A device for disinfecting components of an air conditioning system in a motor vehicle is provided. The device includes an ozone generator arranged in close proximity to an evaporator in the air conditioning system. The device further includes an electronic control unit configured to activate the ozone generator to produce a comparatively large amount of ozone sufficient to disinfect the evaporator. The electronic control device activates the ozone generator when information provided to the control unit indicates that a condition is met, under which air flaps between the air conditioning system and a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle may remain closed or are expected to remain closed for a time sufficient for the disinfection.

The present invention relates generally to motor vehicles and, more particularly, to a device for disinfecting components of an air conditioning system, including an evaporator.
A known device for cleaning breathing air in a motor vehicle is disclosed in connection with the system described in the DE 196 51 403 A1. This system focuses predominantly on cleaning the breathing air in the passenger compartment while the motor vehicle is running.
The problem with the aforementioned device is metering the correct amount of ions and/or ozone. If the amount of ions and/or ozone is too small, the effect of the device is inadequate. If the amount of ions and/or ozone is too large, it may have a disturbing effect on the passengers. Such conventional devices are thus deficient in their ability to assure, on the one hand, reliable disinfection and, on the other hand, not to impair the well-being of the passengers.
Systems, apparatus, and methods consistent with the present invention may obviate one or more of the above and/or other issues.
Consistent with the present invention, a device for disinfecting components of an air conditioning system in a motor vehicle may be provided. The device may comprise: an ozone generator arranged in close proximity to an evaporator in the air conditioning system; and an electronic control unit configured to activate the ozone generator to produce a comparatively large amount of ozone sufficient to disinfect the evaporator, when information provided to the control unit indicates that a condition is met, under which air flaps between the air conditioning system and a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle may remain closed for a time sufficient for the disinfection.
Consistent with the present invention, a method for disinfecting components of an air conditioning system in a motor vehicle may be provided. The method may comprise: determining a condition under which air flaps between the air conditioning system and a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle may remain closed for an amount of time sufficient to disinfect the air conditioning system; and when the condition is met, inducing a first amount of ozone in the air conditioning system, the first amount of ozone sufficient to disinfect an evaporator of the air conditioning system.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Apparatus and methods for disinfecting components of an air conditioning system in a motor vehicle

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


The present invention relates to Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) systems. The invention proposes to use a classification event to communicate from the PD (121) to the PSE (110, 910). A sensor (310, 410, 510a, 510b) may determine a sensor value, shut down the PoE connection, and reconnect so that the power up cycle with the PSE (110, 910) will start. The sensor (310, 410, 510a, 510b) provides a PoE resistance related to a class 0, 3 where the class relates to the sensor value (e.g., class 0=presence detected; class 1=no presence detected). This procedure may be repeated (e.g. continuously, every minute or whenever the sensor value changes such that the PSE (110, 910) needs to be informed) and if needed multiple cycles can be used to increase the length of the message communicated.

Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) is described in IEEE Standard 802.3af-2003, Part 3: Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) Access Method and Physical Layer Specifications, Amendment: Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) Power via Media Dependent Interface (MDI); IEEE Computer Society. By means of PoE, power is supplied to detached data equipment and peripherals (like routers, switches, printer spoolers etc.) through the same wire or network connection that is already used to connect these to the Ethernet. There are plans to make use of the same standard for all kinds of low power loads such as, e.g., lighting equipment (sensors, switches, light sources etc.) or entertainment appliances like active speakers, internet radios, DVD players, set-top boxes and even TV sets. Standardization in IEEE Standard 802.3 is proceeding to support power levels of, e.g., up to 100 W per Cat5/6 connection.
As PoE supply systems for power distribution inside buildings come into the focus of the industry, some specific usage aspects of these networks need to be solved in order to get these direct current powered networks (so called "DC-Grids") widely employed. Historically, when the PoE standard was introduced for supplying power to detached networking devices like routers, switches, printer spoolers, etc., it was a replacement for small power-plug type power supplies, since the originally intended loads where mostly already equipped with communication and processing means.
As indicated above, an example of powered devices may be light sources, but also sensors or actuators. Typically, two links between power sourcing equipment (PSE) and powered device (PD) are foreseen. A power delivery link is established after detection and classification. Subsequently, a data link is established for the traditional Ethernet data. Both links share some components (like a transformer), but each component also has a significant number of extra components. For a high power, fully controlled light source with monitoring functions, it may be acceptable to spend that effort. Also, for the original target application of PoE, such as IP phones or IP cameras, this is required and reasonable.
In the new application field of lighting systems or similar load systems with often small loads with low local computing and communication requirements however, sometimes the overhead of communication and processing compared to the load complexity is inappropriate. The effort for the communication link may thus be too high for simple detectors (like an ambient light sensor) or lamps, in view of the actual usage of the data link. This is particularly so when components capable of transmitting data rates of 10 MB/s to 1000 MB/s are installed, where only very few status bits are required.
There is thus a need for a PD with inexpensive data communication capabilities.
US 2006/0168459 A1 discloses a circuitry and methodology for providing data communication between a power supply device and a powered device in a system for supplying power over a communication link. The power supply device, such a device for supplying power over Ethernet, receives from the powered device detection information for detecting the powered device and classification information for determining a power level of the powered device. Information circuitry may be provided for handling information presented by the powered device in addition to the detection and classification information.
US 2007/110360 A1 discloses a system and methodology for supplying power to a powered device (PD) over a communication link, such as an Ethernet link. The system has a power supply device that provides power to the PD, and a dynamic power allocation mechanism that dynamically modifies power allocated to the PD in accordance with tasks of the PD.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,587,289 B1 discloses a sensor fixture that can be affixed within a wall and powered using the same cable along which data signals are transmitted. A data cable is attached to the fixture, and power for a sensor is isolated from the data signals. The sensor may be used in conjunction with a building automation system in order to provide environmental inputs, such as from a motion sensor, a light sensor, and an audio sensor. The sensor may also be combined with LED lights for a combined fixture that lights when sensing motion or other environmental changes, for example.

Powered device, power sourcing equipment device, power-over-ethernet network system, and methods, for transmitting information through classification signals


A micromechanical component includes an anti-adhesive layer, formed from at least one fluorine-containing silane, applied to at least parts of its surface for reducing surface forces. To increase mechanical and thermal load capacity, the anti-adhesive layer is provided as a multilayer coating which is formed from at least one metal oxide layer and at least one layer composed of at least one fluorine-containing silane.

Reactive, fluorine-containing or aromatic silanes are commercially available. Such silanes react with OH groups present on component surfaces to produce thin adhesive silane layers having anti-adhesive, hydrophobic, oleophobic, etc. properties. These layers are applied to component surfaces to avoid or reduce surface forces which result in "sticking together" of two components which are moveably situated with respect to one another.
A coating process for depositing monolayers of fluorine-containing silanes from a gas phase (chemical vapor deposition) is referred to in European Patent Application No. 845 301.
Another gas phase coating process for producing anti-adhesive layers on surfaces of micromechanical components is referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,740. In this process silicone oils, among other materials, and fluorine-containing silanes are used for producing the coating on micromechanical components.
International Patent Application WO/01/57920 describes a gas phase coating process for applying anti-adhesive layers to wafers having micromechanical structures. Organic compounds, in particular organosilanes, are proposed as anti-adhesive layers in the cited document. In addition, it refers to the deposition of such materials in a coating cycle as a coating layer on wafers.
Using the available coating processes, monolayers or coatings made of a few layers of such silanes are produced on component surfaces, only a limited layer thickness being achievable, with the result that such coatings may be very sensitive with respect to mechanical stresses and are oxidatively or thermolytically destroyed at higher temperatures.

Micromechanical component and method for producing an anti-adhesive layer on a micromechanical component


A control system for allowing a physician to control the orientation of a medical device or a medical instrument in a variety of directions with one hand. An actuator selectively tensions one or more control cables having ends secured at or adjacent a distal tip of the medical device in order to bend the distal tip in a desired direction. In one embodiment, a physician can adjust the movement of the distal tip in a desired direction without affecting the orientation of the medical device in other directions.

Steerable medical devices and other minimally invasive surgical tools are being increasingly used to perform medical procedures inside a patient's body. Steerable devices generally include an elongated sheath and one or more control cables having distal ends secured at or adjacent the distal tip of the sheath. A control knob or lever selectively tightens the control cables in order to bend the device in a desired direction. The problem with most medical device controllers is that they require two hands in order to move the distal tip of a device in more than one plane. Alternatively, in those designs where a user can move the distal tip in four directions with one hand, two hands are still required in order to advance, retract, or rotate the device. Although some robotic systems have been proposed to allow a physician to direct a distal tip of a device in any direction using motors, these systems are generally expensive and complicated.
Given these problems, there is a need for a control system that allows a physician to manipulate a minimally invasive medical device in any desired direction with a single hand. In addition, the system should be low cost and easy to manufacture.


