A treatment tank for a water conditioning apparatus includes a tank head with a wall with an interior surface and a noncircular rim that defines a first through hole in the wall. A generally cylindrical flange defines a first aperture and has a first nipple portion with a periphery and a noncircular portion radially extending from the periphery of the nipple portion. The noncircular portion is configured to matingly engage the noncircular rim so that contact between the noncircular rim and the noncircular portion prevents rotation of the flange relative to the tank head. A first fastener is engageable on the first nipple portion to secure the flange on the tank head through contact between the fastener and the tank head.

The present invention relates generally to water treatment tanks of the type used to retain resin beads in a water softener system. More particularly, the present invention includes an improved tank head and flange for simultaneously connecting to a control valve, being the securing point for a tank liner, and retaining a water outlet manifold.
Water treatment tanks are known and used to condition or soften water. The known tanks have a tank head that provides an inlet and an outlet for the water through penetration fittings or collars. The known tanks also have liners to protect the tanks from corrosion and prevent leaching of materials from within the tank. In these conventional tanks, water enters the tank through an inlet, flows to the bottom of the tank while passing through a softening or treatment material, and then enters a manifold near the bottom of the tank to be brought back to the top of the tank, where the treated water exits the tank through an outlet conduit connected to a valve. Examples of such tanks are disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,174,466 and 5,345,666, which use one central opening with concentric collars and eliminates the need for a gasket.
For the type of conventional tank that uses concentric collars, such as that disclosed in the ""466 and ""666 patents, an outer collar is welded to the tank head and a nut is tightened to secure an inner collar to the outer collar and the tank head. Since one of the collars must be welded, it is more difficult to disassemble the tank for maintenance. In addition, problems occur when tightening the nut on the inner collar since the inner collar can rotate while rotating the nut.
In other types of known tanks, direct compression gaskets are used but become ineffective due to xe2x80x9ccompression setxe2x80x9d in the gaskets over age. Thus, the tanks of the ""466 and ""666 patents were designed to eliminate the gasket. To eliminate the gasket, however, required a complex design with a number of separate parts. O-rings replaced a gasket to create a hermetic seal between the concentric collars. Also, in this design, the outer collar must be under compression and the inner collar receives upward pressure to maintain the tight seal.
In center opening type tanks, such as disclosed in the ""466 and ""666 patents, the opening of the protective liner is attached to an inner surface of an inner collar. This arrangement places the edge of the liner inside the inlet aperture for the tank. In this position, it is extremely difficult and time consuming to weld the liner to the inside of the collar because the position of the liner-collar joint requires cumbersome positioning of the welding tools. The liner also may become susceptible to peeling away from the flange from the force of the incoming water flow.
Also in the center opening type tanks, one large central opening on the tank head provides concentric pathways for the inlet and outlet. A valve connected to the tank head provides corresponding concentric inlet and outlet passages. The inlet passage is donut shaped while an outlet conduit forms the center of the donut shape and connects to the manifold in the tank.
When the control valve is lifted from the tank head for service, the outlet conduit often remains connected to the manifold so that the manifold is pulled out of the tank upon removal of the valve. Due to the density of gravel underbedding located beneath the resin beads in the tank, it is extremely difficult to push the manifold back into the tank without first emptying the tank, which wastes time and resources.
Finally, other types of tanks have sensor probes or other equipment to test water or solutions sitting in the tank. An example of such a tank is disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,272. This type of tank requires an opening in the tank head reserved for the probe. For both the probe opening and the main central opening, when cylindrical valve attachment collars are secured to circular tank openings with a nut, the collars are difficult to secure because the collars tend to rotate when rotating the nut.
Thus, a main object of the present invention is to provide an improved center opening tank which is easier to assemble and maintain than presently known tanks.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved center opening tank with a flange that is not welded to the tank and which cannot rotate upon tightening a nut on a nipple portion of the flange for more efficient assembly of the tank.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved center opening tank with an opening designed for mounting the flange on the internal side of the tank.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved center opening tank with a domed tank head to provide a stronger tank head.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improved center opening tank that retains the liner in a position easier to attach to a flange while away from the apertures in the flange with an improved retaining surface to prevent breaks in the seal between the liner and the flange.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved center opening tank that retains the manifold in the tank during control valve removal.
The above-listed objects are met or exceeded by the present center opening water conditioner tank. To provide a tank that is easier to assemble and maintain, the present flange is internally mounted on the tank head and positioned within a noncircular through hole on the tank head to prevent rotation of the flange during tightening by the lock nut. A liner is placed against the interior surface of the tank and has an edge that is secured to a ledge which is positioned for easy and efficient attachment to the liner. In addition, the present invention has a domed tank head and a strainer basket that prevents the manifold from being pulled from the tank during the removal of a water treatment control valve.
More specifically, a treatment tank for a water conditioning apparatus includes a tank head having a wall with an interior surface and a noncircular rim that defines a first through hole in the wall. In addition, the treatment tank also has a generally cylindrical flange that defines a first aperture and has a first nipple portion with a periphery and a noncircular portion radially extending from the periphery of the nipple portion. The noncircular portion is configured to matingly engage the noncircular rim so that contact between the noncircular rim and the noncircular portion prevents rotation of the flange relative to the tank head. A first fastener is also part of the treatment tank and is engageable on the first nipple portion to secure the flange on the tank head through contact between the fastener and the tank head.
In another embodiment, a treatment tank for a water conditioning apparatus includes a tank head, a generally cylindrical flange disposed on the tank head while defining an aperture, a manifold disposed in the tank, and a brace or strainer basket engageable on the manifold and on the flange to secure against the manifold being inadvertently axially withdrawn from the tank.


ROD HANDLING APPARATUS comprises a continuously operated modified walking beam conveyor apparatus activated mechanically, electrically and electronically, utilizing computer and servomechanism technology to control the movement of a series of nuclear fuel rods with provision for their varying length and diameter so that their ends may be heat treated simultaneously. Rods are loaded into a conveyor and rest on conveyor V-blocks attached to conveyor chains which are then moved forward, powered and controlled by a conveyor servomotor, to align the rods with a heat treater units. Then the conveyor stops and a separate set of lifting V-blocks controlled by an eccentric arm powered by a lift plate servomotor, raises the rods to align them with receptacles in the heat treater units. The heat treater units move transversely so that the ends of the rods are inserted a set distance into the receptacles and the heat treating cycle is started. After completion of this cycle, the heat treater units are retracted and the lift plate V-blocks lower the rods into the conveyor. The conveyor again moves forward, unloading the treated rods and the cycle is repeated. This apparatus may be used for processing the ends of nuclear rods and other type of rods, tubes, bars, pipes, etc., for other operations including welding, coding, polishing, deburring, attaching fittings, etc., and, with the addition of processing units on the opposite side of the conveyor, both ends of the rods can be operated on simultaneously.

