A neural network learning device 20 is equipped with: a determination module 22 that determines the size of a local region in learning information 200 which is to be learned by a neural network 21 containing multiple layers, said determination being made for each layer, on the basis of the structure of the neural network 21; and a control module 25 that, on the basis of size of the local region as determined by the determination module 22, extracts the local region from the learning information 200, and performs control such that the learning of the learning information represented by the extracted local region by the neural network 200 is carried out repeatedly while changing the size of the extracted local region, and thus, a reduction in the generalization performance of the neural network can be avoided even when there is little learning data.

In recent years, because of rapid development of a technique related to artificial intelligence (AI), a neural network constituting AI has been drawing attention in various technical fields. As one such technical field, there is a pattern recognition technique. A pattern recognition technique is a technique for estimating which class (category) an input pattern belongs to. As a specific example related to such pattern recognition, object recognition for estimating what an object included in an input image is, voice recognition for estimating a speech content from input voice, or the like is cited, for example.
In a pattern recognition technique, statistic machine learning is widely utilized. Further, in recent years, because of rapid development of a learning technique called deep learning, a neural network has been becoming able to perform accurate recognition of a diversely fluctuating input pattern without being affected by the fluctuation. In view of such a background, there is a rising expectation for a technique for efficiently performing learning by a neural network, and enabling a neural network to more accurately make a determination.
As a technique associated with such a technique, PTL 1 discloses an image processing device which shortens a learning time of a multi-layer neural network when a registered category is updated. This multi-layer neural network performs processing of outputting an output value to a processing unit in a layer at a next stage, on the basis of a result of applying spatial filters differing from each other to an input image. This multi-layer neural network includes an anterior layer and a posterior layer. The anterior layer finally generates each of a plurality of feature amounts. The posterior layer finally classifies an input image into one of a plurality of categories by performing processing of outputting an output value to a processing unit in a layer at a next stage on the basis of a result of applying weighting factors differing from each other to the plurality of feature amounts. When a category is updated, the image processing device corrects a value of a weighting factor in a posterior layer without correcting a value of a filter in an anterior layer.
Furthermore, PTL 2 discloses a learning device which performs learning by a forward propagation type multi-layer neural network through supervised learning. This learning device performs learning by cost calculation using a training data set with regard to a multi-layer neural network having, in a hidden layer, a probing neuron which does not forwardly propagate to an output layer. Then, after removing an upper layer of the multi-layer neural network on the basis of a cost of the probing neuron, this learning device designates a probing neuron of a remaining uppermost layer as an output layer.

Neural network learning device, neural network learning method, and recording medium on which neural network learning program is stored


Disclosed is a method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving a packet in a mobile communication system. When upper layer packets are multiplexed into a packet whose overall size is informed via a separate path, the size of the upper layer packet is not signaled if it can be calculated from the overall size of the packet, so that the size a packet transmitted/received over a radio channel can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving an MAC (Media Access Control) packet in a mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service) system is a 3rd generation asynchronous mobile communication system which is based on European mobile communication systems, that is, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and employing a WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) scheme.
The 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) responsible for the UMTS standardization is currently developing LTE (Long Term Evolution) as a next generation UMTS system. LTE, with an aim of commercialization by around 2010, is technology for implementing high-speed packet-based communication at data rates of about 100 Mbps. To this end, various plans are under discussion, including a plan to reduce the number of nodes located on a communication path by simplifying a network architecture, a plan to approximate wireless protocols to a radio channel as close as possible, and so forth.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the structure of a next generation mobile communication system. FIG. 1 illustrates a system structure based on the UMTS system.
Referring to FIG. 1, evolved radio access networks (hereinafter referred to as "E-RAN") 110 and 112 have a simplified two node structure of evolved Node Bs (hereinafter referred to as "ENB" or "Node B") 120, 122, 124, 126 and 128, and anchor nodes 130 and 132, as illustrated therein. User equipment (UE) 101 is connected to an internet protocol (IP) via the E-RANs 110 and 112.
The ENBs 120 to 128 corresponds to an existing Node B of the UMTS system, and is connected to the UE 101 over a radio channel. Unlike an existing Node B, the ENBs 120 to 128 perform more complex functions. In LTE, all user traffic, including a real-time service through an IP, such as a VoIP (Voice over IP) service, is serviced via a shared channel, and the ENB performs scheduling after collecting situation information of UEs.
In order to enable a maximum transmission speed of 100 Mbps, LTE is expected to employ an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) scheme as radio access technology with a bandwidth of 20 MHz. The LTE is also expected to apply an adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) scheme in which a modulation scheme and a channel coding rate are adaptively determined to the channel state of a UE.
Similar to HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) or E-DCH (Enhanced-uplink Dedicated Channel), LTE uses HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Retransmission Request) between the ENBs 120 to 128 and the UE 101. However, since various levels of quality of service (QoS) requirements cannot be satisfied by the HARQ alone, an upper layer may perform a separate ARQ (outer-ARQ), which also takes place between the UE 101 and the ENBs 120 to 128.
FIG. 2 illustrates the structure of an LTE protocol.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, RLC (Radio Link Control) entities 220, 225, 230, 260, 265 and 270 are be established for each upper layer 205, 210, 215, 275, 280 and 285.
The RLC entity resizes upper layer data to an appropriate size, and performs an automatic retransmission request (ARQ) operation for the resized data. The data resized to an appropriate size by the RLC entity is referred to as an RLC protocol data unit (PDU).
In LTE, transmitting (Tx) RLC entities 220, 225 and 230 construct RLC PDUs 233 in such a manner as to have a size transmittable in an MAC (Media Access Control) layer at a corresponding point in time. Thus, the size of an RLC PDU 233 may vary with a channel situation, a resource allocation situation, or the like.
If a lower layer notifies a Tx RLC entity 220, 225 or 230 of the size of an RLC PDU to be transmitted in the next transmission time interval (TTI), the Tx RLC entity 220, 225 or 230 generates an RLC PDU by splitting or joining upper layer data in conformity with the notified size and inserting an RLC PDU header. The RLC PDU header may include serial number information, etc.
A Tx MAC entity 240 multiplexes RLC PDUs submitted from the Tx RLC entities 220, 225 and 230 to thereby generate an MAC PDU 243. Since RLC PDUs generated by several RLC entities may be multiplexed into one MAC PDU, multiplexing information for the RLC PDUs is inserted into an MAC PDU header. Information included in the MAC PDU header will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 3.
The MAC PDU generated by the Tx MAC entity 240 passes through an HARQ process, and then is transmitted to a receiving side.
A packet actually transmitted over a radio channel is also referred to as a transport block 247. However, one MAC PDU is mapped to one transport block, that is, these two are different only in name and actually denote the same object. In the following description, a transport block and an MAC PDU will be used interchangeably.
For an HARQ operation, information necessary for transport block decoding is transmitted together with a separate control signal when a transport block 247 is transmitted from a Tx HARQ entity 245. This information includes information indicating the size a transport block (TB size) 249, information on an MCS (Modulation and Coding Scheme) applied to the transport block (MCS Info) 248, etc.
Since a transport block and an MAC PDU denote the same object, the information 249 indicating a TB size is not different from information indicating the size of an MAC PDU.
Upon successfully receiving a transport block 247, a receiving (Rx) HARQ entity 250 forwards an MAC PDU to an Rx MAC entity 255. The Rx MAC entity 255 separates an RLC PDU from the forwarded MAC PDU by using information included in an MAC PDU header, and forwards the separated RLC PDU to an appropriate Rx RLC entity 260, 265 or 270.
As discussed above, one of the important operations of an MAC layer is to multiplex RLC PDUs generated by several RLC entities into one MAC PDU and demultiplex RLC PDUs from an MAC PDU.
FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of an MAC PDU.
Referring to FIG. 3, upon receiving an RLC PDU from an RLC entity, a Tx MAC entity inserts a logical channel ID (LID) and a length (LEN) of the RLC PDU into an MAC PDU header.
Since one LID and one LEN per RLC PDU are inserted, as many LIDs and LENs as RLC PDUs are inserted when a plurality of RLC PDUs are multiplexed into one MAC PDU.
Information included in an MAC PDU header is usually located in the front of an MAC PDU, and thus LIDs and LENs match to RLC PDUs in their order within the header. In other words, the first LID 305 and the first LEN 310 within an MAC PDU header are information regarding the first RLC PDU 325, and the second LID 315 and the second LEN 320 are information regarding the second RLC PDU 330.
For a physical layer operation, the overall length of an MAC PDU is transferred to a receiving side through a separate control signal. Since the overall length of an MAC PDU is a value quantized according to given criteria, padding 335 may also be used in some cases. The padding refers to filling specific bits (usually 0) in remaining parts within a packet so as to achieve the byte-aligned length of a data packet when the data packet is generated.
In some cases, an LEN value indicating the length of an RLC PDU is unnecessary information because the overall length of an MAC PDU is given. For example, if only one RLC PDU is accommodated in an MAC PDU, it is highly probable that the length of the RLC PDU is equal to the length of the MAC PDU, excluding that of an MAC PDU header.
A VoIP packet consists of an IP/UDP/RTP header and a VoIP frame, the IP/UDP/RTP header is compressed to about 1 to 15 bytes through a header compression protocol called ROHC (Robust Header Compression), and the length of the VoIP frame is always constant within a given codec rate. In other words, the length of the VoIP packet remains within a certain range, and thus it is more efficient to use a predetermined value rather than absolute information, such as LEN. Since the length of an RLC PDU in LTE can contain several thousand bytes, an LEN field indicating the length of an RLC PDU has a length of about 10 bits. In contrast with this, since the maximum length of an RLC PDU accommodating a VoIP packet is only several tens of bytes, and the length of a frequently occurring packet can be predicted, it is possible to express most lengths by even small-sized information with a length of about 3 or 4 bits. If a VoIP operates by means of a codec with a variable codec rate, such as AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate), the number of possible packet lengths significantly increases. Thus, an SID (Size Index), which is collapsed information indicating the length of an RLC PDU, may require many more bits. However, when an MAC PDU header for a VoIP is designed in such a manner that the size of an SID coincides with the operation of the AMR codec, it is possible that the length of the MAC PDU header becomes too large. In a high-speed communication system, such as LTE, an MAC PDU header is byte-aligned, and thus it is grossly inefficient to determine the size of an SID by taking all circumstances into consideration because a one or two-bit increase in the size of an SID may cause one-byte increase in the length of an MAC PDU header.

Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving packet in mobile communication system


A circuit includes an input terminal, an output terminal and a latch. The input terminal receives an input signal. The latch is programmable with a value. The latch communicates the input signal to the output terminal in response to the circuit not being in a sleep mode and in response to the circuit being in the sleep mode, furnishes a second signal to the output terminal indicative of the value.

The invention generally relates to controlling signal states and leakage current during a sleep mode.
A computer (a palm top computer or notebook computer, as examples) may have at least one sleep mode to conserve power when the computer is not currently being used. In this sleep mode, one or more voltage supplies to a particular semiconductor package, or chip, of the computer may be cut off. For example, in a microprocessor of the computer, the low voltage core supply of the microprocessor may be shut off during the sleep mode while the high voltage core supply is left on to supply power to input/output (I/O) circuitry of the microprocessor.
The I/O circuitry is kept in a low power state during the sleep mode (instead of being shut down) to keep the external interface to the microprocessor enabled. For example, during the sleep mode, some output terminals of the I/O circuitry need to be held in specific high or low logic states while the core circuitry is shut off; and some input terminals of the I/O circuitry need to be enabled to permit a wakeup of the microprocessor from the sleep mode. However, some of this I/O circuitry may also need a low voltage supply to function properly. Thus, because the low voltage core supply is cut off, the microprocessor may include voltage regulators to generate the low supply voltages for the I/O circuitry from the high voltage core supply.
As a more specific example, FIG. 1 depicts an I/O driver 5 that includes an I/O control circuit 10, a level shifter 12, buffer/reset circuitry 14 and a complementary output driver 18. The I/O control circuit 10 receives an input signal via input terminals 7. During a non-sleep mode, the I/O control circuit 10 furnishes a signal on its output terminal indicative of the voltage across the pins 7. The level shifter 12 translates the logic level of the signal from the I/O control circuit 10 and forms complementary signals (called PULLUP and PULLDOWN) to drive output circuitry 18 through the buffer/reset circuitry 14. An output terminal 19 of the output circuitry 18 provides an output signal indicative of the logic signal that appears across the input terminals 7.
During the sleep mode, circuitry of the I/O driver 5, such as the I/O control circuit 10 and the buffer/reset circuitry 14 may set the output signal of the driver 5 to a predetermined logic level or possibly even tri-state the output terminal 19. However, to power some of its low voltage circuitry during the sleep mode, the I/O driver 5 may include a voltage regulator 25 to replace the low voltage core supply that is cut off during the sleep mode.
For example, the I/O driver 5 may include approximately three different regions according to their power requirements: a region 20 in which components are powered via a low voltage core supply voltage (called VL), a region 22 in which components are powered via the VL supply voltage and a higher voltage core supply voltage (called VH); and a region 24 in which the components are powered via the VH supply voltage. As depicted in FIG. 1, as an example, the I/O control circuit 10 may be located in the region 20; the level shifter 12 may be located in the region 22; and the buffer/reset circuitry 14 and output driver 18 may be located in the region 24. As an example, the VL supply voltage may be approximately 1 volt, and the VH supply voltage may be approximately 3.3 volts. The I/O driver 5 uses the voltage regulator 25 to generate the VL supply voltage for the regions 20 and 22, as depicted in FIG. 1.
A difficulty with the above-described arrangement is that the die space that is consumed by the I/O driver 5 is made significantly bigger with the inclusion of the voltage regulator 25. Furthermore, the use of the voltage regulator 25 increases the power that is dissipated during the sleep mode. An additional difficulty with the operation of such circuitry when a power supply is cut off, is the power dissipation that occurs due to leakage currents.
Thus, there is a continuing need for an arrangement to address one or more of the above-stated problems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Controlling signal states and leakage current during a sleep mode


An apparatus, method and system is provided for treating sewage sludge by heating the same in a container to drive off pathogens and/or pasteurize the sewage sludge while the material is tumbled in the container, and with moisture gases being evaporated therefrom and drawn off from the container. After treatment the treated sludge is discharged from the container. There is provided at least one weight-responsive member on which the container is mounted, and a control is provided connected to the one or more weight-responsive member whereby the solids content of the treated material can be determined by measuring the difference in weight of material in the container, before and after moisture is drawn off from the material and prior to its discharge from the drum. The control is preferably effected by means of a computer.

It is known in the art of processing sewage sludge to render the sludge safe and sanitary, by various techniques, a number of which have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which agency has developed regulations for proper treatment and disposal of sewage sludge.
The goal of treating sewage sludge is to neutralize pathogens to an environmentally safe level and to reduce vector attractiveness; i.e., to make the sewage sludge unattractive to rats, mice, flies, because these vectors can transmit the pathogens to humans and animals.
Various apparatus and methods for killing pathogens and reducing vector attractiveness have been developed, some of which are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,013,458; 5,229,011; 5,186,840; 5,405,536; 5,433,844; 5,554,279; and 5,681,481, the complete disclosures of all of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Previous developments in the treatment of sewage sludge have sought to inexpensively stabilize the sludge through lime addition. These systems sometimes produced objectionable odors, dust and steam which producing an end product that was of a pasty consistency and therefore difficult to handle, often requiring specialized spreading equipment, for spreading the resultant treated waste on land. Additionally, in accordance with some existing systems, the objectionable odors, particularly ammonia, are, in part, a function of the heated sewage sludge.
In accordance with the existing developed technology, drying apparatus of various forms have been used to stabilize sewage sludge and produce a granular end product that appeared to be satisfactory, but was so extremely dry, for example in excess of 90% dry solids, such that the end product was often dusty and difficult to handle, because such processes and equipment lacked the ability to determine the solids concentration with a degree of precision, in that they simply evaporated water until the product became very dry.
Furthermore, some existing processes and equipment tend to operate on a batch basis, in which the treatment container would be filled, and the treated material then drawn off, out of the container. Typically, the container would be loaded until it became essentially full, and then rotors within the container, which would be fully submerged in the material operated to mix or tumble the material such that heat from the heated rotors would come in contact with the material. However, as moisture became drawn off by the heat applied, generally from the rotors within the container, the volume of the material being processed in the batch became reduced, with a result that less of the rotors came in contact with the material that was being processed. Because the efficiency of such an operation is in large part a function of the heated surface area that comes into contact with the material that is being processed, the result is that as the volume of material in the batch processing container is being reduced, the surface area that is in contact with the material being processed is likewise reduced, causing a corresponding reduction in the rate of evaporation of the liquid, principally water, that is a component of the sludge that is being processed.
Additionally, current apparatus and processes that are in use often estimate the moisture content of the final product in an indirect manner, using indirect measurements or timers. Consequently, the material being processed is dried until the temperature of the medium providing the heat increases substantially, providing an indication that all of the moisture has been removed from the product. Thus, in such processes and equipment, the processing of the batch is then considered to be complete, although it can be extremely dry and difficult to handle.

Apparatus, method and system for treating sewage sludge


A frequency multiplier (120) having a tunable resonant circuit (122), is anticipated for use with a frequency synthesizer (100) having a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (110). The VCO control line (116) voltage establishes the VCO (110) fundamental frequency (.function.o) as well as the resonant circuit (122) center frequency, such that the resonant circuit (122) frequency response will track a desired harmonic component within the multiplier output (130) even as the VCO control line (116) voltage and the fundamental frequency (.function.o) change in response to control line variation.