A drilling system has a drill string that is made up of tubular segments of coiled tubing joined together by connectors. The connectors can be selectively changed between locked and unlocked configurations. When in the unlocked configuration adjacent tubular segments rotate with respect to one another, and when in the locked configuration the tubular segments are rotationally affixed. The connectors include clutch members coupled to each tubular segment, that axially slide into a slot formed in an adjacent tubular segment to rotationally lock the adjacent segments. A Kelly bushing and rotary table rotate the drill string; and an injector head is used to insert the drill string through the Kelly bushing and rotary table and into a wellbore. While the drill string is inserted through the bushing and table, the connectors are set into the locked configuration so that all tubular segments from the rotary table downward are rotationally affixed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for excavating a wellbore. More specifically, the invention relates to a system and method for continuously rotating a drill string in the wellbore while lengthening the drill string.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydrocarbon producing wellbores extend subsurface and intersect subterranean formations where hydrocarbons are trapped. The wellbores generally are created by drill bits that are on the end of a drill string, where a drive system above the opening to the wellbore rotates the drill string and bit. Cutting elements are usually provided on the drill bit that scrape the bottom of the wellbore as the bit is rotated and excavate material thereby deepening the wellbore. Drilling fluid is typically pumped down the drill string and directed from the drill bit into the wellbore. The drilling fluid flows back up the wellbore in an annulus between the drill string and walls of the wellbore. Cuttings produced while excavating are carried up the wellbore with the circulating drilling fluid.
Drill strings are typically made up of tubular sections attached by engaging threads on ends of adjacent sections to form threaded connections. New tubular sections are attached to the upper end of the drill string as the wellbore deepens and receives more of the drill string therein. In a conventional rig operation, rotation of the drill string is temporarily suspended each time a tubular section is added to the drill string. When the drill string is not rotating, there is a risk that a portion of the drill string can adhere to a sidewall of the wellbore.

Continuous rotary drilling system and method of use


An image data aggregating high dynamic range imaging system includes an image sensor for generating N image data sets from an array of photodiodes, where N is an integer greater than one. The image sensor is adapted to generate each of the N image data sets with a different respective exposure time duration of the array of photodiodes. The system further includes an image data aggregating module for aggregating the N image data sets to obtain a virtual long exposure image data set.

Conventional image sensors have a limited dynamic range, such as from 60 dB to 70 dB. Many scenes, however, have a much larger dynamic range. For example, natural scenes often have a dynamic range of 90 dB or more. Therefore, techniques have been developed to extend image sensor dynamic range.
For example, multiple exposure techniques have been developed to obtain a single high dynamic range image from multiple exposures of a conventional image sensor. In these techniques, multiple image data sets are generated, where each image data set is generated with a different exposure time duration of the image sensor's photodiodes. The multiple image data sets can be sequentially generated one after another. Alternately, the multiple image data sets can be generated partially in parallel using a rolling shutter technique, thereby reducing delay between sequential exposures of a given pixel. The high dynamic range image is subsequently generated by selecting between the multiple image data sets according to one or more criteria, for each pixel location represented by the high dynamic range image. In multiple exposure techniques, the image data sets do not temporally overlap at a given pixel location, resulting in motion artifacts when the image scene changes between the multiple image data sets.
High dynamic range image sensors have also been developed. One example of high dynamic range image sensors is split-pixel image sensors. These image sensors are characterized by each pixel including at least two different photodiodes optimized for light of a different intensity range. For instance, FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a prior art split-pixel image sensor 100 including multiple pixels 102. Each pixel 102 includes four large photodiodes 104, 106, 108, 110 and four small photodiodes 112, 114, 116, 118. Large photodiodes 104, 106, 108, 110 are optimized for capturing high intensity light, and small photodiodes 112, 114, 116, 118 are optimized for capturing low intensity light. Each pixel 102 include a Bayer color filter array, such that large photodiodes 104 and small photodiodes 112 are adapted to capture red-color light, large photodiodes 106, 108 and small photodiodes 114, 116 are adapted to capture green-color light, and large photodiodes 110 and small photodiodes 118 are adapted to capture blue-color light.
Large photodiodes 104, 106, 108, 110 generate a first image data set optimized for high intensity light, and small photodiodes 112, 114, 116, 118 generate a second image data set optimized for low intensity light. A high dynamic range image is generated by selecting between the first and second image data sets according to one or more criteria, for each pixel location represented by the high dynamic range image. The first and second image data sets typically at least partially temporally overlap, and split-pixel image sensor 100 is therefore significantly less prone to motion artifacts than imaging systems using multiple exposure techniques. However, the fact that each pixel 102 includes at least eight photodiodes reduces available surface area for large photodiodes, thereby making it difficult to obtain high sensitivity under low light conditions.

Image data aggregating high dynamic range imaging systems and associated methods


A digital electronic still camera has an image pickup device to pick up an image to be photographed. The picked-up image data is compressed by a data compressing unit using the two-dimensional discrete cosine transformation (DCT), the optimum quantization table, and the Huffman coding. The optimum quantization table is selected by comparing a characteristic parameter of the image data with preliminarily obtained values for respective image kinds. The two-dimensional DCT provides transformation coefficients of image, which are linearly quantized with reference to the optimum quantization table. The quantized data is coded by the Huffman coding method to have a minimum length. The coded data is sent to a recording device, which records the coded data in a recording medium such as a memory card. Fuzzy control theory may be applied to determine whether the image attributes to a document, a portrait, or a landscape. The image attribute may also manually be set, for example, on an input device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital electronic still camera in which image signal data is compressed to be recorded in a recording medium such as a memory card.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electronic still camera a memory card is detachably connected to a camera body having an image pickup optical system, a solid state pickup device, or the like, and image information of a still image picked up by such an image pickup device is stored in the memory card in the form of digital signals. The memory card storing the image information is taken out of the camera and set in a reproducing device to reproduce the still image read out thereof on a television screen. The image information stored in the memory card also is transmitted to and stored in a large capacity memory such as a hard disk so that it may be an electronic album. Further, the image information is transmitted through a data communication line by connecting the memory card to a communication system so that image data communication may be achieved.
Memory cards currently in actual use are those with about 16 Mbit semiconductor memory of SRAM. It has been desired to record as many still images or still pictures and sounds in the memory card as possible, which has led to development of compression of the recorded information. Adaptive discrete cosine transformation (ADCT) is a standardized basic method for the image data compression. Discrete cosine transformation is described in N. Ahmed, T. Natarajan, and K. R. Rao: "Discrete Cosine Transform", IEEE Transactions on Computers, pages 90-93 (January, 1974).
In case that the electronic still camera is used as a scanner scanning a black board like an electronic board to store information thereon, letters or characters are dominant in the photographed information. Conventionally, such an image dominated by letters has been compressed by the same method as that which is used for image of landscape or portrait which is hereinafter called an image of nature. The compression method applied to the image of nature is inefficient to compress the letter image due to its high redundancy.
This unsatisfactory compression of letter images in turn results in disadvantageous use of memory capacity of the memory card, since limited is the total amount of information to be recorded in the recording medium or memory card of electronic still camera.
In the conventional electronic still camera, a quantization table is used upon quantizing data as means to control a quality of an image. But an optimum quantization table has never been used separately for each kind of images, i.e., letter image, nature image, etc.


A method comprises determining an exposure condition by executing a process including computing an image formed on an image plane under the current exposure condition while changing the exposure condition, and evaluating a line width of the computed image, and exposing the substrate under the determined exposure condition, wherein the determining includes, computing a simplified evaluation value of the computed image, changing the exposure condition and executing the process in the changed exposure condition, after evaluating the computed image if the simplified evaluation value satisfies an allowable value, and changing the exposure condition and executing the process in the changed exposure condition without evaluating the computed image if the simplified evaluation value does not satisfy the allowable value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure method and a memory medium storing a computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, exposure processing by an exposure apparatus is critical in determining the line width of the circuit pattern of the semiconductor device. In the exposure processing, an original is illuminated with light from a light source by an illumination optical system to project the pattern of the original onto a photoresist on a substrate via a projection optical system, thereby exposing the photoresist.
Along with the recent decrease in the circuit line width, an exposure apparatus which incorporates techniques for attaining a high resolution has been developed. Parameters which determine the resolution are the wavelength of the light source, the numerical aperture (NA) of the projection optical system, and a numeric value associated with the process (the so-called process factor K1). To attain a high resolution, there are techniques of increasing the NA and of reducing the process factor K1. Examples of the technique of reducing the process factor are modified illumination, polarized illumination, and aberration adjustment of the projection optical system.
Current techniques for attaining a high resolution have become diversified and complicated. Under the circumstances, to transfer a pattern onto a substrate with high accuracy, various parameters associated with these techniques are to be determined. Examples of these parameters are the light intensity distribution (to be referred to as the effective light source distribution hereinafter) on the pupil plane of the illumination optical system, the NA and aberration of the projection optical system, and the polarization state of the illumination light.
In the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, one factor for the strictest precision in order to determine the yield of the device is dimensional accuracy. Dimensional accuracy is increasingly becoming higher along with a decrease in the pattern line width. This has led to a growing need to optimize various kinds of exposure conditions so as to increase dimensional accuracy to a line width value or less.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-247737 relates to a method of optimizing the effective light source shape. More specifically, this patent reference describes a method of optimizing an effective light source by dividing the effective light source into point sources conforming to a grating pattern and evaluating the divided point sources. This patent reference also describes a method of evaluating the critical dimension (CD), the depth of focus (DOF), the exposure allowance (EL), the depth of focus in an exposure allowance of 8% (DOF@8%EL), the dose-to-size ratio (E1:1), a dense/isolated shape bias, and an arbitrary bias attributed to the shape size. This patent reference also describes a method of evaluating side-lobe transfer, a film loss, the sidewall angle, a mask error enhancement factor (MEEF), the linear resolution, and the absolute resolution.
In the optimization of various parameters, determining the exposure condition while changing the values of individual parameters across the whole range of figures expected to be taken using these values may take a very large amount of time.