My invention, ROD HANDLING APPARATUS, applies to the processing of tubes, especially the heat treating of nuclear fuel rods, hereinafter called rods, which are used in the core of nuclear reactors. While these are actually thin walled tubes, they are called rods in the nuclear industry.
The rods are sealed on one end, then heat treated at that end. This is in addition to processing such as welding, deburring, cleaning, pressure testing, etc. After heat treating, nuclear fuel pellets are inserted into the rods and the other end is sealed. The filled rods are then grouped into bundles and placed inside the core of a nuclear reactor where water is circulated, heated by the rods and used to generate electricity.
Until now, walking beam devices were one of the main machines used to transport the rods for processing. The problem is that walking beams must move in a rectangular or square transfer path. The rod must first be lifted, then transferred forward, lowered and placed in a support. Then the walking beam must travel below the rods in the supports in order to return to pick up another rod and transfer all of the rods one step at a time.
My invention processes multiple rods which may be up to thirty or forty rods at a time. The accompanying drawings shows twelve rods being processed for clarity and brevity. Transferring these with a walking beam requires thirty or forty individual lifts, transfers and lowerings making this inefficient, time consuming and costly.
In addition, a walking beam complicates the design of the machine and causes handling problems with possible rod jams, loss of control, or increased machine maintenance. Another problem is that after the heat treating operation is complete and the rods are on the walking beam supports again, the rods must be removed from the machine. This means that the walking beam would have to make a cyclic motion to remove each rod from the system meaning another thirty to forty motions. Another drawback is that a walking beam is not suited for ease of changeover for different diameters of rods.
Other machines are based on pneumatic devices, endless conveyor belts, rotary motion with cams, or shafts, and hydraulic units but cannot meet all the benefits of my invention.
My invention is a modified walking beam which can continually and automatically process multiple rods and which can accommodate rods of varying lengths and diameters and is precisely controlled using computer and servomechanism technology resulting in high efficiency and the ability to be operated by unskilled labor. Since the rods must be kept straight, my invention consists of numerous supports to guard against flexing and bending. My machine answers the need for one which will result in economies of time and labor, needing little maintenance, yielding a superior product and which has a ready market.
This machine can also be used to perform many physical and chemical operations on rods, tubes, bars, pipes, etc., on either one or both ends.


A compound of formula (I):

CB1 and CB2 receptors, two subtypes of the cannabinoid receptor, both belong to the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily.
The CB1 receptor is predominantly expressed in brain to mediate inhibition of transmitter release. It affects many neurological and psychological phenomena, such as mood, appetite, emesis control, memory, spatial coordination muscle tone, and analgesia. See, e.g., Goutopoulos et al., Pharmacol Ther (2002) 95:103.
The CB2 receptor is primarily expressed in immune cells to modulate immune response. Activation of the CB2 receptor has been shown to have analgesic effects in inflammatory models involved in neurodegeneration diseases, and play a role in the maintenance of bone density and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. See, e.g., Malan et al., Pain (2001) 93:239; Benito et al., J Neurosci (2003) 23:11136; Ibrahim et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (2003) 100:10529; Idris et al., Nat Med (2005) 11:774; and Steffens et al., Nature (2005) 434:782.

Abstract: A compound of formula (I):

Abstract: in which A, R1, R2, and R3 are as defined herein. Also disclosed are (1) a pharmaceutical composition containing such a compound, and (2) a method for treating a cannabinoid receptor-mediated disorder using such a compound.


A wire bonding apparatus and method in which separate first and second positioning tables are provided for mounting electronic devices to be wire bonded, and a bonding tool is provided at a bonding position for bonding the electronic devices. First and second loading/unloading positions are provided for loading electronic devices to or unloading electronic devices from the positioning tables. The first and second positioning tables are operative to move independently of each other, such that the first positioning table is movable between the first loading/unloading position and the bonding position and the second positioning table is movable between the second loading/unloading position and the bonding position.

A typical wire bonding system includes a work holder mounted on a positioning table such as an X-Y table. A device that is placed onto the work holder to be wire-bonded may carry one or more materials such as an integrated circuit chip on-board ("COB") or a light-emitting diode ("LED"). The wire that is bonded may be made of gold or copper, for which ball bonding utilizing a capillary is typically used, or aluminum for which wedge bonding utilizing a wedge bonding tool is typically used. For wedge bonding applications, the wire bonding system may be fully-automatic or semi-automatic. Semi-automatic wire bonders require manual loading and unloading but have the advantage of flexibility when conversion of the wire bonding system for other types of electronic devices is required.
In a wire bonding system which uses a single worktable, the operations of wire bonding are sequential. For example, a material such as an LED board is first loaded onto a substrate. Then, pattern recognition ("PR") is conducted for visual alignment of the LED board and substrate using an optical system such as a CCD camera. After visual orientation, wire bonding is carried out on the LED board. The bonded LED board is unloaded once wire bonding is completed, before another LED board can be loaded onto the substrate to repeat the operations.
The sequential operations result in lower units per hour ("UPH") produced since time is consumed for non-productive operations such as loading/unloading of the device and pattern recognition. These operations are essential and cannot be eliminated. Therefore, it would be desirable to achieve a higher UPH by performing the productive bonding operation and the abovementioned non-productive operations simultaneously.

Wire bonding system utilizing multiple positioning tables


Slider used to access data on rotating disk in hard disk drive, including vertical micro-actuator forming piezoelectric layer perpendicular to air bearing surface and coupled to deformation region including read-write head. Slider further includes vertical control signal stimulating vertical micro-actuator to alter vertical position. The vertical control signal stimulates vertical micro-actuator to increase and decrease vertical position with potential differences of opposite sign. Flexure finger including vertical control signal path providing vertical control signal and micro-actuator assembly for coupling to slider. Head gimbal assembly including flexure finger coupled to the slider. A head stack assembly including at least one of the head gimbal assemblies coupled to a head stack. Hard disk drive including head stack assembly. The invention includes manufacturing the slider, the head gimbal assembly, the head stack assembly, and the hard disk drive, as well as these items as products of the invention's manufacturing processes.