Phase Locked Loop (PLL) frequency synthesizers are well known in the art. One of the more recognizable components of a conventional PLL frequency synthesizer is the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). The primary function of the VCO is to provide a frequency response output as a function of voltage input signal amplitude.
One application to which a VCO controlled frequency synthesizer can be placed is that of a frequency multiplier. In such an application, the VCO output of the PLL frequency synthesizer is connected to a multiplier circuit that generates a product representation of the VCO output. The advantages typically associated with such a multiplier is the ability to multiply the output of the VCO such that a plurality of harmonic components of a single output can be generated simultaneously. By way of example, such an operation may be used to generate a VCO signal that is not in band with a transmitted or received signal.
Despite the advantages associated therewith, one of the remaining challenges associated with this type multiplier is the ability to maximize both the harmonic content and sub-harmonic rejection during a wide band operation when a narrow band resonant tank is employed for frequency selection. Traditional methods must either accept inferior performance; namely reduced noise isolation and decreased harmonic rejection, or incur the additional expense associated with complex cascade filter stage designs which are typically labor intensive, expensive, and susceptible to environmentally induced variations such as temperature, humidity, altitude, etc.
It would be extremely advantageous therefore to provide a frequency multiplier circuit for use with a PLL or other frequency synthesizer application, which exhibits high harmonic to fundamental rejection and exceptional noise isolation all in a simple design which is cost efficient, robust, and capable of operating across a wide bandwidth of operation, such as, for example, 800-900 Megahertz (MHz).


A robotic placement device (FIG. 1) comprises a programmable end-effector (200) for picking and placing component parts. The programmable end-effector (200) comprises a cylinder (201) having a piston (202) including a first (203) and second (208) shafts coupled together. The first shaft (203) of the piston is larger than the second shaft (208). A controller (102) controls a pressure applied to the cylinder (201) and the piston (202) including the first (203) and second (208) shafts of the programmable end-effector (200) establishes a predetermined placement force at the programmable end-effector (200) while placing component parts. A control circuit 118 senses the pressure and in response thereto generates a signal. A processor 108 coupled to the controller (102) processes the signal and in response thereto varying the pressure for maintaining a substantially constant placement force at the programmable end-effector (200) while the programmable end-effector (200) moves vertically.

Typically, in an automated factory, precise measurements of manufacturing and processing are invaluable to the efficiency of the manufacturing process and the quality of the products produced. Ideally, devices used for holding and placing products or component parts to be processed in a robotic operated factory need to be automatically operated to facilitate hands-free operations or eliminate human interventions as much as possible. This improves the speed of manufacturing or processing time and reduces injury to, or mistakes by, human operators. In this way, an automated factory ultimately produces higher quality products at lower manufacturing cost, which tends to increase profits to companies or reduce cost to consumers allowing domestic companies to be more competitive in world markets.
Usually, an automated factory produces high quality products by using the latest available technology in its internal manufacturing operations. However, a company focusing only on its own product manufacturing capabilities will not maintain its competitive edge for a sufficiently long time. That is, although it is important to achieve superiority in its internal manufacturing operations, to be a true leader, companies must be aware that products purchased from outside vendors may not always conform to the higher quality standards of their internal factory operations. With this awareness, it is of paramount importance to design for a reasonable variation in goods purchased from outside vendors. In this way, time-consuming operations are avoided when products vary without their design tolerances.
Especially in robotic end-effectors, for example, a multi-functional end-effector must have a reasonable tolerance built in to compensate for variations in components size or over-travel by individual end-effectors, etc. Typically, this tolerance is accomplished with the aid of springs, which allow the end-effectors to vary within a limited range when there is an inadvertent contact by an end-effector on a component or part. Unfortunately, to increase or decrease the range of variation, the spring must be changed to precisely match the new desired range because variation in the range produces substantial variation in the force being applied to the components to be picked up and placed. Also, springs subjected to high mechanical stress from continuous use will often fail because of metal fatigue.
Accordingly, a need exists for a quick and efficient method and apparatus for compensating for variations which permits placement operations at several different vertical positions while maintaining the same placement force on the component parts being placed.

Circuit assembly device for programmably controlling placement force and method thereto


A method of making a lithium manganese oxide intercalation compound in powder form comprises forming a solution of a manganese compound and a lithium compound in a solvent; and spray-drying the solution by atomizing the solution to form droplets thereof and contacting the droplets with a stream of non-oxidizing hot gas at a first elevated temperature to evaporate at least a major portion by weight of the solvent present in the solution thereby providing a precursor powder. The precursor powder is heated at a second elevated temperature which is below the melting point of the lithium manganese oxide compound. The second temperature is sufficient to cause reaction among constituents in the precursor powder thereby providing the lithium manganese oxide compound having a spinel unit structure.

Lithium batteries are prepared from one or more lithium electrochemical cells. Such cells have included an anode (negative electrode) of metallic lithium, a cathode (positive electrode) typically a transition metal chalcogenide, and an electrolyte interposed between electrically insulated, spaced apart, positive and negative electrodes. The electrolyte typically comprises a salt of lithium dissolved in one or more solvents, typically nonaqueous (aprotic) organic solvents. By convention, during discharge of the cell, the negative electrode of the cell is defined as the anode. During use of the cell, lithium ions (Li+) are transferred to the negative electrode on charging. During discharge, lithium ions (Li+) are transferred from the negative electrode (anode) to the positive electrode (cathode). Upon subsequent charge and discharge, the lithium ions (Li+) are transported between the electrodes. Cells having metallic lithium anode and metal chalcogenide cathode are charged in an initial condition. During discharge, lithium ions from the metallic anode pass through the liquid electrolyte to the electrochemically active material of the cathode whereupon electrical energy is released. During charging, the flow of lithium ions is reversed and they are transferred from the positive electrode active material through the ion conducting electrolyte and then back to the lithium negative electrode.
The lithium metal anode has been replaced with a carbon anode, that is, a carbonaceous material, such as non-graphitic amorphous coke, graphitic carbon, or graphites, which are intercalation compounds. This presents a relatively advantageous and safer approach to rechargeable lithium as it replaces lithium metal with a material capable of reversibly intercalating lithium ions, thereby providing the "rocking chair" battery in which lithium ions "rock" between the intercalation electrodes during the charging/discharging/recharging cycles. Such lithium metal free cells may thus be viewed as comprising two lithium ion intercalating (absorbing) electrode "sponges" separated by a lithium ion conducting electrolyte usually comprising a lithium salt dissolved in nonaqueous solvent or a mixture of such solvents. Numerous such electrolytes, salts, and solvents are known in the art. Such carbon anodes may be prelithiated prior to assembly within the cell having the cathode intercalation material.
Lithium manganese oxide represented by the nominal general formula LiMn.sub.2 O.sub.4 is known to be an intercalation compound usable as a cathode material in a lithium battery. This material has been used as a positive electrode for batteries comprising lithium metal anodes as well as a positive cathode lithium source for lithium ion batteries, for example, comprising intercalation carbon electrodes as anodes.
Methods of synthesis for LiMn.sub.2 O.sub.4 compounds are known and are reactions generally between stoichiometry quantities of a lithium containing compound and a manganese containing compound, exemplified by a lithium salt and manganese oxide. Common precursors are, for example, lithium salt and MnO.sub.2 compounds as disclosed by Hunter in U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,253. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,834 Nagaura et al. attempted to prepare lithium manganese oxide materials by sintering precursor lithium salt and MnO.sub.2 materials. However, Nagaura's nominal LiMn.sub.2 O.sub.4 compounds were not fully crystallized spinel electrodes and suffered from very low capacity. The methods described by Hunter and Nagaura require a heating time of from about 10 to about 50 hours at temperatures ranging from about 500.degree. C. to about 900.degree. C. Accordingly, present methods for forming lithium manganese oxide, nominally, LiMn.sub.2 O.sub.4, pose significant barriers due to the severe penalty of time, controlled process conditions, and other features which do not permit adaptability to automated commercial production.

Method for preparing lithium manganese oxide compounds


A method and installation (1) for the on-line production of a ply (21) of semblies (20) of threads (30, 40) and the winding thereof on a beam (29). A plurality of rotary devices (2) permitting the production of the assemblies (20) is used to obtain the ply (21); the ply (21) is driven along by pulling elements (23) common to all the assemblies (20); elements (32) which permit the synchronizing of the speeds of the devices (2) and of the elements (23) are used; the ply (21) is wound on the beam (29); elements (33) which permit the detection of a defect (35) in the ply (21) are used. Beams (29) obtained by this method or with this installation.

