achieve propulsion by means of the force of the wind against the sail. If the rig is not held upright by the sailor, it will fall into the water. Often, because of the immediate sailing conditions, the sailor will be forced to let go of the rig, or the sailor will lose his or her balance and fall off the sailboard, allowing the rig to fall. The fallen sail and mast lie just below the surface of the water.
In order to raise the mast and sail, the sailor must exert a muscular effort to hoist or "uphaul" the rig from the surface of the water. Uphauling is normally accomplished with an uphaul apparatus, hereinafter "conventional uphaul," attached to the front of the boom at a point near the mast. A conventional uphaul is a knotted grip line that the sailor manually grabs and pulls, hand over hand, to uphaul the sail. The bottom of a conventional uphaul includes an elastic loop that extends about the bottom of the mast to retain the uphaul line against the mast when not in use and keep the bottom of the uphaul line on-board so that the sailor can reach it easily when the rig has fallen.
Due to the large surface area of the sail, the force of wind blowing over the sail, and water overlying the sail, the hoisting force required to uphaul the sail can exceed 100 pounds. Under these conditions, the sailor's back arms and hands are subjected to strenuous muscular effort from uphauling. Uphauling greatly tires the sailor--much more than sailing.
One reason for the difficulty is that the uphaul line is attached at the boom. When the mast is erect, boom height (about shoulder height) is where one would want the top of the uphaul. But when the mast is lying prone on the water the sailor must hoist a 16 foot mast and sail with a rope which is attached 4 to 5 feet up the mast. The mounting of the uphaul to the mast at the boom causes negative leverage, that is it appears to the sailor that the mast and sail weighs more than it actually weighs. Therefore, the first 20 degrees of hoisting the mast (from horizontal, 0 degrees, to vertical, 90 degrees) is the most difficult. Once the mast rises above 20 degrees, or 1/4 of the way up, the force required to raise it farther reduces rapidly.
While windsurfing, many sailors wear a harness around their hips, waist or chest. The harness includes a hook positioned in front of the sailor. Harness lines attached to the boom extend to and are attached, "hooked in," about the hook of the harness to take the force of the sail off of the sailor's back, arms and hands while sailing. Consequently, sailing becomes an exercise in balancing the sailor's weight against the force of the wind upon the sail.
In summary, sailing requires relatively little effort, but uphauling the sail requires great effort. This tends to restrict the sport to stronger participants. The fatigue resulting from uphauling limits the time a sailor can continue to sail. Also, if the wind increases or the waves increase, or if the sailor gets tired far from shore, the exertion of uphauling could cause a serious safety problem. The sailor becomes fatigued and falls more often, high winds and waves increase the force required to uphaul the sail, and the exertion of uphauling more often increases the sailor's fatigue to the point of exhaustion so that he or she can not control the windsurfer to sail back to shore.
Examples of previous efforts at sail uphaul apparatus for uphauling a windsurfer sail and mast include: Fouch, U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,412 (1991) discloses a device for righting a fallen windsurfer sail and mast having a rope that is threaded through a pulley affixed to a point along the mast and above the boom. One end of the rope is attached to a harness about the sailor's torso. The other end of the rope is unattached to any physical point on the windsurfing rig. Both the rope and pulley act as a means for leveraging the muscular efforts of the sailor. When pulling on the unattached end of the rope, the sailor is able to raise the mast and its attached sail from the water using less effort than if no pulley mechanism was provided.
Cooper et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,339 (1991) discloses an assembly for righting a fallen windsurfer sail and mast. The assembly includes, but is not limited to, two pulleys. One pulley is affixed upon the mast near the front of the boom and is threaded with an uphauler line. The uphauler line is a rope having both its ends terminate in a single small loop that is to be attached to the sailor's harness whenever it is necessary to right the sail. The second pulley is attached near the lower end of the mast and threaded with an elastic cord having one end tied to a stationary point upon the mast and its other end just below the single small loop which terminates the uphauler line. While the elastic cord is of sufficient size and length to pull the uphauler line against the mast when the uphauler line is not required to right the windsurfer, the cord has sufficient elasticity to stretch for a length long enough to permit the uphauler line to be hooked to the sailor's harness when the fallen sail is to be raised from the water. To right the windsurfer, the sailor grasps one side of the large loop formed just below the upper pulley by the uphauler line, and exerts a muscular effort which, when aided by the pulleys, rights the sail.
Blackmer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,161 (1990) discloses an apparatus for righting a mast and sail of a windsurfing rig. The apparatus has a hoisting pole, whose bottom end may, in one embodiment, be attached a point near the bottom of the mast. The hoisting pole's top end contains a halyard mechanism for directing the forces applied to the three attached ropes extending about the windsurfing rig. In the preferred embodiment, the other end of the first rope is connected to the front of the boom at a point upon the mast. The other end of the second rope is loose so as to be graspable by the sailor. The third rope connects the bottom end of the hoist pole to the front of the boom to redirect the axial force component on the hoist pole caused by the hoisting forces on the boom head. By pulling on the unattached end of the second rope, the sailor is able to right the fallen mast and sail. Once the rig's mast is in the proper position, the sailor can initiate the retraction of the hoist pole to its storage position beneath the front of the boom, by lifting the uphaul so as to allow the rig's elastic cords to carry the pole in the absence of any tension provided by the ropes attached to the halyard mechanism.
Taylor, U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,591 (1988) discloses an adjustable harness line that is to be attached to the boom of a windsurfing rig. The line utilizes a predetermined length of plastic tubing that is sufficiently flexible to bend under its own weight while avoiding entanglement on the boom during wind gusts. Attached to the plastic tubing are Velcro strap assemblies which are quickly and easily attached and detached from the boom, and a pull down power strap having a hand loop upon which the sailor can pull down to shorten the harness line.
Weber et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,428 (1987) discloses a flexible wishbone shaped boom for a windsurfing rig that allows the sailor to vary the curvature of the sail while the rig is in motion. Each side of the boom has a flexible member attached to a rigid member. A flexible cross line connects the two flexible members and is the means by which the user can adjust the shape of the boom. Pulling on the cross line brings the two flexible members closer together and increases the overall length of the boom. Upon being lengthened, the boom's aft section moves to reduce the curvature of the sail. A harness, worn about the torso of the sailor, can use a hook-like device to engage the cross line and adjust its length so that the movement and body weight of the sailor may be utilized for the purpose of adjusting the boom length.
Frohbach, U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,631 (1983) discloses an apparatus for awindsurfing rig that aids the sailor in counterbalancing the force generated by the wind. The apparatus includes a handle member which is attached to the boom by a pair of connecting rods that are mounted near the handle's ends. The connecting rods are pivotally mounted to the boom so as to permit an angular displacement and rigidly attached to the handle. While the handle member is free to angularly move about the boom's axis, the connecting rods prevent the handle from linear movement along the boom's axis. By allowing the sailor to lean further into the wind than is permitted by a conventional windsurfing rig, the apparatus makes it possible for the sailor further reduce the effective area of the sail.
Ameil, French Patent No. 80 276557 discloses a harness for a windsurfing rig having a strap to apply the sail action to the sailor's back and shoulders, leaving the sailor's arms free. The harness includes a belt that, at its ends, is affixed to the wishbone shaped boom. The sailor can press on the belt with his or her back while a separate return strap ensures permanent contact to the sailor's back.
Biasini, French Patent No. 2575720 presents a lever which attaches to the mast base and gives the sailor better leverage when raising the fallen sail. The uphaul line extends from the boom, over the end of the lever, and the sailor pulls on the free end of the line. This reduces the effort required to uphaul the sail.
Frank, German Patent No. 3004780 presents a strut which attaches to the mast foot and which is elastically attached at the top so that when the sailor pulls on the uphaul line the strut deploys and reduces the effort required to pull up the fallen sail.
None of these previous efforts disclose all the benefits and advantages of the present invention, nor do these previous patents teach or suggest all of the elements of the present invention. However, these inventions demonstrate an unmet need, the need to uphaul the sail of a windsurfer with less effort.