Contemporary hard disk drives include an actuator assembly pivoting through an actuator pivot to position one or more read-write heads, embedded in sliders, each over a rotating disk surface. The data stored on the rotating disk surface is typically arranged in concentric tracks. To access the data of a track, a servo controller first positions the read-write head by electrically stimulating the voice coil motor, which couples through the voice coil and an actuator arm to move a head gimbal assembly in lateral positioning the slider close to the track. Once the read-write head is close to the track, the servo controller typically enters an operational mode known herein as track following. It is during track following mode that the read-write head is used to access the data stored of the track.
Micro-actuators provide a second actuation stage for lateral positioning the read-write head during track following mode. They often use an electrostatic effect and/or a piezoelectric effect to rapidly make fine position changes. They have doubled the bandwidth of servo controllers and are believed essential for high capacity hard disk drives from hereon.
A central feature of the hard disk drive industry is its quest for greater data storage density, leading to continued reduction in track width, the flying height or vertical positioning of the read-write head off the rotating disk surface, and the size of the read head within the read-write head. As these factor shrink, the possibility of the read-write head contacting the rotating disk surface increases and the potential for damage to the disk surface and the
There are a number of proposals and experimental devices pointing to mounting a vertical micro-actuator either directly coupled to the slider parallel the air bearing surface and often employing a piezoelectric effect to induce a strain on the slider to alter the vertical position of the read-write head above the rotating disk surface. These proposals have tended to be ineffective. Another alternative uses a heating element the vertical micro-actuator 98 embedded in a slider 90 to expand the slider distortion zone 97 and reduce the vertical distance Vp between the slider and a rotating disk surface 120-1 from an initial vertical distance Vp0 to a reduced vertical distance Vp1 as shown in FIG. 1A. While this approach is gaining favor at this time it has a significant limitation, it can only actively move the read-write head 94 closer to the rotating disk surface. There are situations where the read-write head needs to be further away from the rotating disk surface, and in those situations this approach does not help. What is needed is a vertical micro-actuator which can both actively lower and raise the read-write head.

Apparatus and method for piezoelectric layer as vertical micro-actuator in slider of a hard disk drive


A body structure for a vehicle includes an A-pillar and a side sill, wherein the A-pillar includes a vertical front pillar; a front roof pillar extending from an upper end of the vertical front pillar toward an upper rear side thereof; a first reinforcing plate provided in the vertical front pillar and extending in the same direction with the vertical front pillar; and a second reinforcing plate provided in the front roof pillar extending in the same direction with the front roof pillar. The side sill is connected to a lower end of the vertical front pillar and extending along a horizontal direction. The first reinforcing plate is formed to cover a front door hinge mounting portion in the A-pillar and a connection portion of the vertical front pillar and the side sill. An uncoupled portion is formed between the second reinforcing plate and the first reinforcing plate.

Generally, a front portion of a vehicle body includes an A-pillar and a side sill. Basically, the A-pillar of the vehicle extends between a roof rail and a bottom locker of the vehicle in a direction from bottom to top of the vehicle. As an important configuration part of the vehicle body, the A-pillar is configured to secure a survival space for the occupants in the compartment when the collision occurs to the vehicle. Specifically, when the collision occurs from the front of the vehicle, the majority of the energy is absorbed during the procedure in which the front rail of the engine room is crushed; however, a small amount of the energy is transmitted to the A-pillar. In order to secure the survival space for the occupants, it is necessary for the A-pillar to have sufficient strength so as to not to be crushed when receiving the impact due to the collision.
According to the conventional technology, in order to raise the strength of the A-pillar, generally, a reinforcing member is provided in the A-pillar so as to reduce the degree of the A-pillar being crushed and deformed toward the interior space of the vehicle due to the external collision by the reinforcing member.
For example, an A-pillar reinforcing plate mounting structure is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The A-pillar reinforcing plate mounting structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an upper A-pillar reinforcing plate, a roof rail reinforcing plate, and a lower A-pillar reinforcing plate. At least part of the roof rail reinforcing plate is disposed below the upper A-pillar reinforcing plate and welded to the upper A-pillar reinforcing plate. At least part of the lower A-pillar reinforcing plate is disposed below the upper A-pillar reinforcing plate and welded to the upper A-pillar reinforcing plate.
According to Patent Document 1, one end of the upper A-pillar reinforcing plate is welded to the lower A-pillar reinforcing plate and the other end of the upper A-pillar reinforcing plate is welded to the roof rail reinforcing plate such that the overlap amount between the roof rail reinforcing plate and the upper A-pillar reinforcing plate and the overlap amount between the lower A-pillar reinforcing plate and the upper A-pillar reinforcing plate become larger. According to the configuration, the structural strength and the torsional rigidity of the A-pillar reinforcing plate mounting structure are improved; however, the rigidity of the A-pillar becomes excessively large such that the rigidity balance between the front portion of the vehicle body and the rear portion of the vehicle body may collapse.


A mental and physical condition analyzer analyzes the mental and physical condition of a user based upon measurement data transmitted in association with a delivery request from a terminal and related to the mental and physical of the user of the terminal. A content selector selects content adapted to the mental and physical condition of the user. An output unit outputs the content selected by the content selector.

The present invention relates to a content delivery apparatus and a content delivery system for delivering contents to terminals.
Recently, services which deliver digitized contents such as sound and images to users' terminals over a network have become very popular. Various systems are proposed to better serve users' needs.
For example, Japanese published Application No. JP 2002-374512 describes a system which registers profiles describing users' preferences. Video digests adapted to the preferences are delivered upon a delivery request from a user so that an original video from which a selected video digest is derived is delivered.
Users who like radical music bands may not necessarily prefer radical music depending on physical and mental conditions. Conversely, users who usually like soft music may be interested in more or less heavy music from time to time.


Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a memory system and an operating method of the memory system. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a memory system may divide and manage the plurality of memory dies into a plurality of memory die groups, may set a first super memory block including at least one of memory blocks included in a first memory die group, and a second super memory block including at least one of memory blocks included in a second memory die group, may determine whether to set an extended super memory block in which all or part of the first super memory block and all or part of the second super memory block are merged, and may write a write data to the extended super memory block in an interleaving manner when writing the write data requested by a host.

A memory system includes a data storage device that stores data on the basis of a request from a host, such as a computer, servers, a smartphone, a tablet PC, or other electronic devices. The examples of the memory system span from a traditional magnetic-disk-based hard disk drive (HDD) to a semiconductor-based data storage device such as a solid state drive (SSD), a universal flash storage device (UFS), or an embedded MMC (eMMC) device.
The memory system may further include a memory controller for controlling the memory device. The memory controller may receive a command from the host and, on the basis of the received command, may execute the command or control read/write/erase operations on the memory devices in the memory system. The memory controller may be used to execute firmware operations for performing a logical operation for controlling such operations.
Furthermore, a memory device may include a plurality of memory dies, and each of the plurality of memory dies may include a plurality of memory blocks.

Extended super memory blocks in memory systems


A destructive-read memory is one that the process of reading the memory causes the contents of the memory to be destroyed. Such a memory may be used in devices that are intended to acquire data that may have associated usage restrictions, such as an expiration date, usage count limit, or data access fee for the acquired data. Typically, to enforce usage restrictions, and protect against theft, complex and often costly security techniques are applied to acquired data. With destructive-read memory, complex and costly security is not required for stored data. In one embodiment, a write-back mechanism, which may employ security, is responsible for enforcing usage restrictions. If the write-back mechanism determines continued access to acquired data is allowed, then it writes back the data as it is destructively read from the memory.