The present invention relates to methods and installations which make it possible to produce assemblies of textile threads.
The expression "thread" is to be understood in a very broad sense. A thread may be a "single thread" formed of one or more filaments. When the single thread is formed of a single filament, it is referred to as a "monofilament" and when the single thread is formed of several filaments, it is called a "multifilament". A thread may, furthermore, itself be an assembly of single threads.
An assembly of threads is referred to as a "plied yarn" when it is formed of a plurality of single threads twisted together by a single twist and an assembly of threads is referred to as a "cabled yarn" when it is formed of several threads at least one of which is a plied yarn which are combined together by one or more twists.
Such assemblies are used, for instance, in order to reinforce articles of plastic and/or rubber, such articles being, for instance, belts, hoses and tires.
One known method for the manufacture of textile assemblies comprises several successive operations, which can be divided into two main families:
the operations of assembling textile threads; these operations can be carried out in one step with, for instance, a direct cabling method or in several steps, for instance, by first of all preparing twisted multifilaments which are then assembled in order to obtain plied yarns; the assemblies are thus obtained in the form of bobbins; PA1 a warping operation, by unwinding a number of bobbins of assemblies in order to wind them on a beam. PA1 the operations are complicated and expensive, and they lack flexibility; PA1 it is practically impossible to have a large number of bobbins which have the same length; it is, therefore, necessary to effect knots or attachments upon the winding on the beam, which takes time and results in the formation of defects, or else no attachment is effected, but then there is a large amount of waste; PA1 the length of the assemblies varies on one in the same beam since it is practically impossible to deliver the same length from each bobbin. PA1 a) a plurality of rotary devices is used, each of which permits the production of an assembly from a plurality of threads so as to obtain a ply of assemblies; PA1 b) the assemblies are produced in such a manner that in transitory operation, that is to say, when the speed of rotation of each device varies in time between a value of zero and an arbitrary value corresponding to continuous operation, one has the relationship ##EQU1## L1 being the length of the longest thread of the assembly and L2 being the length of the shortest thread of the assembly, L1 and L2 being determined for the arbitrary length L of the assembly produced by this device, and .epsilon. being an arbitrary value; PA1 c) the ply of assemblies is driven along by pulling means common to all the assemblies; PA1 d) means are used which, on the one hand, make it possible to synchronize the speeds of rotation of the devices with each other so as to have a common speed for these devices and, on the other hand, to synchronize the speed of the devices and the speed of the pulling means; PA1 e) the ply of assemblies is wound on the beam; PA1 f) means are used which make it possible to detect a possible defect on at least any one thread or at least any one assembly; PA1 g) the production of the ply and the winding of the ply on the beam are interrupted when such a defect is detected, this interruption being effected in such a manner that, upon the interruption, the defect is located in front of the beam in the ply, seen in the direction of advance of the ply. PA1 a) it comprises a plurality of rotary devices, each of which permits the production of an assembly from a plurality of threads so as to obtain a ply of assemblies; PA1 b) each device is such that in transitory operation, that is to say, when the speed of rotation of this device varies in time between a value of zero and an arbitrary value corresponding to continuous operation of the installation, one has the relationship ##EQU2## L1 being the length of the longest thread of the assembly and L2 being the length of the shortest thread of the assembly, L1 and L2 being determined for the arbitrary length L of the assembly produced by this device, and .epsilon. being an arbitrary value; PA1 c) it comprises pulling means common to all the assemblies, permitting the driving of the ply of assemblies; PA1 d) it comprises means which, on the one hand, make it possible to synchronize the speeds of rotation of the devices with each other so as to have a common speed for these devices and, on the other hand, to synchronize the speed of the devices and the speed of the pulling means; PA1 e) it comprises a beam and means making it possible to wind the ply of assemblies on the beam; PA1 f) it comprises means which make it possible to detect a possible defect on at least any one thread or at least any one assembly; PA1 g) it comprises means making it possible to shut down the installation when such a defect is detected, the installation being so arranged that when the installation is thus shut down, the defect is located in front of the beam in the ply, as seen in the direction of advance of the ply.
This method has the following drawbacks:
It has been attempted to produce a ply of an assembly of threads and the winding of said ply on a beam on line but up to now this has been very difficult in practice since the defects coming from the threads or assemblies lead to the frequent stopping of the installation and the repair of these defects and the stopping and restarting of the installations lead to extensive waste, a decrease in the quality of the assemblies, and high costs and long periods of stoppage.

Method and installation for the on-line production of a ply of assemblies and the winding thereof on a beam

Compagnie Generale des Establissements Michelin - Michelin & Cie


A system for securing a horizontal display component on different brands of slotted vertical rails, where the different brands of slotted vertical rails have different distances between the vertical rails, and different distances between slots. The system includes a pair of brackets, which slidably adjust their horizontal positions on the horizontal display component. Each of the brackets include a bracket front, secured to a bracket back, at a spacing which slidably encloses a horizontal member of the horizontal display component. A first hook is affixed to the bracket. A vertically slidable lower is slidable on the bracket. The vertically slidable lower has a second hook. The second hook has a slidably variable distance from said first hook, so that the first and second hooks may engage different pairs of said slots at their different distances.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of retail displays.
2. Related Art
Retailers have different upright fixtures. Some of these are known as Gondolas. Gondolas are the attached free-standing store shelving units.
Isle Gondolas are double sided and wall gondolas are single sided and backed up to a wall.
Such fixtures typically comprise a pair of vertical rails. These are called standards, consistent with the definition as: "A pedestal, stand, or base." Each rail has a plurality of vertically equally spaced slots, into which shelf brackets; shelves; or trays may be mounted. Each shelf manufacturer has its own unique:                vertical slot spacing, and        horizontal spacing between the vertical rails.
These unique spacings usually make it impossible to use trays of one manufacturer with uprights of another manufacturer. There is no uniform standard for the dimensions of these standards. For a large retailer with displays acquired at different times from different manufacturers, this non-interchangeability can present a logistical nightmare, when the retailer wants to acquire new shelves or trays for his different stores.


Provided are a tunable inter-digital capacitor (IDC) and a method of manufacturing the same. The tunable IDC includes: a first dielectric layer formed on a substrate and having electrode pattern grooves of an IDC including a ground line and a signal line formed therein; electrode metal patterns formed in the electrode pattern grooves of the IDC including the ground line and the signal line formed in the first dielectric layer; and a second dielectric layer formed on an upper surface of the first dielectric layer to cover all of the electrode metal patterns except for parts of the ground and signal lines. Therefore, it is possible to increase tunability of the IDC and reduce drive voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tunable inter-digital capacitor (IDC) and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tunable IDC capable of increasing tunability thereof and reducing drive voltage by concentrating a fringing electric field generated at the edge of an IDC electrode in a dielectric material to equalize electric field distribution, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an IDC utilizes a material such as a ferroelectric or paraelectric material whose permittivity varies depending on an applied electric field.
Since a conventional tunable IDC has electrodes exposed on a tunable dielectric material, i.e., in the air, a considerable part of the applied electric field is distributed in the air and only a part thereof exists in the dielectric material. In addition, the part existing in the dielectric material is not uniformly distributed.
Therefore, the conventional tunable IDC has some drawbacks in that it has low tunability and requires high direct current (DC) bias in a high frequency region.

Tunable inter-digital capacitor and method of manufacturing the same

Research and Industrial Cooperation Group


A protective boot comprising a flexible hollow bellows member configured to operatively house a reciprocating mechanical structure therein to isolate the reciprocating mechanical structure from dust, moisture and other contaminants in the surrounding environment, the flexible hollow bellows, movable between an extended and retracted position, comprises at least two longitudinally compressible sections each comprising a plurality of compressible segments, the two longitudinally compressible sections are separated by a groove or slot such that the longitudinally compressible sections extend and retract independent of each other and wherein the compressible segments in each of the longitudinally compressible sections extend and retract in unison and uniformly to evenly distribute the longitudinal forces exerted on the protective boot during extension and retraction thereof along the entire length of the flexible hollow bellows member.