Method and apparatus for uphauling a windsurfer sail


An air conditioning equipment is provided with an oil level equalizing system, which includes a plurality of low-pressure shell-type compressors communicating with a suction line through a plurality of branch portions, a plurality of connecting lines each communicating with a corresponding compressor shell at a location adjacent to a normal oil level in the shell, and an oil level equalizing line communicating with the plurality of connecting lines. The oil level equalizing system also includes a communication line, through which the suction line communicates with the oil level equalizing line at a location upstream of the plurality of branch portions with respect to a direction of flow of a refrigerant. This arrangement functions to increase the pressure within the oil level equalizing line to a value higher than that within the shell of each compressor. A gas/liquid separator for separating a gas refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant or an oil/gas separator for separating oil from the gas refrigerant may be provided in the suction line upstream of the plurality of branch portions. Alternatively, an accumulator may be provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an oil level equalizing system for a plurality of low-pressure shell-type compressors arranged in parallel.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication (unexamined) No. 4-19675 discloses an oil level equalizing system for a plurality of low-pressure shell-type compressors arranged in parallel.
This oil level equalizing system will be explained hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings. FIG. 19 depicts a refrigerating cycle of an air-conditioning equipment employing the conventional oil level equalizing system for the plurality of compressors. FIG. 20 is a detailed view of a portion denoted by A in FIG. 19.
In FIGS. 19 and 20, an outdoor unit 1 of the air-conditioning equipment comprises a plurality of low-pressure shell-type compressors 2a, 2b, 2c, a four-way valve 3 for switching the flowing direction of a refrigerant in accordance with a cooling operation and a heating operation, an outdoor heat exchanger 4 which serves as a condenser during the cooling operation and as an evaporator during the heating operation, and an outdoor expansion valve 5 which does not reduce the pressure during the cooling operation but serves as a pressure reduction unit during the heating operation. An indoor unit 6a, 6b or 6c comprises an indoor expansion valve 7a, 7b or 7c which does not reduce the pressure during the heating operation but serves as a pressure reduction unit during the cooling operation, and an indoor heat exchanger 8a, 8b or 8c which serves as an evaporator during the cooling operation and as a condenser during the heating operation. Further, the outdoor unit 1 is connected with the indoor units 6a, 6b, 6c thereby constituting a looped refrigerant circuit.
Reference numeral 9 designates a suction line which communicates with the suction side of the compressors 2a, 2b, 2c, and reference numerals 10a and 10b designate branch portions of the suction line 9.
The compressors 2a, 2b, 2c are connected at respective positions adjacent to the normal oil level within the shell with an oil level equalizing line 11 via connecting lines 12a, 12b, 12c.
An oil level controlling method for each compressor in the air conditioning equipment of the above-described construction will be explained hereinafter.
When the oil level rises due to an increase in the oil quantity within the shell of any one of the compressors 2a, 2b, 2c, the pressure at the connecting portion of the corresponding connecting line 12a, 12b or 12c increases. In contrast, when the oil level lowers due to a reduction in the oil quantity within the shell of any one of the compressors 2a, 2b, 2c, the pressure at the connecting portion of the corresponding connecting line 12a, 12b or 12c decreases.
Accordingly, for example, when the oil quantity within the compressor 2a decreases due to oil foaming or the like at the time of starting, the oil level within the compressor 2a lowers, so that the pressure at the connecting portion of the connecting line 12a of the compressor 2a lowers below the pressures at the connecting portions of the connecting lines 12b, 12c of the compressors 2b, 2c. Therefore, the oils within the shells of the compressors 2b, 2c transfer into the shell of the compressor 2a through an oil level equalizing line 11 to prevent shortage of the oil quantity within the compressor 2a. In this way, when the respective compressors 2a, 2b, 2c have the same capacities and the pressures within their respective shells are the same, it becomes possible to adequately control the oil quantities within the respective compressors 2a, 2b, 2c.
However, when one or more compressors having different capacities or variable capacities are included among the plurality of compressors 2a, 2b, 2c, since the respective compressors 2a, 2b, 2c are of the low-pressure shell-type, the pressures within the shells of the compressors of the high capacity type lower and the pressures within the shells of the compressors of the low capacity type rise.
Accordingly, for example, when the compressor 2a has a smaller capacity than those of the compressors 2b, 2c, the pressure within the shell of the compressor 2a becomes higher than those within the shells of the compressors 2b, 2c, and the pressure at the connecting portion of the connecting line 12a of the compressor 2a becomes higher than those at the connecting portions of the connecting lines 12b, 12c of the compressors 2b, 2c, so that the oil within the shell of the compressor 2a transfers into the shells of the compressors 2b, 2c through the oil level equalizing line 11 to decrease the oil quantity of the compressor 2a.
At this moment, the oil stirred by rotary elements or the oil dropping from the compressor drifts in mist state within the shell of the compressor 2a, and the oil in the mist state also transfers into the compressors 2b, 2c together with the refrigerant.
Accordingly, even when the oil level within the compressor 2a lowers below a connecting position of the connecting line 12a, the oil quantity continues to decrease and becomes short before long to consequently damage the compressor 2a.
In this way, when the plurality of compressors having different capacities are used, there arises the problem that the oil quantity within the low capacity compressor becomes insufficient.
In order to solve that problem, it may be proposed that all the compressors are stopped and supplied with the oil for equalizing the oil levels at predetermined time intervals. In this case, however, since the time may be usually set to several minutes to several tens of minutes, the operation is frequently turned ON and OFF to make the system unstable, resulting in a reduction in efficiency and reliability of the system.