Exposure method and memory medium storing computer program


Method and system for integrating infusion device and analyte monitoring system including medication infusion device such as an insulin pump and an analyte monitoring system such as a glucose monitoring system are provided.

Type 1 diabetics must periodically be administered with insulin to sustain their physiological conditions. Typically, these patients administer doses of either fast acting or slow acting insulin using needle type syringes, for example, prior to meals, and/or at a suitable time during the course of each day contemporaneously with the blood glucose level testing using fingerstick testing, for example. If insulin is not suitably administered, the diabetic patients risk serious if not fatal damage to the body.
Continued development and improvement in the external infusion pump therapy in recent years have drawn much appeal to the diabetic patients for, among others, improved management of diabetes by better regulating and controlling the intake of insulin. Typically, the patient inserts a cannula which is connected to an infusion tubing attached to an external pump, and insulin is administered based on a preprogrammed basal profiles. Moreover, the external infusion devices presently available include computational capability to determined suitable bolus doses such as carbohydrate bolus and correction bolus, for example, to be administered in conjunction with the infusion device executing the patient's basal profile.
The basal profiles are generally determined by the patient's physician or caretaker and are based on a number of factors including the patient's insulin sensitivity and physiological condition which are diagnosed by the patient's physician, for example, and are typically intended to accurately estimate the patient's glucose levels over a predetermined time period during which the patient is infusing insulin. The glucose levels may be estimated based on the patient's periodic discrete testing using a test strip and a blood glucose meter such as Freestyle® Glucose Meter available from Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., of Alameda, Calif. Such estimations are, however, prone to error, and do not accurately mirror the patient's actual physiological condition.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for providing integrated medication infusion and analyte monitoring system


The invention is a process for treatment of brown grease, where the brown grease comprises water, food solids and free-oil. This process starts with the collection of the brown grease into a container. The brown grease's pH is adjusted with a chemical treatment to produce an adjusted brown grease phase. To the adjusted brown grease phase an anionic copolymer treatment mixture is added along with a cationic copolymer to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture reacts for a period of time, and during this time wastewater is discharged from the reaction mixture to produce resulting solids. The resulting solids are then transferred from the container for disposal or are processed further into a fuel or soil additive.

The present invention provides a method for an efficient and sanitary treatment of brown grease.
Grease is a material, either liquid or solid, composed primarily of fats, oils and grease (also referred to as FOG) from animal or vegetable sources. Brown grease (or trap grease) is waste that is recovered from grease traps and interceptors. Yellow grease is oil and grease that comes directly from fryers and other cooking equipment. A grease trap is a small volume device located inside a food service facility, generally under a sink, designed to collect, contain, or remove food wastes and brown grease from the waste stream while allowing the balance of the liquid waste to discharge into the wastewater collection system, usually a sanitary sewer system. A grease interceptor is a large volume device located underground and outside of a food service facility designed to collect, contain or remove food wastes and brown grease from the waste stream while allowing the balance of the liquid waste to discharge to the wastewater collection system, usually a sanitary sewer system. Interceptors have at least one inspection hatch on the top surface to facilitate inspection, cleaning and maintenance by a service provider.
The terms "grease trap" and "grease interceptor" are often used interchangeably in the literature. For this document, discussion of any "grease separation device" refers to both types of units without need for differentiation. For this document, FOG refers to Brown Grease unless otherwise noted.
A problem today is that the nature of FOG is changing and this change is leading to problems in the effective treatment of FOG. While once largely composed of animal fats (such as lard), now fats, oils, and grease (FOG) the waste grease and oils that are discharged from kitchen drains into sanitary sewer systems are now principally manufactured vegetable oils designed to adhere to food. The basic chemical structure of FOG is varying combinations of glycerol (C3H8O3) and fatty acids (chains of carbon-hydrogen with a carboxylic group—COOH—attached). However, as food science advances, and cooking oils become more and more efficient, the fatty acid chains become much more complex. Unlike the older, animal fat-based cooking media, the more complex fatty acids are by and large more stable, and they are less likely to break down either in the sanitary drain system, from the activity of naturally occurring bacteria, or from general exposure in the open environment.
Both animal fats and vegetable oils are 8-12 percent lighter than water and do not mix with it. FOG forms a floating layer on the water in the grease separation devices, and that property enables those lighter materials to be efficiently removed, essentially by vacuuming out the floating fats and as much of the water as regulations require.
The increased development of central business districts encircled by suburban areas, the increasing mobility of our society, and increased restaurant patronage per capital per year have led to significant growth in the commercial food sector. These trends have led to the increase of commercial areas containing high densities of restaurants, mall food courts, and supermarket ready-to-eat meals. Additionally, many other new food preparation facilities such as sports arenas, strip shopping centers, convenience stores and carry-out kiosks have raised the numbers of high-loading grease sources on municipal sewer systems. With more restaurants, institutional kitchens, and other commercial, food handling venues, the nation's sewer systems experience increasing difficulty with grease clogged sewer lines and pumping stations affecting sewage treatment operations.
A major area of problems is between the source of the FOG and the treatment plant. Drainage pipes within buildings are usually made from metals or plastics. Municipal sewer piping may be made from metals, plastics or ceramic materials such as terra cotta. All of these materials are hydrophobic and oleophilic. Hydrophobic means water does not stick to the material, a good property for water-handling pipes. Oleophilic means oily substances are naturally attracted to the material, which is why piping encounters grease clogging.
Fats and oils naturally stick to piping walls. However, fats and oils also possess an inherent surface "stickiness" (increasingly an engineered property to enhance cooking properties), which leads to sewage-borne solids sticking to the grease layer on a sewer pipe's inside walls, slowly and relentlessly reducing the pipe's transfer capacity. This frequently leads to a pipe becoming so clogged that the effluent in the line emerges through a manhole (or burst pipe) to the surface as a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO). Not only is this a health hazard, but local governments can be, and are, fined by the EPA for such spills. Additionally, the remedy for the clogged mains, physically cleaning the pipe systems, is expensive, messy, and dangerous work.
For these reasons, regulators from the EPA at the federal level to state, county, and municipal governments have increasingly implemented policies and regulations to control the influx of FOG into the public wastewater systems. The most common and generally preferred methods of FOG entrapment is either a grease trap (for small establishments) or grease interceptors (for mainline, higher volume establishments). These regulations generally specify sizing criteria and frequently mandate grease removal (i.e. service call) frequency.
In addition to companies that provide extraction of interceptor contents as their service there are an array of products that are purported to clean and maintain grease interceptors. However, these existing products related to cleaning and maintaining grease interceptors have some drawbacks to their use.
The first of these products are enzymes. Basically, an enzyme is a protein that will act on a compound and break it into several smaller compounds. Enzymes are compound specific; in fact, there are enzymes that will work only on the compounds found in FOG. Although the actual enzymatic action is quite complex, the end result is that the fatty acids are severed from the glycerol base. This allows the FOG to dissolve and move downstream. However, enzyme reactions are all reversible chemical reactions. The free fatty acids can re-join the glycerol base and become FOG, complete with the same characteristics it once had. While enzymes may dissolve FOG and facilitate its dispersal from the grease interceptor, (and this may be beneficial to the restaurant owner in that the grease interceptor may not need to be pumped as frequently) the FOG problem is just displaced. It will re-appear as the fatty acids and glycerol recombine in a sewer or in a pump station's wet well downstream. Thus the disposal problem is simply transferred to the public sector. In addition, enzymes do not replicate themselves. They will be carried out along with the dissolved grease. As a result, enzymes must be frequently introduced into the grease interceptor, representing an ongoing maintenance issue for management.
The second of these products are detergents. Detergents are not an effective treatment option. They may clean blockages from the restaurant's lines, but create other problems for a sewer system and its wastewater treatment plant. In a similar fashion to enzymes, they break up grease deposits, but the grease can re-congeal further downstream in the collection system.
The third of these products are bacteria and solvents. Using bacteria to consume sewer grease is effective only when the proper microorganisms are used and applied through a highly developed service system. Bacteria products commonly sold with "do-it-all" claims typically give grease interceptor owners a false sense of security. Bacteria are pH and temperature sensitive and do not maintain their replicating activity particularly well in the (low pH) environment found in grease interceptors. Also, their use is generally not well received by (publicly owned treatment works (POTWs).
Finally, many distributors of biological liquefiers, enzymes, and other such products claim that their products will eliminate the need to pump a grease interceptor ever again. Some of the products that claim to be bacterial products are actually inactive forms of bacteria packed in solvents such as kerosene, toluene, terpene, surfactants, etc. It is actually the solvent, not the bacteria, which dissolves the grease. This defeats the purpose of a grease interceptor. The product may move FOG out of the food processor's grease interceptor, but the grease can quickly recongeal in the POTW's collection system. In summary, these alternatives are not a solution and many sanitary system operators do not condone their use.
Disposal options in the realms of bio-diesel fuel manufacture and bio-fuel (heating fuels and turbine feeds for example) are interesting research projects but are generally experimental or limited in scope, and exhibit increased costs compared to petroleum based fuel. A 2% mix of bio-diesel with conventional diesel adds about three cents per gallon at the pump and trucking organizations are resistant to mandated use of these mixes. In any case, yellow grease, not brown grease, is the preferred feedstock for bio-fuels. Brown grease has, however, been the subject of specific research for its use as a feedstock for bio-diesel fuel manufacture. Much of the work has been done at the university level, though at least one large rendering company has a functioning production plant, Griffin Industries, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, that may use a small amount of brown grease in its feed. Several issues, however, indicate that brown grease will be very slow to catch on as a large-scale feedstock.
Bio-diesel feedstock demands low free fatty acid content. Brown grease contains 5-times (or more) free fatty acids (FFAs) as soy oil (or other low FFA oils that are processed with alkaline catalysts into bio-fuels) so must be blended with low FFA components to make bio-diesel feed.
The large scale alternative for brown grease processing is a relatively complex acid catalyst process demanding high-energy drying and high temperature processing at high pressures, demanding acid resistant steels and other specialized handing equipment.
New EPA directions towards 100% pumping rules mean that the brown grease requires separation from massive amounts of water, and exceedingly low water content in the feed product is a requirement for processing; slightly too much water and the alkaline catalyst procedure for bio-diesel production produces a soap contaminate in the bio-fuel. Eliminating water is energy intensive, thus low water "yellow grease" or virgin vegetable oils are highly preferred as feedstock.
Research on effective brown grease utilization has not translated into effective large-scale operations. The issue of disposal of contaminants entrained in the grease-sludge waste from bio-diesel production still remains.