1. Field of the Invention
A protective boot comprising flexible hollow bellows member configured to operatively house a reciprocating mechanical structure therein to isolate and protect the reciprocating mechanical structure from dust, moisture and other contaminants from the surrounding environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tube like flexible boots have been used in numerous automotive, industrial and other applications to protect extendable or reciprocating members from environmental contaminants. Boots used to protect the junction between telescoping members where there is no relative rotational or pivotal movement between the members, may be fixedly secured at both ends. However, when both ends of a boot are fixedly secured to two elements which rotate with respect to one another, substantial twisting stresses are imposed upon the boot. The compression and expansion of the boot in combination with a twisting motion will fatigue the boot more rapidly. A boot split or torn will expose the protected elements to foreign matter and thus defeat the purpose for which a boot was installed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,213 describes an improved boot structure for protecting the extensible member and the adjacent end of a telescopically reciprocal mechanism from contamination including an elongated convoluted body formed of elastomeric material with an integral band on one end thereof with a special split-ring device. The split-ring device is provided with air passages which allow the boot to breathe as the boot expands and contracts in response to similar movements of the telescopically reciprocal mechanism.
U.S. Pat No. 4,735,596 shows a boot with a bellows interposed between a large diameter ring and a small diameter ring. In the bellows, the crest which is the closest to the small diameter ring is made thinner than the other crests. When the boot is mounted on a mechanical shaft joint, the crest closest to the small diameter ring is folded preferentially, so that the pitches of the other crests are maintained. The other crests are not brought into contact with each other during the cross movement of the mechanical shaft joint or even if they come into contact with each other, the contact pressure reduced, and the durability is thereby enhanced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,834 teaches a mechanical shaft joint boot comprising a bellows having a plurality of crests between a large diameter ring and a small diameter ring in which a crest excluding the first crest between the large diameter ring and the center of the bellows has the maximum top curvature radius. The thicknesses of these crests are made uniform and elongation-compression distortion is restrained from being concentrated at their tops. The widening of the tops of the crests also restrains any kinking phenomenon which may be produced. Therefore, the durability of the tops of these crests is increased and the durability of the boot as a whole is hence also increased.
U.S. Pat No. 3,369,411 describes an elongated longitudinally compressible bellows member including opposite end outwardly projecting neck portions provided with aligned bores opening into the interior of the bellows member. One of the neck portions is adapted to be secured to the neck portion of a pumping T and the other of the neck portions is adapted to be secured to an associated pump rod for reciprocation therewith and each of the neck portions including an annular abutment member secured on its inner end and abuttingly engaged with the remote surfaces of the endmost greater dimensioned sections of the bellows member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,434 shows a flexible boot surrounding a piston rod, sealed at one end to the free end portion of the piston rod and at its other end to the rod end of the associated cylinder. The head end of the cylinder is connected to a source of gas under pressure and the interior of the boot communicates freely with the interior of the cylinder at the rod end thereof. A check valve is provided for relieving the pressure in the boot when it reaches a predetermined value.


The present invention relates to a compound, which can be used as an anti-bacterial and/or an anti-fungal agent as well as a zinc sensor. Moreover, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising said compound and methods for treating bacterial or fungal infections in mammals.

The emergence of antibiotic resistances currently pose a major threat to public health. In particular, many antibiotics cannot be further used for treating bacterial and/or fungal infections and resistances dramatically spread in the last years. There exists only a limited number of antibiotic classes to which most of the antibiotics belong and there further only exists a limited number of molecular targets. These factors fortify the development and spreading of resistances against multiple antibiotics.
One example of a bacterium of which multi-drug resistant strains exist is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa is an important gram-negative pathogen causing many severe and life-threatening infections such as sepsis, endocarditis, meningitis, and chronic respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis patients. The increasing emergence of multi-drug resistant strains of P. aeruginosa poses major threats to public health and is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections. The pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa is mediated by its virulence factors including the enzyme elastase that causes tissue damage and degradation of host immune proteins during infection.
The Pseudomonas quinolone signals (PQS) and its precursor HHQ play important roles in the Quorum Sensing and virulence factor production of the pathogen P. aeruginosa. Many related quinolones are known as potent antibiotics and some of the medically most important are nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. However, HHQ and PQS do not possess antibiotic activity and thus cannot be used as counter-measures against multi-drug resistant strains of for example P. aeruginosa and S. aureus (MRSA), which also represent a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections.
Among commercially available antibiotics only three out of ten are within a factor of two active against three tested multiresistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains (USA 300, Mu50 and DSM18827) when compared to the S. aureus strain NCTC 8325. All other antibiotics, including important drugs like erythromycin (NCTC 8325: <2 μM; USA 300: 500 μM to 1 mM; Mu50: >1 mM; DSM18827: >1 mM) and clindamycin (NCTC 8325: <2 μM; USA 300: >1 mM; Mu50: 500 μM to 1 mM; DSM18827: >1 mM) require more than 10 fold higher concentrations to inhibit growth of MRSA strains and in some cases even 100-1000 fold higher concentrations. Thus, there still remains a high need for antibiotic compounds with new chemical structures for which substantially no resistances exist and which are preferably also effective against multi-resistant strains.

Compounds for use as an anti-bacterial or anti-fungal agent and as a zinc sensor


Whenever a roaming mobile subscriber's preferred long distance carrier is not ascertainable by a visited Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), instead of utilizing a default long distance carrier selected by the visited PLMN, the serving mobile switching center (MSC) analyzes the received International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number to determine the home network provider or PLMN associated with the roaming mobile subscriber. Using the determined home network provider data, the serving MSC retrieves the correlated home PLMN preferred long distance carrier data from its associated register. A long distance carrier specified by the retrieved data is then utilized by the serving MSC to serve all long distance calls originated from and forwarded by the roaming mobile station.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile telecommunications network and, in particular, to the selection of a default long distance carrier within a visited Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN).
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) telecommunications systems, mobile subscribers are able to freely travel within a particular country and utilize their mobile service. Even if the mobile subscriber is roaming within a visited PLMN, the home PLMN associated with the roaming mobile subscriber keeps track of the current location of the mobile subscriber and accordingly makes the necessary arrangements and communications to enable the mobile subscriber to receive and originate calls via another PLMN.
Whenever a particular mobile station travels into a visited PLMN, a mobile switching center (MSC) detecting the presence of the roaming mobile station performs a location update procedure with a home location register (HLR) associated with the roaming mobile station. By performing a location update, the serving MSC informs the HLR of the current location of the mobile station and also retrieves requisite subscriber data associated with the roaming mobile station from the HLR. The retrieved subscriber data are then stored within a visitor location register (VLR) attached to the serving MSC and subsequently utilized for providing mobile service to the roaming mobile station. Such retrieved data include the Mobile Subscriber Integrated Service Digital Network (MSISDN) number, feature application data, and Preferred Inter-Lata Carrier (PIC, or more commonly known as a long distance carrier) data. Utilizing the PIC data, even if the mobile station is roaming within a visited PLMN, if the long distance carrier specified by the received PIC data is providing service within the visited PLMN area, all long distance calls originated from or forwarded by the mobile stations are still routed through the specified long distance carrier. For example, if a particular mobile subscriber has designated American Telegraph & Telephone (AT&T) as his long distance carrier, even if the mobile subscriber is roaming outside of his home PLMN, and assuming AT&T is available, all long distance calls are still provided by AT&T within the visited PLMN.
However, in the event that PIC data are not provided to the visited MSC, or the long distance carrier specified by the retrieved PIC data does not provide long distance service within that visited PLMN area, conventionally, the visited MSC has no option but to choose one of the long distance carriers that does provide service within that particular PLMN area as a default provider. However, the arrangements made between the visited PLMN and the default long distance carrier might not always be the most favorable to the roaming mobile subscriber or his home PLMN.
Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism to enable a home PLMN to specify a default long distance carrier to be utilized within a visited PLMN in case the long distance carrier selected by an associated mobile subscriber roaming within the visited PLMN is not available.

Default long distance carrier selection within a visited public land mobile network


A method of describing the structure of a building which includes first selecting a core structural information template, determining the orientation of the core structure, determining dimensions for the core, and reviewing and adjusting default dimensions for the core. Second, addition structural information templates are selected if the building has a composite structure, with the additional structures being additions to the core or to other additions. Third, for each addition, the orientation of the structure is determined, dimensions are determined, default dimensions are reviewed and adjusted, and the position of attachment to the core or to other additions is determined. Finally, the predefined core and addition structural information templates are used to process the collected information from the foregoing steps for the purpose of calculating areas of surfaces and volumes of spaces.

Before being able to do such things as an energy simulation to determine heat losses and gains of and through various components of a building structure, costing out construction, renovation work, or graphically representing a building using a computer-based application, (e.g. a CAD program), it is necessary to have information concerning the geometric form and orientation of the structure, dimensions of the structure, areas of individual building components (e.g. ceilings, walls, and floors), and volumes of spaces contained within the building structure.
Conventional methods of computing areas of surfaces and volumes of spaces involve performing numerous hand calculations that are prone to error, are tedious and time consuming to carryout, and are also very often done in an unsystematic and approximate manner. Some computer-based applications calculate areas of surfaces and volumes of spaces, but only if detailed structural data have been appropriately provided to the application. The preparation of detailed structural data for such applications often involves intermediate hand calculations.
Graphically representing a building structure using a computer-based application also requires the appropriate provision of detailed structural data to the application. The tasks of preparing an interdependent set of detailed structural data and entering the data into computer-based applications are expert skills and are also tedious and time consuming.
Before being able to graphically represent a building structure using a computer-based application and to calculate areas of surfaces and volumes of spaces, it is necessary to have a description of a building structure's geometric form, orientation, and dimensions. Conventional methods of collecting and recording this information involve hand-drawn building sketches (e.g. floor plans). Drawing building sketches by hand is prone to error, is tedious and time consuming, and is also very often done in an unsystematic and approximate manner.
To describe the building structure of a typical residential building when conducting a detailed energy audit that includes an energy simulation to determine heat losses and gains of and through various components of the structure, the conventional method involves hand-drawn building sketches, collecting dimensional and structural data from the building, calculating areas of surfaces and volumes of spaces, and can take up to 10 person hours for a single building. It is desirable to have an improved method that can considerably reduce this time and hence the associated cost.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of describing a building structure.