Oil level equalizing system for plural compressors


The present invention is directed to improved apparatus for restraining a necktie to a shirt. The present invention employs attachment means on the back of a conventional necktie to secure the tie's normally concealed tail in two positions, and a horizontal member, having buttonholes therein, slidably mounted on the tail between the attachment means. The horizontal member may then be secured to a shirt button to hold the tie in place during normal wear. The apparatus allows the necktie to automatically adjust to compensate for changes in the amount of slack on the necktie. Various alternative attachment means are disclosed, including means for ease in providing restraint apparatus for "clip-on" and other pre-tied neckwear.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to means for restraining neckties, and more particularly, to an improved apparatus to anchor a necktie to a shirt so that it remains properly restrained and centered when adorned.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional "four-in-hand" necktie is tied about the neck with a knot at a shirt collar and generally has an outward facing section passing down the shirt front to conceal shirt buttons and a somewhat narrower tail section which hangs down from the knot and is concealed by the outward facing section. Normally, a wearer might use one of a number of possible methods to control a tie, including: letting both the outward section and the tail section hang free; passing the tail section through a manufacturer's label regularly provided on the back of the outward facing section so that the two sections of the tie hang as a unit; or attaching the two sections to the shirt by use of various forms of jewelry, such as a tie-tack, a tie bar or a tie pin to keep the tie in place.
The problem with the non-restrained methods of wearing a tie mentioned above is that the tie sections hang free. This not only regularly presents disarray in appearance, but the tie sections frequently interfere with work, are soiled or ruined by dragging through food or other staining material, and may be quite hazardous if accidentally caught in a doorway or machinery.
The use of jewelry holding devices is common, but also suffers from a number of drawbacks. First, these devices often pass in and out of favor depending on preference and fashion trends. Second, they are often expensive and regularly cause damage to the fabric by creating permanent holes, creases, and blemishes in the tie. Finally, these jewelry devices anchor the tie to the shirt and often do not permit vertical movement of the tie relative to the shirt. Torso movements of the wearer cause the anchored tie to pull on the knot causing displacement of the knot and general disarray so as not to present an elegant appearance.
Not surprisingly, a number of solutions have been proposed to attempt to avoid the above problems, but none is believed wholly satisfactory. U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,579 to Swain describes an apparatus to restrain necktie tails of a four-in-hand tie at the front of the shirt by relying on the manufacturer's sewn-in-place label on the back of the outward facing section and a flat plastic loop threaded through that label and attached to buttons on the shirt front. The plastic loop is somewhat stiff and has button holes at each end with a fixed distance between them. This arrangement is believed to have numerous drawbacks, including that it is awkward to employ-- requiring keeping track of the loop, re-positioning the loop each time a new tie is worn, and often re-tying of the tie to center the device properly. Further, this device relies on the distance between buttons fixed by the manufacturer of the shirt which is not always the same from shirt to shirt. Moreover, this device may cause tie damage through constant pulling on the manufacturer's label--a use for which the label is not designed. Finally, the stiff plastic loop may prove uncomfortable to wear.
Another approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,576 to Prince, Jr. There a button-slot neck tie fastener is permanently affixed to the manufacturer's label and a stiff portion having button slots is affixed to a shirt button. Apparently the tie's vertical movement relative to the shirt is permitted by the slot engaging the button. This device is believed to suffer from most of the same drawbacks as the Swain device, and may have the additional problem of possibly wearing out the shirt front where it contacts the device and the button stitching--thus possibly damaging both the tie and the shirt.
Still another solution to keeping a conventional tie in proper position is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,523 to Begg. Begg contemplates the use of complementary VELCRO.RTM.-type loop-and-hook material, with a first element thereof on the back of the outward facing section and a second element thereof on a loop around the tail section. The second element has a slot on its opposite side for engagement with a shirt button. The two hook-and-loop elements engage each other to hold the tie in position and the tail section of the tie is threaded through the loop. Although this arrangement solves some of the problems presented by the Swain and Prince devices, its separate elements are believed to be somewhat awkward to use and the loop element may be prone to loss. More importantly, this design does not allow vertical movement of the tie relative to the shirt to follow movement of the torso of the wearer--leading to some of the same presentation problems as conventional jewelry restraining devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,547 to Abdallah proposes attaching a somewhat cumbersome plastic base member to the rear of the front portion of the tie and intertwining a slidable member through slots in the base member for attachment to a shirt button. Although this design may solve some of the problems for after-market necktie restraint, it is still considered deficient in a number of aspects. First, the relatively large base member, which is suggested to be constructed from a plastic material, is considered to be unnecessarily awkward for ease in tying the necktie--particularly with respect to passing the front apron of the tie through the knot. Further, this device can be heavy in comparison to the weight of the material from which the tie is fabricated, thus placing unnecessary stress on the tie material and presenting a stiff look during normal movements of the wearer.
Yet another anchoring device is U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,546 to Jones. Jones proposes a slidable device which is anchored to, or formed as a continuous part of, the back of a tie. Although this device may cure some of the problems discussed above, this patent is devoid of teaching or suggestion of how to best proportion and construct such a device. Additionally, nothing in this patent teaches how to readily adapt such a device for after-market use.
Applicant's device disclosed in the parent applications solves many of these problems. That invention employs a tie restraint apparatus with a vertical member attached at its top and bottom to the back of the front section of the tie and a relatively wide horizontal member which surrounds the vertical member and slides between the vertical member's top and bottom positions. The horizontal member includes multiple buttonholes along its length so that the wide horizontal member may be properly positioned. As is disclosed, ideally the vertical and horizontal members are constructed from a material similar in appearance to the tie material itself and include a backing of fusion cloth or comparable material which provides sufficient stiffness for proper operation of the apparatus.
In operation, once the necktie is tied in a conventional manner, the horizontal member is easily slid into a position on the vertical member which aligns with an opening with a button on the shirt. The button is then secured within the opening to provide an anchor for the tie. The concealed tail section of the tie may be inserted through the horizontal member to keep it safely secure.
The attachment of the horizontal member to the shirt has proven to be a very secure method of retaining the tie in place. This is due in part to the free movement of the horizontal member on the vertical member which assures that the tie always stays in a straight and low-stress orientation. Moreover, the invention of the parent application is extremely simple and reliable in operation, may be instantly attached without complicated positioning of the tie relative to shirt buttons, may be inexpensively incorporated as original equipment on any conventional tie, and, due to its automatic adjustability, always presents an orderly appearance regardless of a wearer's torso movement.
Despite the many advantages of the invention of the parent application, alternate less costly methods of restraining the necktie are considered to be possible. First, it is believed desirable to provide some form of tie restraint apparatus which can deliver most of the performance of the applicant's original device, but can be readily installed on existing neckwear. Second, it is believed that these same concepts can be employed to create a simplified and less expensive apparatus for use on pre-tied neckwear (e.g. "clip-on" ties).
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for maintaining a necktie in place which is effective, yet camouflaged from view by the ordinary observer.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which can be easily and quickly installed on existing neckwear with minimal stress on the neckwear.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is as inexpensive, simple and straightforward as possible to be readily adapted for full scale production.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which can be inexpensively adapted for use with pre-tied neckwear.
These and other objects of the present invention will become evident from review of the following specification.