Recently there have been many advances in community file sharing technology, and in technology required for digitally encoding music data, audio and/or visual data. These advances allow people (or machines) to easily share and exchange such data, either directly or indirectly though sharing services. Such sharing technology can be used to aid proliferation of commercial and non-commercial data, such as music. A significant issue hindering such proliferation, is difficulty in enforcing copyrights and/or sharing policies for certain data.
For example, one may desire to "rent" a song, or a movie, by allowing one to download the song or movie, such that it can only be played a certain number of times, or only for a given time period. To effect such restraints, costly and complex security techniques are typically employed to control digital data distribution. Such security techniques increase the costs of providing data to consumers, increase costs for devices to present the data, and provide more opportunity for problems to occur.

Using data stored in a destructive-read memory


The invention relates to a method for carrying out a gearshift in a twin-clutch transmission, which is characterized in that a downshift is carried out subject to the kind of shift and/or of at least one predetermined vehicle parameter. The invention also relates to a twin-clutch transmission, especially for carrying out the inventive method.

The present invention relates to a twin-clutch transmission and a method for carrying out gear shifting in a twin-clutch transmission.
Twin-clutch transmissions, especially parallel shift transmissions, are known from automotive technology. A parallel shift transmission (PST) preferably has two transmission input shafts, each of which is coupled to the engine shaft via a friction clutch.
In the parallel shift transmission (PST) having, for example, self-locking, electromotive actuators, it may occur that the transmission controller fails based on an error because of, for example, the failure of a lock or the like during a crossover shift, and both clutches transmit a torque to the transmission input shafts. If this also occurs in specific driving situations, e.g., on a slippery roadway, and the driver, moreover, backs off on the gas pedal because he notices the failure, the wheels can, for example, start to slip and a breakoff in the road-holding can occur.

Twin-clutch transmission and method for carrying out a gearshift in a twin-clutch transmission

LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG


A process for making PBZ fibers of ultra-high physical properties is given. Polybenzoxazole fibers made by the process of this invention have tensile strengths nearly double in value from what has been reported previously.

This invention relates to polybenzazole ("PBZ") fibers and processes for making them.
Polybenzazole fibers are known to have good physical properties such as tensile strength (750 ksi) and tensile modulus (43 msi (heat treated fiber)). It is known to spin polybenzazole fibers from solutions of PBZ in various solvents (see Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Vol. 11, pp 601-635). Coagulating PBZ fibers in cold temperatures is known to slightly enhance tensile properties of the fibers (U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,756). It is also known to slightly increase the tensile properties of spun PBO fiber by coagulating the fiber in a mixture of acid and water vs. coagulating the fiber in water alone. (Synthesis, Spinning, and Fiber Mechanical Properties of Poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole) by Choe and Kim Macromolecules, vol. 14, 1981, pp. 920-924.)
PBZ fibers with ultra-high physical properties and a spinning process for creating them are needed to meet certain needs of the marketplace.

Polybenzazole fiber with ultra-high physical properties


Output of a chopper circuit is converted to a rectangular wave by a push-pull circuit, and is provided to a step-up transformer. When a switch is turned on, the control voltage of the chopper circuit is relatively low, and a high output voltage is provided to the transformer. Thus, the discharge lamp starts with certainty. When the discharge lamp starts, the transistor is turned on, and the resistance generating the control voltage is connected in parallel to other resistance, and the control voltage is increased. Thus, the output of the chopper circuit is decreased, and thereafter becomes a constant voltage. Thus, the dielectric barrier discharge lamp is started with certainty, and also is driven with stability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a discharge lamp lighting device which is capable of illuminating a capacitive discharge lamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, external electrode fluorescent lamps have been used as a reading light source for photocopiers, scanners, and the like. The external electrode fluorescent lamp has advantages in that it does not use mercury which may be detrimental to the environment. Further there is little change in the amount of light emitted by the external electrode fluorescent lamp with changes in the ambient temperature. The external electrode fluorescent lamp generates little heat, and the luminescent color thereof can be changed by selecting the fluorescent substance.
The illumination voltage waveform of an external electrode fluorescent lamp can be a sine waveform, for example. Other illumination voltage waveforms such as pulse waveform or rectangular waveforms have been used to improve luminous efficiency. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-283783 describes an external electrode fluorescent lamp suitable for a document lighting light source.
An external electrode fluorescent lamp comprises electrodes located on the outside of the bulb, and connected to a capacity load which may comprise electrodes and/or the bulb. Also, an internal-external electrode discharge lamp may comprise electrodes on the inside and outside of the bulb. Further, an internal-internal electrode discharge lamp may comprise facing electrodes within the bulb, and a capacity load. Such lamps are illuminated by dielectric barrier discharge, and are called dielectric barrier discharge lamps.
With such a dielectric barrier discharge lamp, it is necessary to apply a high voltage at start-up time. However, in the event that a rectangular waveform or a pulse waveform is used for the lamp illumination voltage, sufficient illumination voltage may not be obtained, and the illumination starting time can fluctuate. Thus, it is difficult to obtain an appropriate illumination using these techniques.


A network device (100, 200, 330, 340, 540) comprising a memory (240), an interface (230) and a controller (210, 410) for use in a mesh network comprising at least one another network device (540c) wherein said memory (240) is configured for storing at least one contact (560) and said controller (210, 410) is configured to: receive a contact list (560) containing at least one contact from the another network device (540) and compare the at least one received contact with the at least one contact stored in the memory (240) and if there is no match, store the received at least one contact and forward said at least one received contact.

During extreme situations such as in disaster zones, for example after an earthquake it is of great importance that any survivors are enabled to quickly establish communication with one another. It is also of great importance that the identity of the survivors are established, and if possible, also their location.
There is thus a need for a method and a network device that enables for a fast and efficient communication network to be established and for establishing and sharing identities of users.

Dynamic contact sharing in a mesh network


There is a braking assembly for limiting rotation of a drive shaft in a reverse direction. A hub is fixed for rotation with the drive shaft. The hub has an external cylindrical section and at least one hub pocket on the external cylindrical section. An actuatable brake portion is sized and shaped to be mounted for rotation around the hub. The actuatable brake portion has an internal cylindrical section, at least one brake pocket on the internal cylindrical section corresponding with the at least one hub pocket, and at least one brake shoe. The braking assembly also includes at least one ball. During use, the at least one ball cooperates with the at least one hub pocket and the corresponding at least one brake pocket to permit relative rotation of the hub and the actuatable brake portion when the drive shaft is rotating in a forward direction and to limit rotation of the hub and the actuatable brake portion when the drive shaft is rotating in the reverse direction by causing the at least one brake shoe to contact a braking surface.