Method of describing a building structure


Disclosed herein is a shaped panel of material that is buoyant in water having a top with a width, a bottom with a total width, a front, a rear, and two sides, wherein the bottom of the shaped panel contains a shallow groove, the groove being spaced equidistant from the sides of the panel. The groove has a bottom with a width, 2 sides, and a depth. The bottom of the groove is flat and the width of the groove comprises at least ⅓ of the total width of the bottom of the body board. The width of the bottom is smaller than the width of the top and the width of the groove at the front and rear of the bottom are equal. The width of the groove at a point equidistant from the front and the rear of the bottom is smaller that said width at the front and rear of the bottom.

The sport of surfboarding has been popular for many years. As is well known in the art, the surfboard has evolved from a large, ponderous plank composed mainly of wood into today's modern version, consisting of sleek designs meticulously dimensioned to support the rider while providing the ultimate in handling and control, and constructed from modern polymers and other new materials.
Consistent with the development of the surfboard has been the development of the sport and related equipment for the body board. The body board, as is well known in the art, is a shorter version of the surfboard, designed to support a rider who is lying on the board in a prone position, rather than standing upright. The body board is significantly easier to use than a surfboard, and, as such, is much more popular. Practically anyone can use a body board to "ride the waves", whether young or old, professional or first-time recreational user.


A physiological monitoring device includes: a sensor interface, a display configured to display information related to the patient, and at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to: operate the physiological monitoring device into a non-transport mode while docked to one of at least one monitor mount; display first location context information corresponding to a first patient care area on the display while the physiological monitoring device is operating in the non-transport mode in the first patient care area; detect an undocking event in response to undocking the physiological monitoring device from a first monitor mount of the at least one monitor mount, wherein the first monitor mount is located in the first patient care area; and in response to detecting the undocking event, operate the physiological monitoring device in a transport mode, including changing the first location context information to transport context information on the display.

Clinicians often administer medicines prior to transporting a patient between care areas within a hospital or between different hospitals or patient care facilities. Therefore, it can be critical to a patient's care to know the status of the patient during transport as well as an estimated time of arrival.
Currently, there is no efficient and useful way to utilize transport information on a physiological monitoring device that reduces cognitive load on clinicians during transport, and supports rapid patient assessment and accurate clinical documentation. Useful transport information can reduce stress on clinicians in emergency situations and provide information for establishing hospital transport efficiency analytics.
Transport indicators refer to both the elapsed time of a specific patient transfer and the transport location of the patient when being transferred between care areas. Transport indicators would allow clinicians to have a quick reference for the duration of a transport to help manage medicines, and patient comfort and care. Transport start and stop times, along with the transport duration, can subsequently be used to assist with event analysis and documentation.
Additionally, transport location information can support hospital emergency code situations in which a crisis team is required to intervene by communicating the patient's location and offering an estimated time to arrival (ETA) for assistance. The transport location information can support an ETA to another care area, and provide underlying data to support the optimization of transport paths and care area scheduling.
Thus, it would be advantageous and an improvement over the relevant technology to provide an apparatus, system, method, and computer-readable medium for quickly and efficiently displaying transport indicators on a physiological monitoring device in a way that reduces cognitive load on clinicians during transport of patients, and supports rapid patient assessment and more accurate clinical documentation.

Apparatus, system, method, and computer-readable recording medium for displaying transport indicators on a physiological monitoring device


An oil cooling system of an air-cooled engine for cooling the oil reserved in a crankcase of the engine comprises a base plate assembled to the crankcase, an overlapping plate assembled to the base plate; an oil filter supported in the overlapping plate; and radiation fins formed on the base plate and the overlapping plate, wherein the base plate includes an inlet port for receiving the engine oil discharged from an oil pump of the engine, an outlet groove for outputting the engine oil and a first passage groove connecting the inlet port and the outlet groove, the overlapping plate includes an inlet groove opposed to the inlet port, an outlet port opposed to the outlet groove and a second passage groove opposed to the first passage groove to form an oil passage together with the first passage groove, and the base plate and the overlapping plate having through-holes where the filter outlet of the oil filter passes through for the connection with the crankcase.

Engine oil, which is supplied to the sliding portions that require lubrications, is stored in a crankcase of the engine. An air-cooled engine is used in an all-terrain vehicle (so-called as "ATV"). In the air-cooled engine, the engine is cooled by only the wind so that the temperature of the engine oil tends to rise.
To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-225574 discloses an air-cooled engine having an oil cooler assembled to the engine body so as to cool the engine oil.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-296991 discloses the air-cooled engine having an oil cooler to which an oil filter is directly assembled.
In order to improve the radiation performance of the oil cooler, it is desirable that enough winds blow the oil cooler. However, in the case that the oil filter is directly assembled to the oil cooler, the oil filter prevents the wind from blowing the oil cooler, as a result the cooling performance is not improved.
On the other hand, the oil cooler can be placed at a portion appropriate for cooling by connecting the oil filter and the oil cooler with a pipe. In this structure, however, pipes and connectors are required to assemble the oil cooler and the oil filter to the engine body. For this reason, the oil cooling system will be complicated. This causes not only increasing the assembling time of the engine but also increasing the production cost.

Oil cooling system of an air-cooled engine


The invention relates to an epi-illumination optical system for microscopes which relies upon a Köhler illumination system using a collective lens array, having simplified adjustment function capable of adjusting the image position of a light source to the back focal position of each microscope objective lens in operable association with microscope objective lens replacement. The invention provides an epi-illumination optical system for microscopes, with an objective lens serving as a condenser lens, which comprises a light source, a collimate lens, and a lens array. The epi-illumination optical system further comprises a projection optical system adapted to project an image of light source formed by collective lens array. The projection optical system comprises a partial optical system movable in an optical axis direction, so that the imaging position for the image array of light source is adjustable to the back focal position of the objective lens.

The present invention relates generally to an epi-illumination optical system for microscopes, and more particularly to an epi-illumination optical system for microscopes which has an adjustment function for microscope objective lens replacement, etc.
For epi-illumination optical systems for optical microscopes, in Patent Publication 1 there is an optical system proposed, which is designed to reduce illumination fluctuations stemming from the distribution of light from a light source. Patent Publication 1 teaches that a lens array is used to form a light source image array, and form the image of that light source image array at the exit pupil position (back focal position) of an objective lens.
Patent Publication 1
JP (A)2005-283879

Epi-illumination optical system for microscopes


According to an embodiment, a broadcast receiving device includes a tuner, an acquirer, a signature executor, a first interface, a command receiver, and a transmitter. The tuner is configured to receive broadcast waves containing information identifying a broadcast program, a broadcast program, and a viewing certificate certifying that a specific broadcast program has been received. The acquirer is configured to acquire the viewing certificate from the broadcast waves received by the tuner. The signature executor is configured to sign the acquired viewing certificate by using a key. The first interface is connected to an external device via a network. The command receiver is configured to receive a command for acquiring the viewing certificate from the external device. The transmitter is configured to transmit the viewing certificate to which the signature is applied to the external device that has issued the acquisition command.

In recent years, such technologies as connecting a portable device such as a smart phone and a tablet with a digital television set via a network, operating the digital television set through the portable device, and receiving information from the digital television are started to be used.
Furthermore, there have been demands for publishing a certificate showing that a specific broadcast program has been viewed to a user who has viewed the program on digital television, and execution of various processes between other devices and the portable device on the basis of such a certificate. If a certificate is altered or acquired in an unauthorized manner, however, unauthorized manipulation through a portable device may be made possible.

Broadcast receiving device and information processing system


Methods, computer program products, systems are provided. The method comprises receiving a request to install an application. A middle-share container corresponding to the application is then created and provisioned upon a shared middleware layer. Middleware components that the application needs are pre-installed and pre-configured in the shared middleware layer.

The present application relates to cloud computing, and more specifically, to methods, systems and computer program products for provisioning containers.
Cloud computing is shared pools of configurable computer system resources and higher-level services that can be rapidly provisioned with minimal management effort, often over the Internet. Cloud computing relies on sharing of resources to achieve coherence and economies of scale, similar to a public utility. Third-party clouds enable organizations to focus on their core business instead of expending resources on computer infrastructure and maintenance. Cloud computing allows companies to avoid or minimize up-front IT infrastructure costs, in the meantime it allows enterprises to get their applications up and running faster, with improved manageability and less maintenance, and enables IT teams to more rapidly adjust resources to meet fluctuating and unpredictable demand.