Apparatus for restraining a variety of neckties


A method includes drilling and lining a wellbore, in one aspect by mounting a drill bit on a drill string including a section of expandable tubing and providing a tubing expander in the string, rotating the drill bit and advancing the drill string through a bore, and passing the expander through the expandable tubing to expand the tubing. The apparatus comprises a drill string including a section of expandable tubing, a drill bit mounted on the string, and a tubing expander mounted on the string.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drilling method and to drilling apparatus. In particular, aspects of the invention relate to combined bore drilling and bore isolation methods and apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In oil and gas exploration and production operations, subsurface hydrocarbon-bearing formations are accessed by drilling bores from the surface to intersect with the formations. Drilling is accomplished using a drill bit mounted on the end of a drill support member, commonly known as a drill string. The drill string may be rotated via a top drive or rotary table on a surface platform or rig, or a downhole motor may be mounted towards the lower end of the string. The drilled bores are lined with steel tubing, known as "casing", which casing is cemented in the bore by filling the annulus between the casing and the surrounding bore wall with cement slurry. The casing inter alia supports the bore wall and prevents fluid flowing into or from the bore through the bore wall.
During a drilling operation it is normally the case that the drill string passes through an upper section of the bore, which is cased, and. a lower and more recently drilled bore section which is uncased. While drilling, it is not uncommon for the bore to intersect formations which create difficulties for the drilling operator, including: unstable formations which collapse into the bore; swelling formations which restrict the. bore and may trap the drill string in the bore; porous formations which result in loss of returning drilling fluid; and fluid-containing formations which result in uncontrolled flow of gas or liquid into the bore.
In some cases these difficulties may be overcome by, for example, pumping specialised fluids downhole to treat the problem formation. However, in other cases it may be necessary to retrieve the drill string and then run in casing or other bore liner to isolate the problem formation before drilling may recommence. Clearly, these operations will be time consuming and incur significant extra expense. Further, in the event of significant immediate problems, it may even become necessary to abandon the well.
In normal drilling operations1 the sequence of events in drilling and then casing a bore is similar, that is following drilling to a desired depth the drill string is retrieved and a casing string is then made up and run into the bore.
It is among the objectives of embodiments of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which permit bore drilling and bore isolation operations to be executed in a single "trip", that is a drill string need not be retrieved and a separate casing string run in prior to a bore lining or isolation operation being carried out.

Methods for drilling and lining a wellbore


The present novel organosilicon compound is a 2-trimethoxysilylpropionate represented by the following formula ##STR1## wherein R represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms. This ester reacts efficiently with alcohols and silanols and is useful, for example, as a terminal alkoxysilylating agent for organopolysiloxanes such as industrially useful .alpha.,.omega.-dihydroxypolydimethylsiloxane, or as a surface treatment for silicas, or as a storage stabilizer that serves as a scavenger of an alcohol for alcohol elimination type RTV. Further, since the present organosilicon compound is a three-functional alkoxysilane having three methoxy groups in the molecule, it is useful as a curing agent for alcohol elimination type RTV.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel organosilicon compound, and more particularly to a novel organosilicon compound useful, for example, as an alkoxysilylating agent, a surface treatment, a curing agent, or a storage stabilizer such as an alcohol scavenger.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As an agent for alkoxysilylating the terminals of an organopolysiloxane such as .alpha.,.omega.-dihydroxypolydimethylsiloxane, various alkoxysilanes are known. However, the conventionally known alkoxysilylating agents are not still satisfactory, for example, in reactivity, and alkoxysilylating agents further improved in properties such as reactivity are desired.