A switched reluctance motor includes a stator having a plurality of pairs of opposing stator pole portions which project inward in the diametrical direction and which extend in the axial direction, a rotor rotatably disposed in the stator and having a plurality of rotor pole portions which project outward in the diametrical direction and which extend in the axial direction and axis portion which is rotatably supported on a housing. A plurality of coils are wound on each of the pair of the stator pole portions and an absorbing mechanism is provided for absorbing radial vibrations of the rotor which are generated by a variation of the magnetic attracting force acting on the rotor pole portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a switched reluctance motor and more specifically, to a switched reluctance motor having a rotor with vibration absorbing means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional switched reluctance motor is disclosed in, for example, GB 2 231 214A. This switched reluctance motor includes a housing, a stator fixed in an inner bore of the housing and formed by laminating electromagnetic steel plates and a rotor disposed in the stator and formed by laminating electromagnetic steel plates. The rotor is fixed to an output shaft which is rotatably supported on side portions of the housing through bearings and thereby is rotatably disposed in the stator. The rotor has a plurality of pairs of rotor pole portions which project outward in the diametrical direction and which extend in the axial direction. The stator has a plurality of pairs of opposing stator pole portions which project inward in the diametrical direction and which extend in the axial direction. Each of the stator pole portions is opposed to each of the rotor pole portions in response to the rotation of the rotor and a certain clearance is maintained between the stator pole portions and the rotor pole portions which are opposed to each other. A coil is wound on each of the stator pole portions. The coils, which are wound on each of the pairs of opposing stator pole portions, are connected in series with each other whereby a magnetic flux is generated between each pair of stator pole portions when current is supplied to the coils which are wound thereon. A magnetic attracting force results between the rotor pole portions and the stator pole portions which are approaching each other. This magnetic attracting force is changed by controlling supply current by means of switching elements in response to the rotational position of the rotor whereby rotary torque is produced.
The current which is supplied to the coil wound on one pair or several pairs of stator pole portions being approached by one pair or several pairs of rotor pole portions is switched on and off such as a pulse. In general, the current is switched on when a pair of rotor pole portions begins to be aligned with a pair of stator pole portions, and the current is switched off before a pair of rotor pole portions is aligned with a pair of stator pole portions. Thus, the magnetic attracting force increases proportionally while the current is supplied, and disappears in a moment when the current is switched off. On one hand, rotary torque is obtained by this magnetic attracting force. On the other hand, a pair or several pairs of stator pole portions are attracted radially to a pair of rotor pole portions by this magnetic attracting force, respectively, so that a load is radially applied to the rotor.
The bearings, which support the rotor on the side portions of the housing, normally allow a certain relative movement or play in the radial direction. Furthermore, due to a measuring error in making the stator and the rotor, the magnetic attracting force generated between the rotor pole portions and the stator pole portions which are approaching each other is unsymmetrical. As a result, the rotor is attracted radially to the stator pole portion which generates a large magnetic attracting force. When the magnetic attracting force disappears, this radial load acting on the rotor disappears suddenly and simultaneously the bearings supporting the rotor receive an impulse. This impulse to the bearings is generated periodically in response to the rotation of the rotor whereby vibration of the side portions of the housing generates objectionable acoustic noise.


An integrate process is provided for the production of ditertiary butyl peroxide wherein isobutane oxidate containing tertiary butyl alcohol and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide is reacted in the presence of an aqueous acidic catalyst, the reaction mixture is phase separated, the aqueous catalyst is recovered and recycled, and the product peroxide is recovered from the organic phase by water extraction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides an integrated process for the production of ditertiary butyl peroxide from isobutane oxidate wherein the oxidate containing tertiary butyl alcohol and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide is reacted in the presence of a water soluble acid catalyst, the reaction mixture is resolved into separate aqueous and organic phases, tertiary butyl alcohol is recovered from the aqueous phase and the water soluble catalyst is recycled, and the organic phase is resolved in order to recover product ditertiary butyl peroxide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The production of ditertiary butyl peroxide by reaction of the tertiary butyl alcohol and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide components of an isobutane reaction mixture is known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,862,973.
The recovery of ditertiary butyl peroxide from admixtures containing tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl alcohol is likewise known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,383,919. A later patent which seems to cover much the same subject matter is U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,850.
Ditertiary butyl peroxide is an important chemical having use for example as a catalyst in various organic syntheses but having special utility as an additive to diesel fuel formulations in order to improve the characteristics thereof. Although methods have been suggested for the production and recovery of ditertiary butyl peroxide, as above indicated, there remains considerable room for improvement in the efficiency and economics of the technology for producing this product.

Integrated process for the production of ditertiary butyl peroxide


A process and structure utilizes pulsed laser deposition technique to grow SrTiO3 (STO) films with single (110) out-of-plane orientation upon a surface of all (100), (110) and (111)-oriented silicon (Si) substrates. No designed buffer layer is needed beneath the STO thin films. The in-plane alignments for the epitaxial STO films grown directly on Si (100) are as STO [001]//Si [001] and STO [1 10]/Si [010]. The SrTiO3/Si interface is epitaxially crystallized without any amorphous oxide layer. The formation of a coincident site lattice at the interface between Si and a Sr-silicate and/or STO helps to stabilize STO in the epitaxial orientation. The invention can be applied to epitaxial template and barrier for the integration of many other functional oxide materials on silicon. In particular, the (110)-oriented STO structure is useful for practical applications such as the preparation of ferroelectric-insulator-semiconductor devices as well as providing a broad solution to the generic problem of polarity discontinuities at perovskite heterointerfaces.