In order to produce fluid from a well, artificial lift systems may be used, for example, using a rotating drive shaft to drive a pump. In an oil and gas well, progressive cavity pumps are often used to assist in the production of hydrocarbons from subterranean formations. At a well site, a progressive cavity pump is driven from the surface using an engine or motor which drives a drive shaft that drives the downhole pump.
It is important for the drive mechanism to include a braking system to slow the rotation of the drive shaft in a reverse direction. During production, various factors can cause the drive shaft to begin rotating in a reverse direction. Pump failure, for example, caused by failure of the drive mechanism, may cause built up production fluid in the production string to fall back into the well, causing the progressive cavity pump to be driven in reverse. Due to the length of the drive shaft, torque may also build up in the drive shaft during operation of the pump, which, when released, may also cause rotation in the reverse direction at the surface. Failure to control the resulting backspin may have catastrophic consequences at the top of the well, including damage to surface equipment, including the drive mechanism itself, and increase the risk of injuries to workers at the surface.
Various attempts to control the backspin of drive shafts have been disclosed in the art.
Canadian Patent Application No. 2,831,233 describes a centrifugal backspin brake which uses a spring and a counterweight to drive brake shoes to engage a brake drum.
Canadian Patent No. 2,322,656 describes a centrifugal backspin retarder having a brake actuator and a stationary brake member. The brake actuator retains the brake shoes in their retracted positions during forward rotation and urges the brake shoes into more intimate contact with the stationary brake member during reverse rotation of the shaft by applying an additional radial outward force against the brake shoes.
Canadian Patent No. 2,350,047 describes a centrifugal brake assembly that includes a driving hub and a driven hub that have adjacent surfaces with respective grooves for receiving drive balls. The adjacent surfaces each lie in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation to the drive shaft. Brake shoes are connected to the driven hub. A helical tension spring on each of the brake shoes biases the brake inwardly toward respective non-braking positions.
Previous designs which use a ball and groove design have been known to occasionally hydroplane or skip, especially in colder temperatures, resulting in a failure of the brake to engage. Cold temperatures may affect the ability of such devices to function properly due to increases in fluid viscosities at those temperatures. Given the destructive and potentially dangerous consequences of uncontrolled backspin, there is a need for a backspin device that overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of prior brake designs.

Method and apparatus for limiting rotation of a drive shaft in a reverse direction


A device for changing the timbre of a stringed instrument of the violin or viol family. The device includes a plurality of sympathetic strings, rigidly fixed at opposite ends in a frame suspended over a sound board of the instrument. A javari bridge is mounted on the sound board, a distance from a main bridge, with the sympathetic strings passing over the javari bridge. When the sympathetic strings are set into vibration by the main strings, the javari bridge brings out upper harmonic vibrations in the sympathetic strings, changing the timbre of the instrument. The javari bridge also makes the upper harmonic vibrations more audible and shortens the period of vibration, avoiding the dissonance associated with sympathetic strings strung over a conventional bridge. When the javari bridge is stepped, the sympathetic strings may be strung in tiers, allowing more strings to be strung in less space and expanding the harmonic sounds produced by the instrument.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for changing the timbre of a stringed instrument that is played with a bow by bringing out the upper harmonics in a set of sympathetic strings, making them more audible and shortening the period of their vibration.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Sympathetic strings have been added to stringed instruments of the violin or viol family, tracing back to European baroque instruments such as the viola d'amore, the viola bastarda and the baryton. When the sympathetic strings on such instruments are tuned to a fundamental frequency or to one of the harmonic overtones of the main strings, they are set into harmonic vibration when the main strings are plucked or bowed. The sympathetic strings do not materially affect the timbre of the instrument as they transmit substantially the same bundle of harmonics that set them into vibration. The sympathetic strings, however, increase the length of the sound, continuing to emit a sustained tone even after plucking or bowing is stopped or fingering is altered. This results in a muddy, dissonant collection of sounds, which insofar as known, none of the prior art instruments provided an effective way to dampen.
In all or most instances, the sympathetic strings on prior art instruments are attached to the sound board (i.e, face). Such attachment may likely affect the resonance of the sound board and alter the tone of the main strings. In those instruments where the sympathetic strings are located on the inside of the sound box, they are difficult to reach for tuning. None of the instruments, insofar as known, have more than twelve sympathetic strings as they lack space for any more. While one sympathetic string will produce a certain amount of effect, a chromatic octave of twelve is the minimum required, and more strings, as disclosed herein, are even better.

Device for changing the timbre of a stringed instrument


The externally fitted control device includes an electronic control module (1), a hydraulic control module (2) and a common control enclosure (3). The hydraulic control module (2) has electromagnetic actuators (10) and control pistons (14) which are positioned on top of one another to result in a compact design which is safe to operate and can be manufactured economically.

In particular, electronic control devices, which are positioned either in the inside of a transmission enclosure, so-called integrated control devices, or mounted at the outside of the transmission enclosure, so-called externally fitted control devices, are used for the control of transmissions.
DE 10 2011 088 031 A1 teaches an integrated control device which has an electronic control module and a hydraulic control module.
Transmissions which require an externally fitted control device and which are also considered smaller transmissions, due to their dimensions, have often just surfaces for fitting the external control device which only allow externally fitted control devices with small dimensions. Since the externally fitted control devices must contain the electronic control module, as well as the hydraulic control module and also contain electromagnetic actuators, such as pressure controls and shift valves, pressure holding valves, pressure reduction valves, alternating valves or similar, and the local electronic is near the valve block, they become very long and require distribution of the valves within several valve blocks, in order to maintain the base area of the individual switching devices at a smaller size.

Externally fitted control device and hydraulic control module for an externally fitted control device


A method and system for performing very high speed software downloads concurrent with system testing in an automated production environment and for test-sequencing in multi-tasking environments with consolidated automation and interactive operations are described. In one embodiment, during diagnostics and software download, a multi-tasking OS is booted on a target computer system, thereby enabling diagnostics to be run at the same time the software download is performed. A visual step-sequencing engine provides the ability to sequentially execute steps, as well as to execute steps in parallel and to combine parallel and sequential steps into loops. The sequencing engine provides a visual representation of the current run status of the target system in a Main window. The sequencing engine also integrates EMR debug tools into the same application so that EMR debug technicians can run failing steps directly from the application via an EMR Control window thereof and consolidates logs into a single location within the application viewable via a Logs window thereof.