A method of manufacturing an image forming apparatus includes evaluating, based on a pair comparison method, sounds generated when forming an image, carrying out a multiple linear regression analysis using a difference between scores of the evaluation as a target variable and a difference between psycho-acoustic parameter values as an explanatory variable, deriving formula concerning the difference in scores of sound quality from a result of the analysis, substituting an average of the psycho-acoustic parameter values used to derive the formula into the formula, defining discomfort of the sound when all the parameter values are average values as zero, and deriving a sound quality evaluation formula, and designing each unit of the apparatus based on the sound quality evaluation formula.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology to reduce operation noise of an image forming apparatus.
2) Description of the Related Art
Various kinds of apparatuses that are equipped with an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile are installed in a place like an office. The image forming apparatus has a considerable amount of parts mechanically connected to each other. The image forming apparatus also has motors that drive motorized mechanisms. When operated, each part of the image forming apparatus generates operation noise that gives a discomfort to users.
A method of using a sound power level or a sound pressure level as a standard is currently used as a method of evaluating noise generated from the office machines, such as the International Organization for Standard (ISO) 7779. However, according to the method of evaluating noise based on the sound power level or the sound pressure level, a correlation between the evaluation and a subjective discomfort of a human may be low. Therefore, even if the evaluation based on the standard is satisfactory, a person may feel discomfort in many cases.
For example, even when two sounds have the same sound pressure, if a person hears the two sounds having different frequency distributions or different percussive noises may have different discomfort levels from each of the two sounds. In other words, even if the sound pressure level is low, sounds that include a high-frequency component or a pure tone component are apt to be felt unpleasant.
Therefore, it is considered to be necessary to take a measure against the noise of the office machines by evaluating the sound quality and taking the evaluation into account, instead of simply using the sound power level or the sound pressure level as a standard.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H9-193506 discloses a technique of providing an image forming apparatus with a masking sound generation function to mask the operation noise that is generated during the formation of an image, and decreasing the noise by generating a masking sound during the image forming process.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-232163 discloses a technique of evaluating only rasping as low-frequency random noise that is generated in the airflow such as exhaust sound from among various kinds of sound generated from the image forming apparatus.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-253440 discloses a technique of evaluating only a sound that is generated from a scanner motor or a charger.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-253442 discloses a technique of evaluating only a sound that is generated when a sheet of paper is rubbed as high-frequency random noise.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-267742 discloses a technique of evaluating only a beating sound of a pure tone having a peak in a plurality of close frequencies attributable to the beating of a driving mechanism.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-267743 discloses a technique of evaluating smoothness of sound that includes a pure tone, beating, a low-frequency component, and a high-frequency component that the human feels.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-336975 discloses a technique of evaluating the sound quality that takes an influence of noise generated from the office machines to a subjective feeling of the human into consideration.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-128316 discloses an image forming apparatus that has a paper feeding mechanism which obtains a discomfort index based on a loudness and a sharpness obtained from the sound generated from the image forming apparatus, and which makes the obtained discomfort index satisfy a predetermined condition.
However, the image forming apparatus mounted with the masking sound generation function generates the masking sound in addition to sound that the apparatus generates during the operation. Therefore, this has a risk of further increasing the noise level. It is also necessary to install a masking generation unit (such as a speaker, a controller, and a sound source) that has nothing to do with the image forming operation. Accordingly, an installation room is necessary, which prevents implementing a small apparatus, and increases cost. Consequently, this method cannot be an effective countermeasure against the noise.
The above sound quality evaluation techniques enable an evaluation of specific sound quality of the operation noise from the image forming apparatus, by taking into a human's subjective feeling into consideration. However, these techniques do not make clear a detailed method of countermeasures against noise by utilizing a result of the evaluation.
In order to evaluate sound quality and take a countermeasure against the noise based on the result of the evaluation, it is necessary to quantitatively measure the sound quality and measure the improvement in the sound quality after taking the countermeasure in comparison with the sound quality before taking the countermeasure.
However, because the sound quality is not a physical quantity, it is not possible to carry out a quantitative measurement. Therefore, it is difficult to set target variables of improvement. A person evaluates the sound quality as "improved" or "slightly improved". Since the evaluation levels are different between persons, it is also difficult to determine whether an obtained result is a general evaluation.
Psycho-acoustic parameters are known as physical quantities to evaluate sound quality. The following representative psycho-acoustic parameters are known.
(For example, "targeting for an innovative step of design and system toward the twenty-first century", The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, The seventh design engineering system lecture, "sound, vibration and design, and color and design (1)", 089B, Nov. 10–11, 1997.)    (1) Loudness (sone): a volume of a hearing    (2) Sharpness (acum): a relative distribution of a high-frequency component    (3) Tonality (tu): a relative distribution of pure tone component    (4) Roughness (asper): a feeling of roughness of sound    (5) Fluctuation strings (vacil): variation strength, a feeling of beating    (6) Impulsiveness (iu): impactness    (7) Relative approach: a feeling of variation
When the values of these parameters increase, the discomfort levels tend to increase.
Since the apparatuses like the copying machine and the printer have a complex structure, these apparatuses generate a sound that includes various kinds of tones. In other words, a plurality of sound sources including a motor, a solenoid, and paper generate time varying low-frequency sound, high frequency sound, and impulsive sound. A human judges whether the sound generated from the image forming apparatus is unpleasant from the total sound. It is considered that a human makes the judgment by placing a weight of discomfort in some portion of the sound. In other words, it is considered that the above kinds of psycho-acoustic parameters do not give discomfort to every person at the same rate, but the parameters have different weights of discomfort.
One of the above conventional techniques provides a paper feeding mechanism that obtains a discomfort index based on a loudness and a sharpness, and makes the obtained discomfort index satisfy a predetermined condition (as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-128316). This technique takes the above points into consideration.
Some image forming apparatuses that are available in recent years can select resolution of an image, or can handle both a color image and a monochrome image. Also, some image forming apparatuses can operate differently depending on quality of a paper onto which an image is printed, or can set a printing speed. As explained above, most image forming apparatuses in recent years have a plurality of operation modes. An apparatus that has a plurality of operation modes makes different movements in the parts of the apparatus depending on the operation mode, and the apparatus generates different noises accordingly. Particularly, when the printing speed changes, the frequency component of the sound generated is different according to a change of a motor speed. The sounds generated from each mechanism also changes, and based on the change, a sound source from which a human feels discomfort also changes.
Therefore, for the image forming apparatus that has a plurality of operation modes, it is necessary to take a countermeasure against unpleasant noises in each operation mode by carrying out a complex work to evaluate sound qualities in each operation mode that has a different printing speed. However, the above problems have not yet been solved by the conventional technologies.

Image forming apparatus, method of evaluating noise, and methods of manufacturing and modifying image forming apparatus


A polymer substrate and back contact structure for a photovoltaic element, and a photovoltaic element include a CIGS photovoltaic structure, a polymer substrate having a device side at which the photovoltaic element can be located and a back side opposite the device side. A layer of dielectric is optionally formed at the back side of the polymer substrate. A metal structure is formed at the device side of the polymer substrate.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to photovoltaic modules and methods of manufacturing photovoltaic modules and, more particularly, to photovoltaic modules and methods of manufacturing photovoltaic modules in which mechanical distortion in the modules is substantially reduced or eliminated.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
One type of flexible photovoltaic (PV) module is formed as a thin-film device on a polymeric substrate. An example of such devices is the Copper-Indium-Gallium-Selenide (CIGS) device. CIGS devices present many challenges in terms of the thin-film deposition processes, device patterning, and final assembly/packaging. Polymer substrates are of great significance since high-temperature variations of the material are adequate to accommodate CIGS processing while the material maintains its dielectric properties, which enables monolithic integration without any additional insulating films.
A fundamental challenge in flexible CIGS devices is in the deposition of a metallic back contact onto the polymer prior to the deposition of the CIGS p-type absorber layer. This back contact makes ohmic contact to the CIGS and allows for current to flow through the device and be collected through interconnects to the leads attached to the electrical load. Thus, this back contact, which is usually a metal, must maintain high electrical conductivity, both before and after device processing. It must also survive the deposition environment for the subsequent thin film deposition steps.

Multilayer thin-film back contact system for flexible photovoltaic devices on polymer substrates


A wireless communication apparatus for starting an operation according to an electric wave received from a portable terminal is provided. The apparatus includes a wireless communication module for transmitting data to the portable terminal, an RFID tag for turning-on a switch using the electric wave received from the portable terminal, the switch supplying power of a battery to a sensor, the wireless communication module and a control unit when the switch is turned-on, and for cutting-off the power supply of the battery to the sensor, the wireless communication module and the control unit when the switch is turned-off, and the control unit for driving the sensor when the power from the battery is supplied to the control unit, for controlling the wireless communication module to transmit a physical amount from the sensor to the portable terminal and for turning off the switch when the control unit receives the physical amount.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication apparatus starting operation according to an electric wave received from a portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wireless communication apparatus capable of reducing power consumption of a battery using a Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tag.
2. Description of the Related Art
A body temperature measuring device, that periodically measures and transfers a human's body temperature to a portable terminal, may be used as a wireless communication apparatus. The body temperature measuring device may be mounted at a user's wrist in the form of a wrist watch. A smart phone including an application for collecting data from the body temperature measuring device may be used as the portable terminal.
It is assumed herein that the portable terminal periodically collects human body temperature data from the body temperature measuring device. The body temperature measuring device may include a sensor for measuring a human body temperature, a memory for storing human body temperature data measured by the sensor, a transmitter for transmitting data stored in the memory to the portable terminal through a wireless communication channel, a controller for controlling respective structural elements, and a battery for supplying power.
A procedure for collecting human body temperature data from a body temperature measuring device by the portable terminal is as follows. First, the portable terminal establishes wireless connection with the body temperature measuring device. Subsequently, the portable terminal transmits a command signal transmitting data to the body temperature measuring device. When the body temperature measuring device receives the command signal from the portable terminal, it transmits data stored in a memory to the portable terminal as a response thereof.
Because the body temperature measuring device may not determine when the portable terminal requests establishment of a wireless connection, it should always listen to a wireless communication channel in an idle state. As a result, the body temperature measuring device consumes power in the idle state and the duration of a battery is reduced.