Crystalline oxide thin films on Si have attracted considerable attention in recent years since the unique properties of those oxide materials can be combined with Si-based integrated circuits. For instance, STO is now considered as a high dielectric constant oxide to replace SiO2 as a gate oxide in metal-oxide-semiconductor devices. On the other hand, STO is a cubic perovskite structure and has a lattice constant of 0.3905 nm, which is closely matched to a large number of other perovskite oxides. Thus, the STO/Si system can be used as a growth substrate for fabrication of thin films of other functional oxides and carbon nanotube transistors.
The quite large lattice mismatch between STO and Si ((aSTO−aSi)/aSi×100%=28%) presents a challenge for epitaxial growth. Additionally, the formation of an amorphous oxide over Si surface may prevent STO film from crystal growth. Previous attempts to obtain high-quality STO thin films grown directly on Si have been unsuccessful, These STO films grown directly on Si using various deposition techniques were usually polycrystalline with randomly oriented grains. In the case of STO thin films by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), the co-existance of two peaks of (hh0) and (h00) was always observed.
It is known that randomly oriented polycrystalline films have certain limitations in various applications. Formation of various grain sizes and growth orientations and co-existence of secondary phase may cause low performance of the integrated devices. Consequently, it is commonly believed that the use of appropriate buffer layers between STO and Si substrate is required for the highly oriented growth, especially for the epitaxial growth of STO thin films. McKee et al. demonstrated the epitaxial growth of STO on Si (001) with a SrSi2 submonolayer interface by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technique, Extensive research has been carried out on the growth of STO on Si (001) with various single buffer layers and/or multi-buffer layers. In this invention, we firstly develop a method to prepare STO films with single (110) orientation grown directly on differently oriented silicon substrates by PLD technique. Epitaxial STO (110) films have been grown successfully on Si (100) without any buffer layer.

Method for epitaxial growth of (110)-oriented SrTiO


In the manufacture of multichamber tubular containers it has been found that the inner divider walls should be bonded to the exterior wall by means of a band sealing method. In the band sealing method there is a band that contacts the upper film and a band that contacts the lower film that are to be bonded. In the present processes the upper band contacts the inner divider wall while the lower band contacts the exterior surface of the outer wall of the tubular container. In order to prevent the marring or otherwise putting a defect into the exterior surface of the outer wall the temperature of the lower band is maintained at a lower temperature than the upper band. This will decrease the temperature of the exterior surface of the outer wall and prevent imperfections in the exterior surface of the outer wall. The advantage is a multichamber tubular container without any imperfections in the exterior surface. This enhances the overall appearance of the tubular container.

There are various techniques for making multichamber tubular containers. The present invention is directed to multichamber tubular containers where each chamber contacts the exterior wall of the tubular container and extends longitudinally from the nozzle exit to the base of the tubular container. This is in distinction to the "tube in a tube" containers where the different chambers are located concentrically. It has been found that the arrangement where each chamber is in contact with the tube wall, i.e. with the tube wall forming a part of each tubular chamber, provides for more control over the dispensing of the contents from the tubular container. There will be a more uniform dispensing of the contents of each chamber in this construction of a multichamber tubular container.
One problem that is encountered in the manufacture of these multichamber tubular containers is the bonding of the interior divider walls onto the wall of the tubular container. In one method the interior wall or walls are attached to the tube wall prior to the tube being formed by bonding the two longitudinal edges of the divider wall to the outer wall. In this technique the interior wall is overlayed onto the outer tubular container wall, each in a flat orientation. The two longitudinal edges of the interior divider wall then are bonded to the interior surface of the outer tubular container wall. Upon the longitudinal edges of the outer wall being bonded together to form a tubular container there is formed a tubular container with two chambers. This can be a three or more chamber tubular container if there are additional interior walls. A problem that arises in the formation of these tubular containers is the bond of the interior dividing walls to the outer tube wall. There must be a strong, leak proof seal, but yet, one where there is no marring or otherwise putting an imperfection in the exterior surface of the outer tubular wall. Any imperfections will cause a perceptible imperfection in the tube decoration. Such imperfections are not acceptable since they affect the impression of the product by the potential purchaser. The product appears to be damaged.
Various techniques were tried in order to get a strong seal of the interior divider walls to the inner surface of the outer tubular container wall. A conventional heat seal formed by a heated platen surface on the interior divider wall has the problem that the divider wall is susceptible to sticking to the heated platen surface. Likewise, ultrasonic sealing was found not to be effective to form strong seals since the thin inner divider wall is susceptible to damage during the application of ultrasonic energy. The only technique to be found to be highly effective to produce strong seals at commercially feasible speeds with no imperfection in the exterior surface of the outer wall is the use of a band sealing technique where the band in contact with the exterior surface of the outer wall is held at a lower temperature than the band that is in contact with the surface of the divider wall. This results in strong seals with no imperfections in the exterior surface of the outer wall.
Band sealers customarily have two rotating bands. One band contacts the exterior surface of one material to be bonded and the other band contacts the exterior surface of the other material. In the present instance the one material is the chamber divider wall and the other material is the outer tubular container wall. The bands can be a metallic, ceramic or a plastic material. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coated woven fiberglass bands have been found to be very effective. PTFE is stable at elevated temperatures and has a very lubricous surface. It will not adhere to the materials into which it comes into contact. The present invention is directed to the use of a band sealer where the band that is in contact with the exterior surface of the outer wall is maintained at a reduced temperature. This technique solves the problem of producing strong seals at commercially feasible speeds with no imperfections in the exterior surface of the outer wall of the container.


A system and method for controlling access to, and especially protecting against unauthorized attempts to provide input to, e.g., program, or elicit output from, a vehicular or other mobile device (14), such as an electronic control unit (ECU), wherein a determined location of the device (14) or an inputted user acknowledgment provides a basis or an additional basis for allowing or denying the attempt at access.

In the prior art, programming a vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU) requires that the vehicle be present at an authorized location (e.g., a manufacturing or assembly facility, a dealership, or an authorized repair facility) and directly hardwired to a programming tool. Recently, remote wireless programming of ECUs has been introduced, which allows for greater programming flexibility. With this change, security has shifted from physical mechanism& to password and cryptographic authentication mechanisms for controlling access. Unfortunately, the security afforded by password and cryptographic access-control mechanisms does not provide a sufficiently high level of assurance against malicious attacks, such as, for example, the communication of viruses or other harmful or undesired programs to ECUs.
It will be appreciated that this concern extends to both providing input to ECUs or other vehicular devices as well as eliciting output from such devices. Thus, for example, toll booths or parking garages might be adapted to wirelessly query vehicles for identification or even for payment information but, as mentioned, password and cryptographic mechanisms do not afford sufficient security against the illicit collection of such information.
It will also be appreciated that this concern extends to a variety of other programmable or otherwise accessible mobile devices including, for example, mobile telephones and mobile computing devices.
Thus, an improved access-control mechanism is needed to more effectively control access to vehicular or other mobile devices.

System and method for controlling access to mobile devices


A timing control circuit includes a single chip having a plurality of output ports; a chip selecting circuit having a plurality of control ports connected to the output ports and paths; a signal input circuit; a signal output circuit; and a switching circuit including a plurality of signal channels. The chip selecting circuit generates a selection signal according to a control signal and outputs the selected signal via one of the selected paths. One of the channels is selected when a selection signal is output via the selected channel. When one of the signal channels is selected and there are signals inputted by the signal input circuit via the signal channel, the signals from the signal input circuit are passed to the signal output circuit through the signal channel and the light emitting diode in the signal channel is turned on.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to timing control circuits and, more particularly, to a timing control circuit for testing production lines.
2. Description of Related Art
Timing control circuits used in production lines are often complicated and thus cause inconvenience for testing and repairing the production lines.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a timing control circuit with simple construction for testing and repairing production lines.

ShenZhen Treasure City Technology Co., LTD.


A plurality of distributed power generation systems are connected via the Internet to a managing apparatus in a managing company. A power company communicates with the managing apparatus via another line. At peak times of power consumption in the midsummer and so forth, the power company requests the managing company to supply the power. The managing company controls to remotely set generation capacity of the distributed generation systems at maximum so as to reverse surplus power therefrom to a power system. A normal power rate is discounted for a user of the distributed generation system for his/her cooperation with the power company. The managing company charges the power company based on the surplus electric energy supplied to the power company.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply technology, and it particularly relates to a distributed power generation system and a power supply system and power supply method utilizing the distributed power generation system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today new technologies, such as IT (Information Technology) and biotechnology, are making their appearance one after another on the global scene. Despite such a trend, the energy industry remains one of the largest basic industries. Recently, along with the growing awareness of the global warming and other environmental problems, the human society is placing great hopes on the so-called new energies. In addition to their environmental aspects, the new energies present such advantages as low transmission loss and security of power supply because their energy production can be distributed close to the power consumers Moreover, it can be expected that developing the new energies have a secondary effect of creating new peripheral industries.
Serious efforts to develop new energies began on the heels of the oil crisis of about 30 years ago. Today, the new energies, whose development is entering the stage for practical applications, include, for instance, the renewable energy from solar power generation, the recycling energy from wastes power generation, the high-efficiency energy from fuel cells, and the energies in new areas such as for clean energy cars.
Of these, the fuel cell energy is one of the energies attracting particular attention of the industry. The fuel cell produces electricity arid heat at the same time, using a chemical reaction of atmospheric oxygen to hydrogen made by mixing water vapor into natural gas or methanol. This mode of power generation produces only water as the byproduct and is highly efficient in the low-output range and stable without being affected by the weather. The solid polymer fuel cells, whether for home or other stationary use or vehicular use, are considered to be one of the standard energy sources in the next generation.
The power generation systems using solid polymer fuel cells are today on the way for practical applications after trial manufacture. The wider use of the fuel cells depends on how the cost can be reduced. While the initial cost is the problem to be solved by the developers, the operation cost and the merit of their use depend also on the relationship of the systems using the fuel cells with the commercial power supply systems.
Thus, to realize the wide use of fuel cells, it is not only necessary to technically improve the fuel cells themselves, but also to create a business model structuring the environment in which the fuel cells are used. And this business model need be such as to provide merits to the system users, the power company and other parties involved in the system.