International Business Machines Corporation


Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implement techniques for collecting scripts associated with graphics objects in a hierarchical arrangement of objects. A plurality of scripts are identified by traversing a hierarchical arrangement of graphics objects in a distributed scripting environment. The hierarchical arrangement includes one or more objects having associated scripts. The identified scripts are collected in a data structure.

The present invention relates to processing scripts associated with objects in a hierarchical arrangement of objects.
A graphical composition can be represented as a hierarchical arrangement of graphics objects representing elements of the composition. Graphics objects can include objects that represent text, images or graphics in a graphical composition. Graphics objects that represent text can include both dynamic and static text objects. Dynamic text objects include text objects whose contents can change based on user input. Dynamic text objects can be used to implement a form field that accepts user input. Static text objects include text objects whose contents may not be changed based on user input. Static text objects can include text headings and simple typed text. Both static and dynamic text objects, as well as images and graphics, can be animated or decorated in the graphical composition. Objects in a graphical composition can have properties that can be manipulated using commands or methods. Objects with the same properties and behaviors are grouped into classes. An object in a hierarchical arrangement of objects can include other objects. Each object in the hierarchical arrangement can be identified by a unique absolute name that identifies the object by its position in the hierarchical arrangement.
Objects in a graphical composition can be animated by triggering changes in the associated properties and behaviors based on keyframes, events, or states. Keyframes can be used to change the properties or behaviors associated with an object as the object progresses along the timeline. A frame represents a point of time in the timeline for the object. A keyframe is a frame specifying the value for an object property or for an object behavior. Events can be caused by user action or by system-based events. Each object in a graphical composition can also have associated states. States associated with an object can be predefined system states or custom states defined as part of the graphical composition. A change in the state of an object can be triggered by user events, or by interaction with other objects in the graphical composition.
Scripts are instructions that can operate on objects to modify the properties or behaviors of the object. Scripts can be used to control how the objects included in the graphical composition respond to user events. Scripts can also be used to control the interaction of an object in the graphical composition with other objects in the graphical composition. In a hierarchical arrangement of objects, scripts can be associated with individual objects in the hierarchical arrangement. Scripts can also be associated with a triggering condition such that the script is executed when the triggering condition is satisfied.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the operation of a script printing tool in a monolithic scripting environment. The monolithic scripting environment includes a hierarchical arrangement of objects, and all the scripts associated with the objects are stored together in a file. As shown, an object_root 100 has an associated script S(_root) 140. The object_root 100 has two children A 105 and E 110, with corresponding associated scripts S(A) 145 and S(E) 150. Object A 105 has three children B 115, C 120, and D 125, each having a corresponding associated script S(B) 155, S(C) 160, and S(D) 165. Object E has a child F 130, and F has a child G 135. The script S(F) 170 is associated with object F130, and the script S(G) 175 is associated with object G 135. In the exemplary scripting environment, the scripts associated with the objects can be stored in a single script file 180. A script printing tool 185 can operate by translating the single script file 180 to an output script file format 190, and printing the scripts in the order in which they appear in the script file 180.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a script printing tool operating in a distributed scripting environment. In a distributed scripting environment, the scripts can be generated separately for each object in the hierarchy and scripts can be accessed separately for each object. Unlike the monolithic scripting environment, scripts in a distributed scripting environment typically are not stored together and all the scripts associated with the objects in the hierarchy typically can not be accessed at the same time. Adobe® LiveMotion® software, available from Adobe Systems Incorporated, of San Jose, Calif., is an example of software providing a distributed scripting environment where the scripts can be generated and accessed only for the selected object in the hierarchical arrangement. The example in FIG. 2 includes a hierarchical arrangement of objects that is similar to that in FIG. 1. Scripts associated with the objects can be distributed through the hierarchical arrangement instead of being stored together as in the monolithic scripting environment of FIG. 1. A script printing tool 280 operating in this scripting environment can include a selector 285 to select the script associated with a particular object currently selected by the user. The script for the selected object is communicated to an output file format 290. In this scripting environment the script printing tool is operable to individually print the scripts associated with the selected object to the output file.

Collecting scripts in a distributed scripting environment


An airborne or liquid particle sensor with integrated bootloader. A particle sensor incorporating at least one bootloader for programming or retrieval of program or data in local memory.

Bootloaders have been in use in some products for some time. Typically these products are high-volume devices with applications that change substantially over time (products like routers, media players, set-top boxes, etc.). Instrumentation on the other hand typically has made do with a largely static code-base that is updated only rarely, and if so, by a dedicated programming channel (JTAG, controller programming pins, etc.). Typically this also requires dedicated hardware (JTAG programmer, device programmer etc.), which typically restricts use of such an interface to factory or service center upgrades.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for updating code-base of a device, including devices that uses instrumentation to advance in the art to improve updating of code-base of a device.

Particle counter with integrated bootloader


A merged voice and data communications system, comprises a TDM-based broadband backbone carrying packet data, a plurality of LAN segments interconnected via said broadband backbone, a plurality of telephone subsystems, each comprising a plurality of telephone circuits connected to a subsystem multiplexer, and a central telephone controller. Circuits are established to carry telephone traffic over said broadband backbone between the central controller and several subsystem multiplexers independently of the packet data. Telephone calls can be routed over the broadband backbone to any of the telephone circuits without interfering with the packet data and without requiring separate physical links.

Current practice is generally to employ different networks for telephone and data applications. A business may have a wired telephone system connected to a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) and a separate network of LAN segments connected together over a broadband backbone. This means duplication of cabling, leading to higher physical complexity and cost. Data traffic is by its nature fundamentally different from voice traffic due to its bursty nature and the fact that it does not need to be delivered in a time critical fashion. A computer file can be transferred as bandwidth becomes available, and the file can still be correctly assembled at the receiving end. This is not true of voice traffic, which must be delivered in a time sensitive manner in order to be intelligible to the receiver.
New ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) technology will eventually allow the complete integration of voice and data. The migration to ATM, however, requires a complete replacement of existing systems and therefore is extremely expensive for organizations with existing PBX systems.
A need arises for a technology that can provide a painless migration from existing dual-wired systems to a more integrated system without making existing equipment obsolete and thus wasting existing capital investment.


A vehicle air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit including a heat exchanger, a fan which sends air to the heat exchanger, and a controller which controls the refrigerant circuit and the fan. The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus is mounted on a vehicle. The controller determines if a position of the vehicle or a speed of the vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition. The controller acquires a physical quantity, the physical quantity having already been correlated with a clogging amount of the heat exchanger and the correlation being dependent on whether the predetermined condition is satisfied. The controller determines whether or not clogging occurs in the heat exchanger based on the physical quantity.

Patent literature 1 discloses an air-conditioning apparatus provided with an outdoor heat exchanger. If clogging occurs in an outdoor heat exchanger, an air resistance in the outdoor heat exchanger increases, and as a result the outdoor heat exchanger does not sufficiently perform heat exchange with outside air. In the air-conditioning apparatus of the patent literature, when the difference between a saturation temperature calculated based on a discharge pressure at a compressor and the temperature of outside air is less than a predetermined temperature, it is determined that clogging occurs in the outdoor heat exchanger.

Vehicle air-conditioning apparatus and clogging detection system for vehicle air-conditioning apparatus


A power supply includes a power conversion circuit configured to selectively operate in one of an active mode in which output power is supplied to a load and a standby mode in which output power is not supplied to the load, a plurality of auxiliary circuits including a first auxiliary circuit and a second auxiliary circuit, a bias node configured to supply power to the plurality of auxiliary circuits, and a switch that is coupled between the bias node and the first auxiliary circuit and that is configured to disconnect the first auxiliary circuit from the bias node in response to a control signal.