Apparatus for low power wireless communication


The present invention is a foldable chair assembly for providing comfort to a user in outdoor environments comprising a folding chair having a frame structure defined by a pair of vertical front frame members coupled to a pair of vertical rear frame members by way of a plurality of pairs of cross frame members, a seating member extending between the pair of vertical front frame members and the pair of vertical rear frame members, a back rest, a pair of armrests, a cup holder, a plurality of foot pads, a front pocket, a side pocket, an umbrella attached to the folding chair through an umbrella loop of the back rest and an adjustable tray secured between the pair of vertical front frame members. The folding chair, the umbrella and the adjustable tray are arranged in a way to provide comfort to the user while reclining in outdoor environments.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present embodiment relates in general to foldable chairs. More specifically, the present embodiment relates to a foldable chair assembly having an umbrella and an adjustable tray designed to hold handheld electronic devices and accessories while reclining in outdoor environments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Foldable chairs are specifically used for reclining in outdoor environments such as a beach, park etc. Several types of foldable beach chairs and lawn chairs are well-known in the art. Some of these chairs are equipped with sun shades to protect the user from sun or rain. Such sun shades are not easily adjustable which causes difficulty to the user. In addition, the chairs require too much space for storage.
Conventional foldable chairs have considerable drawbacks. For instance, an existing chair includes a seat portion, back portion and leg portions which is equipped with an adjustable sun shade attached to the back portion and a tray means secured to one of the leg portions of the chair by a mounting bracket. The sun shade and the tray of the foldable chair can be easily folded for storage purposes. While the foldable chair protects the user from sun and/or rain, the tray does not facilitate holding handheld devices in a manner similar to the present invention. Further, the chair does not provide any means for holding the accessories of the user.
A variant to this chair uses a combination umbrella and folding chair, including a chair section with a flexible and planar seat member, a flexible and planar backrest, an umbrella section and a ring-shaped cup holder. The assembly further includes a mechanism for storing and transporting the umbrella section and the chair section simultaneously. The combination provides a barrier between a user and the sun or rain while the user employs the chair in outdoor environments. However, the combination does not disclose an adjustable tray for allowing the user to place handheld electronic devices.
Another existing chair provides a folding canopy chair having a frame, a seat, a back, arm rests and an umbrella secured to the frame and is pivoted between an upright use position extending above the chair and a downward storage position adjacent the frame. The umbrella can be removably mounted on either the left or right side of the chair and provides shade from the sun for the user. A major drawback of this chair is that the umbrella cannot be separated from the chair, thereby making it difficult for storage and transport.
There are several other chairs designed to provide comfort to the users while resting in outdoor environments. Such chairs employ umbrellas to protect the user from sun and rain. Some other chairs include cup holders for beverages. However, the structure of these chairs is complex and hence cannot be easily assembled by the user. Further, such chairs do not provide chair, umbrella, tray and cup holder in a single convenient assembly.
Therefore it can be seen that there is a need for a foldable, portable chair having an adjustable tray and umbrella for placing handheld electronic devices such as laptops or tablet devices. Such a chair would include a cup holder for beverages. This needed chair would include a laptop pocket in the adjustable tray for holding handheld electronic devices. The foldable chair would also include pockets to hold the user's accessories. Such a chair would be made of a lightweight material and ultra-violet/water resistant fabric to protect the user from the sun and rain. In addition, the chair would be a simple structure, easily assembled, stored and carried by the user.


A pyrotechnic chain igniter device for cargo warhead sub-ammunition including an explosive charge contained in an enclosure, comprising a first striker mobile in a longitudinal bore of a body for striking a primer, a slider carrying the primer, the slider being slidably mounted in a transverse groove in the body and being adapted for sliding between a safety position and an armed position, wherein the safety position is defined by the slider being misaligned with the first striker and the armed position is defined by the primer being substantially aligned with the first striker. The first striker is adapted for striking the primer when the slider is in the armed position and when the sub-ammunition impacts a target. At least one device for blocking the slider in the safety position is provided. A trigger is pivotally mounted to the body, and a spring is provided for maintaining the trigger in a first position to prevent the slider from moving into the armed position, and for allowing the trigger to move to a second position upon axial rotary movement of the sub-ammunition thereby allowing the slider to move into the armed position.