Distributed power generation system, and power supply system and power supply method utilizing the same


A product development scheduler uses a distributed, constraint based system for modeling allocation of resources. All resources for all active development projects are provided at a central location, so that resources are not allocated twice across different projects. Real time availability of resources allows accurate modeling, and changes in resource status are reflected by the scheduler. Availability of materials are tracked through the supply chain to ensure true availability for planning purposes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to scheduling systems, and more particularly to a system and method for scheduling development of a portfolio of new products to be developed in accordance with a development plan.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In today's marketplace, development of new products to be brought to market is becoming of increasing importance. In many industries, product life cycles are becoming shorter, increasing the importance of new product planning and introduction. Planning of new products is usually based upon a decision by management as to what new products will sell the best, and hopefully provide the best profit margins for the company.
Once a portfolio of products to be developed has been selected, it is necessary to implement scheduling controls to implement the plan. Feedback regarding the actual status of the various development projects is necessary to ensure that product development proceeds on schedule, or that trouble areas can be addressed.
With present systems, it is difficult to trace progress of the plan. Further, when problems occur with suppliers of needed materials, the adverse impact on the project schedule is usually found out just before the materials are needed. Competition between projects within a company can upset development schedules, because of lack of availability of needed resources.
It would be desirable to provide a product development scheduling system which allowed a company to better schedule its resources for product development projects.


On respective ground conductor plate surfaces, first and second dielectric substrates are formed. First and second antenna elements made of a conductor film of a rectangular cooper leaf or the like are formed on opposite surfaces of the first and second dielectric substrates to the ground conductor plate. The first and second antenna elements-are fed by, for example, a coplanar waveguide feed line, slot feed or the like. Thus, an omnidirectional antenna is realized having simple construction, reducing a size and production cost.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an omnidirectional antenna having almost uniform radiation directivity to a horizontal surface for use with communication systems such as mobile communication, indoor radio, or LAN (Local Area Network).
2. Description of the Related Art
An antenna used for with a radio base station for a mobile communication in the underground shopping center or an indoor base station for mobile radio should be small, thin and be produced at a low cost. In addition, the antenna is required to have such radiation directivity as omnidirectional to the horizontal surface, and as beam-tilted downward to the vertical surface, because it is installed in the underground shopping center or on the indoor ceiling portion.
Conventionally, in the radio base station for mobile communication, in particular, in the base station of a car telephone, a Collinia array antenna arranged multistage dipole elements in the longitudinal direction to realize a beam-tilt directivity. However, it is difficult to use a large-sized array antenna indoors.
As an antenna to satisfy such requirement, "Beam-tilt Dipole Antenna for Indoor Base Station" reported in the great autumn meeting SB-1-8, IEICE of Japan, 1994 is known. This beam-tilt dipole antenna is arranged a plurality of passive elements tilted at a predetermined angle in a form of spatially independent around exciting elements. However, the beam-tilt dipole antenna has a problem of complex structure. In addition, antenna elements are composed of linear elements. Although unit cost of elements is lower, installation requires much labor, thereby raising the production cost. Moreover, when forming an array antenna with the beam-tilt dipole antenna, not only a construction becomes more complicated, but also novel is needed to feed by a coaxial feed line to a number of elements. Thereby, production is difficult and a production cost is raised, as well as an excessive radiation is occurred from a feed line, deteriorating an antenna gain.
Further, in Japanese Patent Published application Ser. No. HEI 6-66578, "omnidirectional microstrip antenna" is disclosed that cylinder passive elements are fed by microstrip feed lines. The antenna alone realizes omnidirection in a horizontal surface, and is compactly constructed easily. When forming an array antenna with the antenna, cylinder passive elements are disposed along with longer sides at predetermined intervals. These elements are fed parallel by the microstrip feed lines. However, in this construction, a plurality of microstrip lines are disposed within a cylinder which forms passive elements to feed a plurality of passive elements. Thereby, not only the construction becomes complicated, but also a radius of the column should be large. Thus, an advantage of reducing a size is lost. Further, in the microstrip feed lines, inner portions of the cylinder passive elements work as antenna elements. Connecting portions of these antenna elements produce an excessive radiation, thereby deteriorating an antenna gain.

Omnidirectional antenna formed one or two antenna elements symmetrically to a ground conductor


The present invention provides a computer system (the “System”, or the “Return System”) that is configured and programmed to provide online stores with a fast, simple, convenient way for eCommerce customers of an online store to return merchandise purchased from that store from within that online store. The Return System provides multi-carrier shipment rating, shipment labeling, shipment tracking, shipment tracking management reports, returns analysis and returns management reporting In an exemplary embodiment, the Return System has three major components: 1.) A Returns Manager Subsystem that provides a user interface to each Merchant to setup the Merchant's account, setup the Merchant's return policy and rules, and to monitor the status and movement of return shipments; 2.) A Consumer Returns Subsystem (also sometimes referred to as a “Customer Returns Subsystem”) that provides each consumer using the Returns System with an online user interface that leads the consumer through the returns process, displays the return policies and rules to the consumer, provides shipping document to ship the return package if appropriate, and permits the consumer to track their return shipments; and 3.) a Returns Processing Subsystem that, in the exemplary embodiment, provides background shipping and tracking functionality. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the Online Merchant integrates the Merchant's online system with the Returns Processing Subsystem. In another exemplary embodiment, the Returns Processing Subsystem is provided as an independent web-based application service (referred to as a “Return Merchant Service System”) operated by a common provider. In such an embodiment, the Merchant's system interacts with the Return Merchant Service System through Application Program Interfaces (“API”).

Electronic commerce (sometimes referred to herein as "eCommerce") is a growing sector of the U.S. and world economy. As with traditional brick and mortar purchases, eCommerce purchasers sometimes desire to return one or more of the items purchased. eCommerce purchasers are sometimes dissatisfied with the procedure with which eCommerce merchants provide for returning eCommerce-purchased merchandise.
Electronic Commerce returns and exchange processing has been inefficient for both the consumer and the online merchant. Electronic Commerce consumers have experienced slow, inconvenient, clumsy returns and exchange processes online. The experience contrasts sharply with consumer expectations that returning a product online should be as easy as ordering it online.
Many eCommerce merchandisers use a return authorization system for processing eCommerce-purchased merchandise returns. Unfortunately, return authorizations can often be difficult for the consumer to obtain and can take a long time to receive. In some cases, online stores require customers to call a customer service center to request a return authorization. Calling customer service for a return authorization is inconsistent with an online shopper's preference for doing business online.
Some online merchants, on the other hand, require shoppers to compose a return email request. As yet another alternative, some online merchants provide return instructions on the back of a packing slip, but may not accept return of every item in the shipped order.
After authorizing a return, the online merchant mails out an Authorized Return Service label, such as a UPS Authorized Return Service label. This return authorization process results in a slow return and refund or exchange.
Refunds for returned items are often cumbersome and can take weeks to appear in the returning shopper's payment card accounts. Exchange requests can take even longer, especially if the exchange item is out of stock.
Once a return is authorized and the customer has all of the necessary paper work, returning the item is not necessarily an easy matter for the consumer. Even if the returning customer has retained the box and packing materials for the item to be returned, most online stores do not provide an easy way for customers to pass the return package to a carrier. Some merchants provide UPS call tags inside each box they ship.
It would sometimes be more convenient for customers to return or exchange merchandise at a brick and mortar store. However, physical brick and mortar stores may not accept returns from their online siblings.
eCommerce-purchased merchandise returns can also be a problem for online merchants. An inefficient returns and exchange process that causes individual customer dissatisfaction may result in online shopper defection to online stores that provide higher-quality return and exchange services.
The various methods mentioned above of providing returns and exchange services are inefficient for both the merchant and the returning consumer. Processing return and exchange requests by telephone requires the online merchant to provide expensive facilities, staff, and training. Furthermore, a customer service call center cannot match the convenience of the Internet for an online shopper. Return requests by email, telephone, and paper forms are collected with manual processes and/or in non-standard formats. This makes generating returns reports an expensive data-collection chore which is subject to the judgment of individual customer service reps.
Further, the manual returns and exchange processes described above do not necessarily provide online merchants with returns information in a timely manner. For example, merchants may not know a return is coming until the returned package arrives. The return might be due to defective merchandise or poor packaging that caused breakage. While the first return shipment is in transit, the merchant continues to ship defective or poorly-packaged merchandise.
Each online merchant has its own policy regarding returns and exchange processing. For example, many merchants are willing to pay for all return shipping to provide high-quality service. Other merchants are willing to pay for some return shipments, but not for expensive or ill-justified returns. Still other merchants want to accept all or some returns but are not willing to pay for their return shipment.
According to one commentator, "[t]here's no easy way to solve the problem [of returns]. Internet companies fall apart on this." (Melissa Barnes, The Yankee Group, in Internet World, Aug. 15, 1999.) Therefore, in order for eCommerce to prosper, a solution to managing eCommerce returns must be provided.