The disclosures herein relate generally to automated production environments and, more particularly, to a technique for performing very high speed software downloads concurrent with system testing in such an environment.
This application relates to U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,418, issued Jul. 8, 2003, entitled FACTORY SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM naming Joe Bryan, Steve Romohr, Jon Boede, Gaston M. Barajas and Paul J. Maia as inventors. This patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and is assigned to the assignee of this invention.
This application relates to U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,766, issued May 7, 2002, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WINDOWS-BASED INSTALLATION FOR INSTALLING SOFTWARE ON BUILD-TO-ORDER COMPUTER SYSTEMS naming Bobby G. Doran, Jr., Bill Hyden and Terry Wayne Liles as inventors. This patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and is assigned to the assignee of this invention.
This application relates to U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,047, issued Apr. 1, 2003, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TESTING CUSTOM-CONFIGURED SOFTWARE/HARDWARE INTEGRATION IN A COMPUTER BUILD-TO-ORDER MANUFACTURING PROCESS naming Thomas Vrhel, Jr., Gaston M. Barajas, Paul J. Maia and Todd Nix as inventors. This patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and is assigned to the assignee of this invention.
Historically, computer manufacturers have tested computer systems in production under DOS. There are several problems with this. First, because DOS is not a multi-tasking operating system, as the complexity of the computer systems being tested increases and more tests are required, the time required to perform those tests also increases, resulting in reduced manufacturing throughput. Second, DOS does not support testing of certain types of systems, such as Symmetrical Multi-Processor ("SMP") systems and RAID controllers, which must be tested under a multi-tasking operating system. Finally, DOS will not execute under 64-bit processors shipped on certain computer systems; a multi-tasking operating system will be necessary to properly test such systems.
A process has been developed to solve the above-noted problems; namely, to provide support for components that could not be tested under DOS and to reduce test times through parallel testing. This process, referred to herein as "WinTest", installs from DOS onto a target system, and then boots to a multi-tasking OS, such as Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition ("NTSE"), available from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash., launches and runs Windows-based diagnostics, and then boots back to DOS. However, in running applications and tests under a multi-tasking environment, there are three fundamental problems, including (1) how to control the application or test, (2) how to determine pass/fail status for the application or test, and (3) how to communicate this status to the WinTest architecture.
In a DOS environment, the foregoing tasks are fairly simple. Most applications are controlled through command line parameters or configuration files; pass/fail status is typically returned through an ERRORLEVEL environment variable; and the only installation/removal involves adding/deleting files. Working under a multi-tasking environment, such as NTSE, however, is much more complicated. Each application is controlled differently, often through mouse/keyboard events, each application determines pass/fails status differently, often by opening/closing windows, changing window contents, and creating files, for example, and installing applications often requires manipulation of the registry, base files, and shared files and ActiveX Servers. Thus, there is no standard way to integrate applications/tests into the automated production environment.
An additional problem suffered in the DOS environment is that production-installed software is downloaded in the burnracks in a sequential manner. Accordingly, as the size of the software installs continues to grow, the download times also continue to increase, which reduces production speeds and increases cost-per-system. While network speed increases can help to alleviate this problem to some extent, at some point, the download becomes limited to the performance of the hard drive on the client system and download times increase linearly with download sizes. There is currently no means to reduce the impact of the software downloads once the client hard drive limit has been reached.
In the build-to-order environment, each system executes a unique set of process steps in production. In the DOS environment, this sequence is specified in a "step file" and the actual sequencing is controlled by an application referred to as "RunStep." RunStep, however, only provides sequential step execution. Under WinTest, each production system has a multi-tasking OS, such as NTSE, installed in the burnracks and multiple diagnostics (over 20) are run in parallel. The ability to run these diagnostics in parallel significantly reduces total test time (by over ten hours in the case of servers), which provides a large competitive advantage. However, RunStep does not provide the ability to execute steps in parallel. Further, in the DOS environment, the step execution, status display, test log viewing, and Electromechanical Repair ("EMR") debug tools are deployed as separate tools. This requires extensive EMR training, adds significant overhead to the EMR process, and makes it impossible to determine the location of the system in the overall test process while it is running.
Therefore, what is needed a system that enables software downloads to be performed in parallel with system testing and that provides a sequencing engine that enables the execution of "steps" in parallel under a multi-tasking OS, such as NTSE.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for sequencing and performing very high speed software downloads concurrent with system testing in an automated production environment


Hardware trust boundaries in a data confidence fabric are provided. Nodes in a data confidence fabric are provisioned with identifies and confidence scores. Hardware-based trust insertion technologies are applied to data in the data confidence fabric. Protocols allow nodes to join the data confidence fabric and be aware of other nodes. Paths of data can be graphed and audited.

Computing and other electronic devices come in a variety of types and form factors and have varying capabilities. Many of these devices generate data that may be used by various applications. There is often a question, however, about the value of the data. In other words, applications prefer to use data in which there is high confidence. Applications that run using data associated with high confidence levels typically generate more reliable results and outputs.
A data confidence fabric (DCF) is generally descriptive of systems that are able to add trust or confidence scores to data as the data flows within the DCF. However, there many issues related to the ability of the DCF to accurately and reliably add confidence scores to the ingested data. Conventionally, the DCF was typically defined by software. However, software does not account for the hardware upon which the DCF software executes.
More specifically, the hardware upon which DCFs run does not have visibility into the configuration of a DCF and is not aware of how trust or confidence scores are added to the data. This general lack of awareness makes it difficult for the hardware to best protect and enhance the data flowing in the DCF. In addition, this lack of awareness effectively prevents the hardware from contributing to the confidence scores in a meaningful manner.

Hardware trust boundaries and graphs in a data confidence fabric


A fluidic logic and actuator system for outputting a displacement having a fluidic logic circuitry layer including a fluidic control input and a plurality of fluidic latching memory units. At least some of the plurality of fluidic latching memory units are configured to perform combinatorial and sequential logic functions and output a fluid response. A fluid actuator layer is provided having a plurality of fluid actuators, wherein each of the plurality of fluid actuators being movable in response to the fluid response of a corresponding one of the plurality of fluidic latching memory units.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
There is a need for a low-cost, full-page surface haptics device suitable for displaying braille characters and tactile diagrams under computer control. Current commercial refreshable braille display devices are expensive and bulky, mainly due to the piezoelectric bimorph technology used within them. In their current form, they are able to render a single line of content at a time and it is difficult to upgrade the technology to achieve a full-page of content, while keeping the cost low.
According to the principles of the present teachings, an array having a plurality of raised features on a flat surface is provided to be sensed by the human fingertip. The tactile features are fully programmable so that they can be individually addressed and controlled to raise and lower. As such, they might be called "taxels" in analogy with "pixels" on an LCD.
In some embodiments of the current teachings, standard microfluidic fabrication techniques are used to create individually addressable membrane actuators. The actuators can be formed in a compliant microfluidic substrate with an array of chambers beneath a thin elastic membrane. Pressurized fluid is routed via micro-scale channels (e.g. microfluidics) to the chambers to create localized deflections of the elastic membrane on the surface. In some embodiments, the actuators may either serve directly as tactile features or be used to drive other features within an interface layer. Therefore, the present teachings should not be regarded as being limited to outputting a tactile result, but may find utility in a wide variety of applications.
In some embodiments, for the fluid actuators, the pressure source is spatially separated from the actuator and the conversion from pressure to actuator displacement is very compactly performed with a membrane. Unlike electromechanical actuators, e.g. piezoelectric and electrostatic, that require a larger amount of space to do the conversion from electrical power to mechanical state (displacement), membrane actuators can be tightly packed together and made having a very low profile, thereby permitting the tactile device can be made thin.
The fluidic actuator technology described herein is one of many technologies under development in the field of surface haptics. Fluidic actuators can be categorized as a form of shape display, wherein physical features are raised on a surface. Other technologies are being developed that create virtual features on a surface by modulating friction forces. As a user moves their finger across a surface, textures and bumps can be realized by modulating the frictional force between the surface and user's finger, where the frictional force is uniformly distributed across the contact patch between the surface and user's finger. As these technologies are unable to modulate the distribution of forces within the contact patch, they are not suitable for rendering braille.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Microfluidic actuators with integrated addressing