The field of the present invention is that of igniters for cargo warhead submunitions, and in particular for antipersonnel and antivehicle grenades dropped in large numbers from above a target, according to the "saturation" technique. A cargo warhead is a warhead in which the usual explosive charge has been replaced by a large number of submunitions or subprojectiles.
In most cases, the submunitions are grenades consisting of a cylindrical fragmentation body having an antipersonnel effect by projection of shrapnel, and closed at one end by a shaped charge cover to permit the charge to penetrate light or weakly armed vehicles through the roof. The other end of the body supports the igniter device that initiates the explosive charge contained in the body.
Ordinarily, these grenades are stacked in several columns inside the cargo warhead, with the igniter device turned toward the base occupying the space left free by the shaped charge cover of the next grenade, or is fitted into a form arranged for this purpose in the base of the cargo warhead.
The grenades are then ejected and dispersed over the warhead trajectory in a dumping phase, with a speed of rotation about their axis that is close to that of the warhead at the time of dumping.
The main technical function of the igniter device is to ignite the main charge primer of the submunition as reliably as possible at the time of its impact, and to prohibit this ignition in cases of low impacts occuring during handling.
The igniter device may also include a specific neutralizing device, i.e. one that prohibits any ignition from normal handling when ignition has not occured after a normal launch.
The constraints to be complied with in solving the technical problem defined above are as follows:
There is a form and dimensional constraint. This constraint stems from the need to fit the ignition device into the shaped charge cone of the following submunition, as explained above. PA1 There is then a weight constraint. The igniter device on the rear of the submunition must be as light as possible so that the submunition center of gravity is located as far forward as possible, which favors stability along the trajectory. PA1 Finally, there is a constraint related to the cargo warhead firing conditions, which is essentially the need to withstand ignition from the very high acceleration when dropped. PA1 a slide mechanism carrying a fuse, the slide mechanism being movable in a transverse groove of a body between a safety position in which the fuse is not aligned with the continuation of the pyrotechnic chain and an armed position in which the alignment is achieved, PA1 a striking pin that moves in a longitudinal bore and hits the fuse when the sub-ammunition impacts, PA1 at least one device for immobilizing the slide mechanism in its safety position, PA1 counterbalancing devices comprising a trigger pivotally mounted to the body, the trigger bring held by a spring in a first position wherein one of its ends forms an obstacle to prevent the slide mechanism from moving to its armed position after the sub-ammunition has been dropped on the ground prevent any subsequent movement of the trigger the trigger being pivotal to a to a second position by action of an axial rotary movement of the sub-ammunition, wherein its end no longer prevents movement of the slide mechanism, PA1 the end of the trigger comprising, opposite a second striking pin carried by the slide mechanism, a housing that has a shape that complements that of this second striking pin so that the trigger is trapped when it enters the housing. PA1 a slide mechanism carrying a fuse the slide mechanism being movable in a transverse groove of a body between a safety position in which the fuse is not aligned with the continuation of the pyrotechnic chain and an armed position in which the alignment is achieved, PA1 a striking pin that moves in a longitudinal bore that hits the fuse when the sub-ammunition impacts, PA1 at least one device for immobilizing the slide mechanism in its safety position, PA1 counterbalancing devices comprising a trigger pivotally mounted to the body, the trigger being held by a spring in a first position wherein one of its ends forms an obstacle to prevent the slide mechanism from moving to its armed position after the sub-ammunition has fallen to the ground to prevent any subsequent movement of the trigger the trigger being pivotal to a second position by the action of an axial rotary movement of the sub-ammunition, wherein its end no longer prevents movement of the slide mechanism, PA1 the end of the trigger comprising, opposite a second striking pin carried by the slide mechanism, a housing in which the second striking pin may enter and then prevent the trigger from moving away from the slide mechanism.
The patents U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,488, W08603828, EP0256320, U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,858 and FR2606136 describe various solutions for igniter devices of this type. Ordinarily, the igniter devices described in these patents include igniters consisting of a primer, which a striker, under the effect of its own inertia, strikes at the time of impact.
The reliability of ignition may be complemented by a self-destruct system that is triggered independently of the main igniter, and which causes the submunition to self-destruct by igniting the main charge after a certain delay.
The prevention of ignition during handling is ensured by locks, which are raised only consecutive to a rapid rotation of the submunition. The example of construction closest to the present invention is the third version of the igniter device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,858.
Ordinarily, this igniter device includes a primer arranged in a slider, which a striker strikes at the time of impact, moved by its own inertia. The reliability of the ignition is complemented by a self-destruct mechanism whose ignition is caused by the rotation of the subprojectile.
The prohibition of ignition during simple handling or impacts therefrom stems from the fact that, in storage position, the slider is in such a position that the primer it carries is not in alignment with the rest of the pyrotechnic chain, and is held in this position by the striker as long as the striker is not in an armed position.
This same spring neutralizes the igniter system by placing the slider in a disaligned, locked position if the speed of rotation is inadequate or if the striker does not operate after impact.
The self-destruct system includes a primer integral with the slider and which, under the effect of the centrifugal force, strikes a striker integral with the body of the igniter device. This primer in turn initiates a retarding composition arranged in a groove in the face of a disk placed between the initiation system and the main charge, and presenting an igniter relay in the striker axis that can be initiated either by the main primer or by the retarding composition.
A lateral opening in the primer housing aligns with the retarding composition, allowing its initiation.
This devices exhibits numerous disadvantages. It may first be noted that all of the operating safeties are raised under the action the centrifugal force alone, which is harmful from the point of view of safety.
With respect to the self-destruct device, it can be said that the procedure for loading the retarding composition is not easy. It is difficult to obtain a homogeneous composition, which is necessary for good regularity of combustion and consequently of the delays, which should be reproducible from one igniter device to the next.
It will also be difficult to vary these delays, as the combustion time is directly dependent on the length of the charge, except by modifying this length and therefore the disk, or changing the composition.
Nor is there found in this device any way of interrupting the pyrotechnic chain between the igniter relay and the retarding composition, which is a sensitive element, and this is a serious safety concern.
When the slider carrying the primer is pinched in an intermediate position without the self-destruct device being initiated, the slider will not be in neutralization position, and an accidental initiation is then possible consecutive to manual handling of the grenade after it has fallen on the ground.
Finally, this igniter device consists of a large number of parts, which makes it expensive. In particular, the body is a complex piece of foundry work that is generally made of a zinc alloy, and it provides both the housing for the various parts as well as the attachment and securing of the igniter device on the submunition body.

Pyrotechnic chain igniter for cargo warhead submunition


An imaging apparatus includes a control unit configured to perform control to record an uncombined image captured in a multiple exposure shooting mode on a recording medium, and, if the number of images to be combined to generate a multiple combined image is one when the multiple exposure shooting mode ends, to prevent the multiple combined image from being generated or recorded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus that can multiple combine a plurality of captured images.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has conventionally been a technology of performing multiple exposure shooting through addition processing of a plurality of digital image signals. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-352229 discusses a method for separately generating and saving respective captured images captured for multiple exposure shooting and a multiple image into which all the captured images are superimposed. According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-352229, images are combined based on raw data on frames captured by the time when imaging of a set number of frames is completed or when multiple exposure is interrupted. The resulting multiple combined image (multiple exposure shooting image) and the captured images (original images) are then recorded on a recording medium.
If multiple exposure shooting is interrupted, the number of images to be combined can sometimes be only one. In such a case, according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-352229, combination is performed based on a single original image captured so far, and the resulting multiple combined image and the original image are recorded on a recording medium. Since the multiple combined image and the original image are substantially the same, there are recorded the same two images. This is a waste of the capacity of the recording medium.

Imaging apparatus and method for controlling the same


A WebSocket connection is established. The WebSocket connection was established with a requester of the connection. The authentication of the requester is configured to expire. A request to revalidate the authentication is provided. An update of the authentication is received. The update of the authentication is received without disconnecting the WebSocket connection.

The WebSocket protocol enables traditional half-duplex Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or HTTP over SSL (HTTPS) communication to be upgraded to a bi-directional, full-duplex communication channel over a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection. The WebSocket protocol has been standardized by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standards organization as RFC 6455. The WebSocket protocol, as standardized, was intended to be a generalized protocol and may lack extended functionality that may be desired by a user. One example of desired extended functionality arises in situations where authentication of a client connected via a WebSocket connection to a server is only valid for a limited amount of time. Once the validity of the authentication expires, typically the WebSocket connection is dropped and the client is required to establish a new connection with newly valid authentication to resume communication. This is highly disruptive for communication that requires a steady streaming of data between the client and server. Therefore, there exists a need for an improved way to revalidate authentication of a communication party.