Apparatus, systems and methods for online, multi-parcel, multi-carrier, multi-service parcel returns shipping management


A shading assembly includes two shading supporters, two attaching devices for spacedly and detachably mounting the two shading supporters on the vehicle body respectively, and a shading arrangement including a tubular housing having a receiving cavity detachably attached to one of the shading supporter, and a shading fabric disposed in the receiving cavity. The shading fabric has an inner edge securely received in the tubular housing and outer edge adapted to retractably stretch to detachably attach to another shading supporter to form a shading area for substantially shielding at least a portion of the vehicle body under the shading area.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a shading device, and more particularly, relates to a shading assembly which is detachably mounted to a vehicle body for protecting the vehicle body from direct exposing to the sun.
2. Description of Related Arts
Nowadays, people traveling in motor vehicle are aware of the hidden dangers of heat-related injuries and uneasiness on high temperature days. In the summer, after a vehicle is parked in the hot sun for a while, the interior of the vehicle becomes very warm. This is a very common unpleasant experience for most drivers, specifically when they get into the car. When outside temperature reach 93 degree Fahrenheit, the temperature inside the vehicle could reach 125 degrees Fahrenheit in just 20 minutes.
They have no option, but turn on the air conditioning system immediately to cool off the inside of the vehicle for providing a comfort and relax environment. However, a constantly running of the air conditioning system to cool the vehicle results in a greater use of the vehicle's electrical generator or motor. Furthermore, when the vehicle is parked again, the air trapped inside the vehicle will be changing hot pretty soon. Actually, the lack of shade for the vehicle in warmer climates causes a lot of inconveniences and results to an inefficient and expensive use of the vehicle power.
In order to prevent the heat entering into the vehicle, the driver can tint the vehicle window or dispose a foiled light reflecting panel on the front and rear window to block the sunlight directly entering into the vehicle so as to prevent the interior temperature of the vehicle from rising by the heat of the sunlight. However, the function of shaded windows is quite limited since the roof of the vehicle could not be sheltered. When the vehicle is exposed under the sunlight, the heat can easily enter into the interior of the vehicle through the vehicle body by means of heat radiation.
To cover the roof of the vehicle, a variety of foldable canopies have hit the market to provide a shelter for protecting the vehicle from being directly exposing to the hot sun. However, the folding and unfolding operation of such shading canopies cause a lot of time. Every time when the driver leaves and gets in the vehicle, he or she has to put on or take off the shading canopy. Moreover, the size of such canopies are required to be relatively large enough to fully cover not only the roof, but also the front and rear window, as a result, it is inevitably time-consuming and cumbersome for deployment and storage of such devices. Even though the shading canopies could be folded into a compact size, it is still annoying for the driver to fold up the canopy into the compact form under a hot sun.
Sometimes, not only did the vehicle need a shading shelter, the driver and passengers need as well. For example, during a long journey trip or a camp site gathering in a hot climate, the drivers and passengers sometimes step outside the car to have a rest. Commonly, a parasol or a beach awning is a best option. However, those devices are huge in size and not very convenient to deploy and carry within a car. It is desirable to develop a kind of portable and temporary shading device for those travelers.


Glass particles comprise glass microbubbles. The glass particles have a size distribution with a d50 in the range of from 15 to 100 microns, and have a true density of less than 0.7 g/cm3. The glass particles comprise, on an equivalent weight basis: from 50 to 70 weight percent silica; from 2 to 7 weight percent of boria; from 0.5 to 4 weight percent of weight zinc oxide; from 8 to 17 weight percent of calcia; from 0.8 to 7 weight percent of phosphorus pentoxide; and from 2 to 9 weight percent of sodium oxide.

Glass microbubbles, also known in the art as "hollow glass microspheres" or "glass microballoons", typically have low specific gravity, satisfactory heat resistance, heat insulating properties, pressure-resistance (e.g., crush strength) and impact resistance, and may achieve superior physical properties when substituted for conventional fillers.
Accordingly, glass microbubbles are used in applications such as molding parts (e.g., including a molding compound for electric household appliances, portable electronic devices and automobiles), putties, sealing materials, a buoyancy material for ships, a synthetic wood, a reinforcing cement outer wall material, a light weight outer wall material, and artificial marble. Also, due to the structure of hollow particles, glass microbubbles may have a low dielectric constant that can be imparted as a bulk property to compositions in which they are contained.
Glass microbubbles can be prepared using a variety of processes and materials. In some cases, the product made from these processes and materials is multi-cellular, weak, not chemically durable, and/or has other limiting characteristics. For some applications, consistently higher quality single -cell glass microbubbles are required. It is particularly desirable to obtain high strength to density ratios.
Glass microbubbles are typically formed by heating frit containing a blowing agent (i.e., also known as a "feed") in a flame, thereby causing expansion and formation of glass microbubbles. The microbubbles thus formed, known in the art as "raw product", are typically accompanied by unexpanded glass beads, broken glass microbubbles, and/or glass frit. The raw product may be further processed, for example, by classification and/or flotation to further purify and isolate the glass microbubbles.

Low density glass particles with low boron content


A hollow visor is provided which is adapted to receive a mirror and which defines a channel. A plurality of doors are provided which are located within the visor and which are movable within the channel for selectively moving between an extended position which covers the mirror in the retracted position and which uncovers the mirror. Interconnecting levers are provided for interconnecting the plurality of doors provided for simultaneous movement thereof between the extended position and the retracted position when one of the plurality of doors is moved.

Visors are included as part of original equipment furnished with a motor vehicle. Mirrors were soon added as a convenience item for vehicle occupants.
Initially, mirrors attached to a visor were not covered. Subsequently thereto, different methods were made available for covering the mirror. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,383 to Tawaraya discloses a mirror attached to a sub-visor which is covered by being moved within a cavity formed in a mirror holder portion. More recently, the mirror was covered by a door which cooperated with an electrical circuit to activate an illumination device for illuminating the mirror once the door was moved to a retracted position uncovering the mirror.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,839 to White et al. discloses a mirror covered by a sliding door which cooperates with an illumination circuit to illuminate the mirror once the door has moved the retracted position. In this configuration, a single door is used for selectively covering and uncovering the mirror.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,003 to Gabas discloses a mirror having a plurality of rigid sheet-like plates utilized for covering a mirror disposed within a visor. In this configuration, the plates are in chain-like series relative to one another enabling the sliding of one plate over the other when moving between an open position within the housing and a closed position covering the mirror.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,174 to Gute discloses an expandable covered mirror visor having a lever and/or rack and gear mechanism interconnecting at least a pair of blades enabling simultaneous movement between a retracted position and an extended position for a plurality of blades. In this configuration, the blades are capable of simultaneous movement between the retracted and extended positions to expand the size of the visor to increase glare protection.
The present invention incorporates many of the known benefits of providing doors for covering and uncovering a visor mirror while improving the ease of use for the occupant of the vehicle.

Dual synchronous opening mirror doors for sun visors


A sign holder device for mounting on the projecting lower margin of a display shelf ticket molding or label holder. The device is of injection molded construction having spaced apart side walls joined by top and bottom walls. A pair of mounting clips extend rearwardly and then upwardly from the bottom wall in general alignment with the respective through openings. Resilient plastic tabs, extending forwardly from the mounting clips, allow the device to be mounted on a variety of label holder configurations, where the label holders have a downwardly projecting lower edge margin to be received in the mounting clip. Abutment clips project rearwardly from the sidewalls toward the mounting clips and define locking recesses adjacent the bottom of the sign holder. This enables the sign holder to be applied over the lower edge of a flanged ticket molding and to be lockingly retained thereon by engagement of the lower flange within the locking recess.