Solid-state lighting arrays are used for a number of lighting applications. For example, solid-state lighting panels including arrays of solid-state light emitting devices have been used as direct illumination sources, for example, in architectural and/or accent lighting. A solid-state light emitting device may include, for example, a packaged light emitting device including one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), which may include inorganic LEDs, which may include semiconductor layers forming p-n junctions and/or organic LEDs (OLEDs), which may include organic light emission layers. Typically, a solid-state light emitting device generates light through the recombination of electronic carriers, i.e. electrons and holes, in a light emitting layer or region. A solid-state light emitting device may include, for example, a packaged light emitting device including one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).
Cree, Inc. produces a variety of products that use LEDs for illumination, such as recessed downlights, troffers and lamps. Solid-state lighting panels are also commonly used as backlights for small liquid crystal display (LCD) screens, such as LCD display screens used in portable electronic devices, and for larger displays, such as LCD television displays.
Solid state lighting devices are typically powered with a constant current signal. However, power is conventionally delivered in AC form. It is therefore generally desirable for a solid state lighting fixture to include an AC/DC converter to convert AC line voltage to a constant current.
Voltage converters can be used to generate DC voltage and/or current from an AC line voltage with high power factor and low total harmonic distortion.
In addition to the high voltage signal needed to power the LEDs, solid state lighting systems also need to generate a low voltage DC signal to power auxiliary circuits, such as a microcontroller, communication systems, ambient light sensors, occupancy (motion detection) sensors, gate drivers, etc. It is typically desirable for many of these auxiliary circuits to remain operational even when the light of the solid state lighting system is turned off. For example, in some cases, it is desirable for the solid state lighting system to be capable of being turned on/off or adjusting the amount of light output in response to a wireless communication signal or in response to an occupancy signal indicating that someone has entered (or left) the room in which the solid state lighting system is installed. Accordingly, instead of completely turning off, the solid state lighting system may instead enter a standby mode in which the light is off but some of the auxiliary circuits remain on.
In general, it is desirable to reduce standby power consumption of solid state lighting systems. The goal of reducing standby power consumption has been recognized by regulatory agencies throughout the world. For example, in Europe, the United States and Canada, energy efficiency standards have been introduced that will require reduction of standby power consumption. Future solid state lighting products may be expected to consume less than 1 W, and in some cases less than 0.5 W of standby power.


A rotatable member is provided for a rolling ball amusement device. The rotatable member defines a ball receiving aperture which is positioned to receive a rolling ball and to cause transfer of kinetic energy from the ball to the rotatable member, to cause the member to rotate to one of a plurality of discrete, temporarily locked rotating positions, with the selection of the particular rotating position depending on the amount of kinetic energy so transferred. Preferably, switches are provided for identifying to the electronic controls of the amusement device the discrete rotating position occupied by the rotatable member. Upon command, the temporary lock of the rotating positions may be released. A spring or the like then rotates the member back to an original, ball-receiving position upon such release, which propels the ball back onto the playfield with a velocity that depends on the particular discrete rotating position achieved.

In rolling ball amusement games such as pinball there is a desire for variability and variety of play action.
In present pinball games there are devices such as knock out holes in which, when a ball enters the hole on the playfield, it is knocked out by a solenoid-operated plunger in the hole. However, typically, the force of the "knock out" remains the same, so that the action of the ball coming out of the knock-out hole will be similar from time to time.
Also, horizontal structures which catch balls are known, which throw balls out again with generally constant force each time. It would be desirable for them to operate with varying performance, rather than just constantly propelling the ball with about the same amount of kinetic energy every time out into the field of play.
By this invention, a rolling ball receiving device is provided for rolling ball amusement devices which can receive the ball and respond in a variable manner, propelling the ball out again with a variable kinetic energy from time to time. Also, variable signals can be sent from the device of this invention to a microprocessor of the game, so that aspects of the game can change depending upon the variable signals sent.


To improve space utilization at checkout counters, some preferred embodiments of the present invention employ a retail product storage and dispensing device located beneath the check-out counter. In this manner, areas beneath check-out counters that were previously either empty, occupied by support structure, or otherwise under-utilized are converted into valuable retail space. The under-counter storage and dispensing device of the present invention preferably transfers retail items from beneath the check-out counter to a position above or beside the check-out counter at which the retail items can be taken by a user. The check-out counter can have a dispenser opening through which the retail items can be dispensed or otherwise presented to a user. In some embodiments, the check-out counter also includes a user-manipulatable control panel for selection of products to be dispensed by the under-counter storage and dispensing device.

As is well known to those in the product display, retail, and sales industries, retail space is extremely valuable to retail outlets. For example, the aisles or lanes normally located adjacent to check-out counters (in grocery and convenience stores, gas stations, retail stores, and other locations where any type of retail product is purchased) are particularly valuable locations at which merchants, manufacturers, and distributors can advertise their products. The time spent by customers at and near check-out counters provides merchants, manufacturers, and distributors a valuable opportunity to display and advertise their products. This fact is well-recognized by the display, retail, and sales industries as demonstrated by the manner in which retail products and advertisements normally occupy most or all available space near check-out counters.
However, the aggressive utilization of space around check-out counters is at odds with a characteristically underutilized part of the check-out counter area: the space typically existing beneath check-out counters. In other words, the optimization of space in display racks, stands, shelves, and cabinets is in stark contrast to the lack of space optimization normally existing beneath check-out counters a small distance away.
The space under existing check-out counters is typically either empty or is occupied only by check-out counter support structure. Although mechanical conveyor system equipment and electronics can also be located beneath some check-out counters, these elements normally do not occupy a significant amount of under-counter space.
This discord between the current space utilization adjacent to existing check-out counters and lack of space utilization beneath check-out counters is compounded by the need for merchants to have sufficient product inventory at check-out counters. This inventory occupies valuable space around check-out counters, despite the fact that a small fraction (and in some cases, only one) of each product is needed or used for display and advertising to customers. In addition, product dispensing equipment often used near check-out counters also occupies a substantial amount of valuable space. For example, automatic product dispensing machines and vending machines typically have motors, mechanisms, housings, and other elements that occupy space that could otherwise be more efficiently used for product display and advertising.
In light of the problems and limitations described above, a need exists for an apparatus and method for dispensing retail products in which space at check-out counters is maximized, space beneath check-out counters is better utilized, and in which excess inventory of retail products does not occupy valuable display space. Each preferred embodiment of the present invention achieves one or more of these results.

Retail products storage and dispensing apparatus and method


The instant disclosure relates to a method for forming self-aligned isolation trenches in semiconductor substrate, comprising the following steps. The first step is providing a semiconductor substrate defined a plurality of active areas thereon. The next step is forming at least two buried bit lines in each of the active areas and an insulating structure disposed above and opposite to the at least two buried bit lines. The next step is forming a self-aligned spacer on the sidewalls of each of the insulating structures. The last step is selectively removing the semiconductor substrate with the self-aligned spacers as masks to form a plurality of isolation trenches.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant disclosure relates to a method of forming insolating structures; in particular, to a method for forming self-aligned isolation trenches in semiconductor substrate.
2. Description of Related Art
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is an electronic data storage device. In DRAM, each bit of binary data is stored in a tiny circuit called a memory cell consisting of a transistor and a capacitor. Generally, the better operating capability of computer software becomes, the greater memory capacitance of computer hardware need. Thus, the method for manufacturing DRAM capacitors is now an indispensable technology.
With the vigorous development of semiconductor industry, the dimension of integrated circuit elements nowadays range from micron size to submicron size. For DRAM, that is to say the cross-sectional area of each capacitor and each gap between capacitors become smaller. The traditional method for patterning the target layer on the substrate comprises the following steps. A photoresist material is spin-coated on the target layer in the first place. The photoresist material is exposed and developed through a patterned mask to form a patterned photoresist layer in the second place. Further, a process of etching is conducted to pattern the target layer by using the patterned photoresist layer as the etch mask.
However, in view of the resolution of pattern transfer is increased and the critical dimension of the line width is reduced. Limitation exists for improving lithography by only optical improvement.
In addition, MIM (Metal insulator Metal) capacitors basically a parasitic capacitor between the metal layers. Generally three or more reticles are used in the processing steps. In order to overcome its complex process, the design of DRAM will focus on a reduction in the number of reticles used.

Method for forming self-aligned isolation trenches in semiconductor substrate and semiconductor device


A miniature memory card/SIM card dual-function connector for installation in a circuit board for computer/cellular phone is disclosed to include a connector body, a memory card module and a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) mounted in the connector body for receiving a memory card and a SIM card respectively, two sets of terminals respectively electrically connected to the memory card module and the SIM and respectively extending to the rear side and bottom side of the connector body for connection to the circuit board, and a shielding cover covering the top of the connector body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric connector and more specifically, to a miniature memory card/SIM card dual-function connector, which is practical for use in a computer or cellular phone to receive a memory card and a SIM card, thereby providing memory and user identity identification functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the modern cyber era, cellular phone has become the requisite personal communication apparatus to most people. From early "black KingKon (blank giant)" to the modern miniature models, a variety of cellular phones have been developed. In addition to the function of communication, a modern cellular provides added functions, such as cam camera, e-mail, music/picture download, and etc. For storing more data, much memory space is required. However, a cellular phone has a limited memory space. Further, a computer has a big memory space, however it does not provide a subscriber identity identification function to protect the security of storage data. Without the function of subscriber identity identification, other people can easily access to the computer of a company to steal the customer file, business data, and other secret information of the company.
Regular card connectors include single card connectors and multi-card connectors. A single card connector is specifically designed to fit one particular model of memory card. A multi-card connector has multiple insertion slots for receiving different memory cards. However, conventional multi-card connectors are simply designed to receive different memory cards. They do not provide any added functions (for example, subscriber identity identification function).
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a connector that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

Miniature memory card/SIM card dual-function connector