Fin FET semiconductor devices are provided which include a substrate, an active pattern that protrudes vertically from the substrate and that extends laterally in a first direction, a device isolation layer which has a top surface that is lower than a top surface of the active pattern, a gate structure on the substrate that extends laterally in a second direction to cover a portion of the active pattern and a conductive layer that is on at least portions of side surfaces of the active pattern that are adjacent a side portion of the gate structure. The conductive layer may comprise a semiconductor layer, and the semiconductor layer may be in electrical contact with a contact pad. In other embodiments, the conductive layer may comprise a contact pad.

Complementary metal oxide silicon ("CMOS") devices are widely used in various logic circuit applications such as central processing units and memory devices. In many semiconductor device applications, it is important that the semiconductor device exhibit low power consumption, small size and/or high operation speeds. CMOS devices are often capable of meeting all of these requirements. However, as the size of CMOS devices are reduced to very small levels, an effect known as the short channel effect may result as a consequence of the scaling-down of the gate size of the device. This short-channel effect can degrade the performance of the CMOS device.
Conventional CMOS devices are typically fabricated on bulk silicon substrates. However, in such conventional CMOS devices, the characteristics of the device may be strongly influenced by the processing conditions used in fabricating the device when the gate length of the device is scaled down to less than about 50 nm, and conventional CMOS devices may break down completely and cease to operate as semiconductor circuits when the gate length of the device is scaled down to less than about 30 nm. By way of example, certain 30 nm CMOS devices manufactured by Intel Co., Ltd. may exhibit poor current-voltage curve characteristics (I-V characteristics) when compared with conventional CMOS devices.
The use of silicon-on-insulator ("SOI") semiconductor devices ("SOI devices") has been suggested as a way of providing CMOS devices with channel lengths of about 30 nm or less that have good I-V characteristics. However, it has been found that fabricating conventional CMOS devices on SOI substrates may result in an increase in the parasitic resistance at the source/drain regions because the silicon layer of the SOI substrate is very thin. As such, a selective epitaxial growth step at the source/drain regions may be included when fabricating transistors in SOI devices. In addition, SOI devices may exhibit relatively poor contact with the substrate such that a floating body effect may arise and/or heat conduction between the device and the substrate may be reduced. All of these effects may act to reduce the performance of the device.
The use of double gate structures (i.e., providing a gate at each side of a channel through which electric current passes) has also been suggested as a way for efficiently reducing the channel length of CMOS devices to less than about 25 nm. Such CMOS devices are known as fin field effect transistors ("fin FET"). Fin FET transistors may provide improved gate control characteristics, which may result in reduced leakage current between the source and drain when compared with a conventional, single gate CMOS device, thereby improving the drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) phenomenon. In addition, the threshold voltage of a fin FET device may be varied dynamically because of the double gate. As such, the switching characteristic of the channel in the transistor may be improved as compared to conventional single gate CMOS devices. Accordingly, the driving current of the transistor may be increased and the short channel effect may be reduced or prevented.
However, one potential disadvantage of fin FET devices is that they may exhibit increased parasitic resistance in the source/drains. This effect may occur because the width of the fin in the fin FET may be on the order of a few nanometers, and thus the pad contact area in which electrical contact is made with the source/drain regions may be significantly smaller than the contact area in conventional CMOS devices. Accordingly, the parasitic resistance may be increased at the pad/n-junction, thereby reducing the driving current of the fin FET.
One way of reducing the parasitic resistance in fin FET transistors that has been suggested is to deposit polycrystalline silicon or silicon germanium (SiGe) on the source/drain regions, as disclosed in the article entitled "Quasi-Planar fin FETs with selectively grown germanium raised source/drain", IEEE International SOI Conference, October 2001, that is incorporated herein by reference. As noted above, the source/drain regions in conventional fin FETs are thin and may exhibit a relatively high electrical resistance; thus the driving current of these devices may be significantly deteriorated as compared to conventional, single gate devices. According to the above-referenced IEEE International SOI Conference article, a germanium layer may be formed on the source/drain regions of the fin FET using a selective epitaxial growth process in order to enlarge the contact surface of the source/drain regions with which a contact pad may make electrical contact. This enlargement of the contact surface may act to reduce the electrical resistance at the source/drain regions.
Another solution to the problem of increased parasitic resistance in the fin FET that has been suggested is covering the entire source/drain region with raised source/drain silicon (RSD Si) to enlarge the contact surface of the source/drain region, as disclosed in the article entitled "Extension and source/drain design for high-performance fin FETs devices", IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 50, No. 4, April 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. However, the enlarged contact surface provided by the use of RSD Si may require that the gate be about two times as tall as the height of the source/drain in the fin FET. An over-etching process is also required for removing the spacer formed on the source/drain regions.

Fin field effect transistors with low resistance contact structures


Headwear and blanket system and method, comprising a blanket having a first end comprising a lip having a snap or other securing means for removably securing the headwear to the blanket; wherein the headwear includes a snap or other means for removably securing itself to the blanket, preferably at the lip area of the first end of the blanket. The headwear may be detachably attached to the blanket using other means like hook and loop fasteners or button and button hole. The blanket and the headwear may comprise coordinating: themes, e.g., sports, colleges, schools, characters, animals as well as colors, style, and the like. The headwear may be secured in such a fashion as to surround the lip of the blanket of the first end of the blanket. The blanket may be partially or completely rolled up and stored inside the headwear for transportation and retail display purposes.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to garments and textiles and in particular to an integral headwear and blanket system and method.
2. Description of Related Art
Adults and children of all ages wear headwear for warmth and to make a fashion statement. Some headwear is worn outside but there are occasions where people, especially children and teenagers, who will wear the items indoors. For example, teenagers will keep their headwear on, like plush toy hats, during ski trips or sleigh riding, even after they come off the slopes. They wear the headwear indoors while hanging out, just before bedtime, at bedtime, and when they wake up.
Adults and children of all ages like to have throws or blankets to keep them warm, and for security or comfort while "hanging around" indoors, outdoors by a fireplace, or even walking around, e.g., with their friends, to and from school, at the mall, and the like. People often times like to wear the throws or blankets along with their headwear like plush hats. Plush hats and other headwear is collectively referred to herein as "headwear" and throws, blankets, towels, comforters, and like is collectively referred to herein as "blankets."
Many people like to coordinate their outerwear. Most people settle for a close match but there is no coordinated effort known to match headwear with blankets. There is also no known combination of a headwear and blanket that may be detachably attached to each other so the user can wear both the headwear and blanket at the same time and be able to keep the two items together while wearing them or when the items are not being used.
Thus, there is a need for coordinating or integrating outerwear like headwear with textiles like blankets. There is also a need for outerwear like headwear to be detachably secured in some manner with coordinating blankets in order to wear the two items together and to be able to transport the two items without losing either piece in transit or while the pieces are not being used.