In connection with mass merchandising displays, it is conventional to employ elongated label-holding strips, which are mounted on the forward edge of display shelving and extend along the full length of the shelving front edge. A commonly used form of such label holder has a shallow C-shaped cross section, with inturned flanges at the top and bottom and a shallow, concave central area extending between the flanges. Pricing and information labels are installed in the channel, with upper and lower edges of the labels being engaged by the flanges, and the body of the label being supported by the concave central portion of the cross section. This arrangement is convenient and allows for the easy positioning of the information/pricing labels horizontally along the front of the shelf, to be properly aligned with merchandise being displayed thereon.
Frequently, merchandisers like to highlight certain products, which may be a few of many displayed along elongated aisles formed by the shelving installations. For this purpose, it is known to employ sign clips, which can be installed in the label holder strip and provide for the mounting and display of special signs to feature special sales, new items or the like. Typically, such sign clips provide for the mounting of sign cards either parallel to the front edge of the shelf or at right angles thereto. The latter orientation is frequently desired for attracting the attention of a customer located down the aisle from the item being featured, such that the sign will catch the customer's eye when the customer looks down the aisle.
One advantageous form of such sign clip is marketed by Trion Industries, Inc., of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. under its product item No. P3XSHCLIP. Sign clips of this type are widely used for mounting signs at the front of ticket moldings provided along the front edges of product shelving. However, in connection with the use of such standard clips on certain types of conventional ticket moldings, particularly those of rolled steel, problems can arise from the fact that the upper groove of the molding is quite shallow and sometimes does not reliably retain the sign clip. For example, a downward blow against the top of the sign card might cause the upper portion of the sign clip to be snapped out of its shallow retaining groove.
Pursuant to one aspect of the present invention, a novel and improved form of sign clip is provided which mounts on the ticket molding by gripping the lower flange of the molding, rather than in the conventional way by engaging both the upper and lower flanges. The device of the present invention includes upwardly-opening mounting clip elements engageable with the back surface of the ticket molding and cooperating with opposed, rearwardly-extending abutment projections. The abutment projections in the mounting clips define a recess area which receives the lower flange of the ticket molding, and the abutment projections extend over the top of the lower flange of the ticket molding, firmly locking the sign clip in its installed position. The sign clip is thus reliably secured to the molding, exclusively at the lower portion thereof, and does not rely in any way upon the relatively shallow upper channel.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the sign clip device of the invention is designed to accommodate installation not only upon conventional ticket molding sections, but also upon modern label holder strips of plastic construction.
Certain popular forms of shelf edge label holders have been developed which do not include upper and lower flanges for engaging edges of the label and which therefore do not accept a conventional sign clip of the type described above. A particularly desirable form of the more modern style of label holder is shown in the Westberg U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,288. Label holding devices of this improved type comprise an elongated plastic extrusion forming front and back panels joined at the bottom. The extrusion forms a continuous, open-top pocket or carrier which can be opened against a resilient closing force to receive labels at any point along the length of the carrier. At least the front panel is of clear plastic, such that the label is readily visible to the customer and scanable by electronic devices.
A preferred form of the continuous label holder, shown in the Westberg U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,288 is secured along the upper portion of the back panel to a continuous mounting strip, which is secured at the front edge of the shelving. The lower portion of the label carrier projects substantially below the lower extremity of the mounting strip. By pushing against the lower portion of the carrier, the front and back panels are spread apart at the top to facilitate placement and removal of labels.
The sign clip of the present invention is especially adapted for mounting on the above described continuous extrusion style of label holder. The new clip includes a main body having features of a generally heretofore known type for receiving and retaining sign cards in either parallel or perpendicular relation to the continuous label holder at the front of the display shelving. The device includes a pair of upwardly opening mounting clips provided at the back of the device, arranged to receive projecting lower portions of the continuous label holder strip, providing stable and reliable support for the sign clip in the manner desired. The design of the improved sign clip device is such as to facilitate its economical manufacture by injection molding procedures, such that they may be produced and marketed at economical prices.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings.

Sign holder for ticket moldings, strip form label carriers and the like


A packaging method includes the steps of (a) detecting whether a height (104) of contents (105) in a container (106) exceeds a predetermined height (112), and (b) indicating how much dunnage to dispense based on predetermined criteria, including whether a detected height exceeds a predetermined height that is less than a height of the container. The indicating step includes indicating a quantity of dunnage to dispense selected from a plurality of predetermined quantities of dunnage. If no detected height is greater than the predetermined height, the indicating step includes indicating that a regular amount of dunnage should be dispensed. And if a detected height is greater than the predetermined height, the indicating step includes indicating that either zero or less than the regular amount of dunnage should be dispensed. The detecting step also can include detecting whether any contents in the container have a height above the height of the container.

Packaging systems typically add dunnage to a shipping container to protect products being shipped. The dunnage fills a void in the container left over after the products have been placed in the container, and cushions the products and/or prevents or minimizes movement of the products in the container during shipment.
Some packaging systems, particularly when dispensing dunnage to random container sizes and/or containers packed with random size and/or shape objects, scan a container and calculate a void volume and then determine a quantity of dunnage to dispense to fill the void in the container. The system then instructs a dunnage dispenser to dispense the determined quantity of dunnage to the void.
When an automated system fills a series of containers having the same size, variations in the void volume can be within a range of compressibility of the dunnage. This means that dunnage can be dispensed to most containers without scanning each container, and calculating the void volume, and then determining how much dunnage to dispense to each container. Within the range of compressibility, the same quantity of dunnage can be automatically dispensed to every container.

Packaging system and method with controlled dunnage dispensing


Disclosed in the present invention is a tail gas treatment catalyst. The catalyst consists of a carrier, a first catalyst, and a second catalyst. The first catalyst and the second catalyst are provided on both ends of the carrier. The first catalyst can purify pollutants in tail gas. The second catalyst can purify a byproduct, ammonia, obtained by the purification by the first catalyst and pollutants that are not completely purified by the first catalyst. The second catalyst is of a double-layer structure; the lower layer consists of an oxygen storage material, aluminum oxide, and a second active component; the second active component is a composition of Pt and Pd, or a composition of Ce, Fe, Ni and Cu; the upper layer consists of a molecular sieve and a third active component; the third active component is Cu or a composition of Cu and Fe. The tail gas treatment catalyst of the present invention has high purification treatment efficiency, and can significantly reduce the emissions of CH4, CO, and NOx in the tail gas, especially reduce the content of the byproduct, NH3, so that the tail gas can meet China VI emission standards.

For heavy-duty natural gas vehicles, the combustion mode of the engine is upgraded from a lean combustion to a stoichiometric burn when the emission standard transitions from the China V emission standard to the China VI emission standard. Accordingly, post-treatment catalysts are upgraded from the methane oxidation catalyst (MOC) to the three way catalyst (TWC). Under a stoichiometric burn condition, TWC can convert HC (including CH4 and NMHC), CO and NOx in the tail gas to N2, CO2 and H2O. However, a byproduct of NH3 will be produced during such a catalyzed conversion.
GB17691-2018, Limits and Measurement Methods for Pollutant Emissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicles (China VI phase), applies to heavy-duty natural gas vehicles and heavy-duty diesel vehicles, and the standard came into effect for natural gas vehicles from Jul. 1, 2019. Based on GB17691-2005, this standard not only further reduces the limits for CO, HC and NOx, but also adds the limit requirement for NH3 with respect to gaseous pollutants.
The three pollutants, CO, HC and NOx, can be purified to less than the limits of the China VI phase by TWC. However, near the theoretical air-fuel ratio, especially under a relatively rich condition, CO, NO and H2 react to produce NH3 and H2O. The emission of new byproduct NH3 far beyond the requirement of the China VI phase emission regulation (the emission is 5-10 times the limit or more). It is necessary to purify the new byproduct NH3 in order to meet the requirement of the regulation.
NH3 is an unstable compound, which is easily oxidized at a certain temperature, and the oxidation products are typically N2, N2O and NO. The difficulty for the reaction lies in the selectivity for oxidizing NH3 to N2 Ammonia oxidation catalysts (abbreviated as AOC) are already used in post-treatment on diesel vehicles. The tail gas temperature of a natural gas vehicle with stoichiometric burn is generally about 200° C. higher than that of a diesel vehicle. However, the selectivity of the ammonia oxidation catalyst used in the diesel vehicle for oxidizing NH3 to N2 will substantially decreased as the temperature increases to 450° C. or higher. Therefore, there is a substantially increased requirement for the selectivity of the ammonia oxidation catalyst used in the natural gas vehicle for oxidizing NH3 to N2 at high temperature.
In order to make the tail gas of the heavy-duty natural gas vehicle meet the China VI phase regulation, there is a need for developing a post-treatment catalyst which can purify HC, CO, NOx, PM and NH3 to values within the limits of the China VI phase simultaneously.

Tail gas treatment catalyst, preparation method therefor and use thereof

Sinocat Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.