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN


Positional information regarding a target region in an image obtained by a first detection unit is obtained from a holding unit, and positional information regarding a target region in the image is obtained by a second detection unit whose detection characteristics are different from those of the first detection unit. Positional information regarding a target region in the image is determined based on the obtained positional information and the positional information detected by the second detection unit.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that processes positional information detected by a detection unit and a method for processing information by which positional information detected by the detection unit is processed.
Description of the Related Art
A method has been proposed in which persons' faces are detected in images captured by a digital still camera (also referred to as a DSC hereinafter) or a multifunctional mobile phone having a camera function and various types of image processing are performed based on information regarding the faces (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-305275).
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-305275, persons' faces are detected in a plurality of images when the plurality of images are automatically arranged in a layout template, and the plurality of images are appropriately arranged in the existing layout template based on the positions of the faces. A reference layout point is set in each arrangement frame, and a desirable layout can be automatically generated by combining the reference layout point with each of the positions of the faces.
In addition, a method is known in which a process for analyzing the background, such as face detection and person identification, is automatically performed on images saved in a personal computer (PC) without bothering a user.
The above-described image processing may be realized, for example, by applications or the like.
However, the performance of various techniques such as face detection can be further improved over time. In addition, in these years, the main operating environments of applications have been rapidly changing from PCs to multifunction mobile phones, and the image processing is often performed on servers connected to networks. Therefore, it is desired to optimize the operation of applications in accordance with the operating environments.
Thus, the functions of applications or the like might be updated. For example, when a process for detecting objects has been updated, a problem arises in terms of treatment of detected positions saved in a database of a local PC by a previous object detection unit and newly detected positions output by a current object detection unit.

Information processing apparatus, method for processing information, and program


In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a dielectric resonator is provided with a longitudinal through hole with a diameter that varies as a function of height of the resonator so as to increase the frequency spacing between the fundamental mode and the spurious modes.

Dielectric resonators are used in many circuits, particularly microwave circuits, for concentrating electric fields. They can be used to form filters, combline filters, oscillators, triplexers, and other circuits. The higher the dielectric constant of the dielectric material out of which the resonator is formed, the smaller the space within which the electric fields are concentrated. Suitable dielectric materials for fabricating dielectric resonators are available today with dielectric constants ranging from approximately 10 to approximately 150 (relative to air). These dielectric materials generally have a mu (magnetic constant, often represented as μ) of 1, i.e., they are transparent to magnetic fields.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical cylindrical or doughnut-type dielectric resonator of the prior art that can be used to build dielectric resonator circuits, such as filters. As can be seen, the resonator 10 is formed as a cylinder 12 of dielectric material with a circular, longitudinal through hole 14. Individual resonators are commonly called "pucks" in the relevant trade. While dielectric resonators have many uses, their primary use is in connection with microwave circuits and particularly, in microwave communication systems and networks.
As is well known in the art, dielectric resonators and resonator filters have multiple modes of electrical fields and magnetic fields concentrated at different frequencies. A mode is a field configuration corresponding to a resonant frequency of the system as determined by Maxwell's equations. In a typical dielectric resonator circuit, the fundamental resonant mode, i.e., the field having the lowest frequency, is the transverse electric field mode, TE01 (or TE, hereafter). The electric field of the TE mode is circular and is oriented transverse of the cylindrical puck 12. It is concentrated around the circumference of the resonator 10, with some of the field inside the resonator and some of the field outside the resonator. A portion of the field should be outside the resonator for purposes of coupling between the resonator and other microwave devices (e.g., other resonators or input/output couplers) in a dielectric resonator circuit.
It is possible to arrange circuit components so that a mode other than the TE mode is the fundamental mode of the circuit and, in fact, this is done sometimes in dielectric resonator circuits. Also, while typical, there is no requirement that the fundamental mode be used as the operational mode of a circuit, e.g., the mode within which the information in a communications circuit is contained.
The second mode (i.e., the mode having the second lowest frequency) normally is the hybrid mode, H11δ (or H11 mode hereafter). The next lowest-frequency mode that interferes with the fundamental mode usually is the transverse magnetic or TM01δ mode (hereinafter the TM mode). There are additional higher order modes. Typically, all of the modes other than the fundamental mode, e.g., the TE mode, are undesired and constitute interference. The H11 mode, however, typically is the only interference mode of significant concern. However, the TM mode sometimes also can interfere with the TE mode, particularly during tuning of dielectric resonator circuits. The remaining modes usually have substantial frequency separation from the TE mode and thus do not cause significant interference or spurious response with respect to the operation of the system. The H11 mode and the TM mode, however, can be rather close in frequency to the TE mode and thus can be difficult to separate from the TE mode in operation. In addition, as the bandwidth (which is largely dictated by the coupling between electrically adjacent dielectric resonators) and center frequency of the TE mode are tuned, the center frequency of the TE mode and the H11 mode move in opposite directions toward each other. Thus, as the TE mode is tuned to increase its center frequency, the center frequency of the H11 mode inherently moves downward and, thus, closer to the TE mode center frequency. The TM mode typically is widely spaced in frequency from the fundamental TE mode when the resonator is in open space. However, when metal is close to the resonator, such as would be the case in many dielectric resonator filters and other circuits which use tuning plates near the resonator in order to tune the center of frequency of the resonator, the TM mode drops in frequency. As the tuning plate or other metal is brought closer to the resonator, the TM mode drops extremely rapidly in frequency and can come very close to the frequency of the fundamental TE mode.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a microwave dielectric resonator filter 20 of the prior art employing a plurality of dielectric resonators 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d. The resonators 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d are arranged in the cavity 22 of an enclosure 24. Microwave energy is introduced into the cavity via a coupler 28 coupled to a cable, such as a coaxial cable. Conductive separating walls 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d separate the resonators from each other and block (partially or wholly) coupling between physically adjacent resonators 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d. Particularly, irises 30a, 30b, 30c in walls 32b, 32c, 32d, respectively, control the coupling between adjacent resonators 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d. Walls without irises generally prevent any coupling between adjacent resonators. Walls with irises allow some coupling between adjacent resonators. By way of example, the field of resonator 10a couples to the field of resonator 10b through iris 30a, the field of resonator 10b further couples to the field of resonator 10c through iris 30b, and the field of resonator 10c further couples to the field of resonator 10d through iris 30c. Wall 32a, which does not have an iris, prevents the field of resonator 10a from coupling with physically adjacent resonator 10d on the other side of the wall 32a. Conductive adjusting screws may be placed in the irises to further affect the coupling between the fields of the resonators and provide adjustability of the coupling between the resonators, but are not shown in the example of FIG. 2.
One or more metal plates 42 may be attached by screws 27 to the top wall (not shown for purposes of clarity) of the enclosure to affect the field of the resonator and help set the center frequency of the filter. Particularly, screws 27 may be rotated to vary the spacing between the plate 42 and the resonator 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d to adjust the center frequency of the resonator. An output coupler 40 is positioned adjacent the last resonator 10d to couple the microwave energy out of the filter 20 and into a coaxial connector (not shown). Signals also may be coupled into and out of a dielectric resonator circuit by other methods, such as microstrips positioned on the bottom surface 28 of the enclosure 24 adjacent the resonators. The sizes of the resonator pucks 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, their relative spacing, the number of pucks, the size of the cavity 22, and the size of the irises 30a, 30b, 30c all need to be precisely controlled to set the desired center frequency of the filter and the bandwidth of the filter. More specifically, the bandwidth of the filter is controlled primarily by the amount of coupling of the electric and magnetic fields between the electrically adjacent resonators. Generally, the closer the resonators are to each other, the more coupling between them and the wider the bandwidth of the filter. On the other hand, the center frequency of the filter is controlled largely by the sizes of the resonators themselves and the sizes of the conductive plates 42 as well as the distance of the plates 42 from their corresponding resonators 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d. Generally, as the resonator gets larger, its center frequency gets lower.
Prior art resonators and the circuits made from them have many drawbacks. For instance, prior art dielectric resonator circuits such as the filter shown in FIG. 2 suffer from poor quality factor, Q, due to the presence of many separating walls and coupling screws. Q essentially is an efficiency rating of the system and, more particularly, is the ratio of stored energy to lost energy in the system. The fields generated by the resonators pass through all of the conductive components of the system, such as the enclosure 24, plates 42, internal walls 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d and adjusting screws 27, and inherently generate currents in those conductive elements. Those currents essentially comprise energy that is lost to the circuit.
Furthermore, the volume and configuration of the conductive enclosure 24 substantially affects the operation of the system. The enclosure minimizes radiative loss. However, it also has a substantial effect on the center frequency of the TE mode. Accordingly, not only must the enclosure usually be constructed of a conductive material, but also it must be very precisely machined to achieve the desired center frequency performance, thus adding complexity and expense to the fabrication of the system. Even with very precise machining, the design can easily be marginal and fail specification.
Even further, prior art resonators tend to have poor mode separation between the TE mode and the H11 and/or TE modes.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved dielectric resonators.
It is another object of the present invention to provide improved dielectric resonator circuits.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide dielectric resonator circuits with improved mode separation and spurious response.

Dielectric resonator with variable diameter through hole and filter with such dielectric resonators


This invention relates to a propylene series resin sheet that has a large tan xcex4 and high frequency welding characteristics, excellent transparency, low-temperature impact resistance, and surface durability. The propylene series resin sheet is characterized by a mixture of a polypropylene series composition with a weight percentage of 50-99% and an ethylene series copolymer with a weight percentage of 1-50%.

This application claims the priority benefit of Japanese application Ser. No. 2000-181353, filed Jun. 16, 2000.
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a propylene series resin sheet that has high frequency welding characteristics obtained from a mixture of a specific polypropylene series composition and a specific ethylene series copolymer. More particularly, this invention relates to a propylene series resin sheet that has high frequency welding characteristics, excellent transparency, low-temperature impact resistance, and surface durability.
2. Description of Related Art
Polypropylene sheets are widely used as materials for wrapping and for decoration, because polypropylene sheets have excellent mechanical, optical and thermal properties suitable for wrapping.
As for polypropylene, the propylene-ethylene block copolymers, consisting of propylene homopolymer, propylene-xcex1-olefin di-copolymer or propylene-xcex1-olefin multi-copolymer, propylene homopolymer/propylene-ethylene copolymer, are used. The features of the aforementioned compositions are suitable for the above-mentioned usage.
However, it is difficult to treat the conventional polypropylene sheet with the high frequency welding process, thus limiting its usage. Furthermore, methods for improving the properties of transparency, low-temperature impact resistance and surface durability are in conflict with one another. For example, a polypropylene sheet using propylene homopolymer has inferior low-temperature impact resistance. A polypropylene sheet using a propylene-xcex1-olefin di-copolymer or propylene-xcex1-olefin multi-copolymer has good transparency, but has inferior low-temperature impact resistance and surface durability. On the other hand, a polypropylene sheet using a propylene-ethylene block copolymer, which fails to reach a specific intrinsic viscosity ratio, has excellent low-temperature impact resistance, but has inferior transparency and surface durability, further causing fish-eyed defects.
In the conventional polypropylene sheets, it is impossible to achieve transparency, low-temperature impact resistance and surface durability together with high frequency welding characteristics.
The invention provides a propylene series resin sheet having transparency, low-temperature impact resistance and surface durability together with high frequency welding characteristics.
In order to achieve the previous purposes, this invention solves the prior art problems and provides a propylene series resin sheet having transparency, low-temperature impact resistance and surface durability together with high frequency welding characteristics.
The polypropylene series composition consists of a crystalline polypropylene component (PP) and propylene-xcex1-olefin copolymer component (RC, with xcex1-olefin other than propylene). The propylene-xcex1-olefin copolymer component (RC) has an intrinsic viscosity [xcex7]RC below 6.5 dl/g. The viscosity ratio [xcex7]RC/[xcex7]PP of the intrinsic viscosity [xcex7]RC and the intrinsic viscosity [xcex7]PP of the crystalline polypropylene component (PP) is about 0.6xcx9c1.2. The weight of the crystalline polypropylene component (PP) is represented as WPP, while the weight of the propylene-xcex1-olefin copolymer component (RC) is represented as WRC. The multiplying product of the weight ratio WPP/WRC and the viscosity ratio [xcex7]RC/[xcex7]PP ([xcex7]RC/[xcex7]PP)xc3x97(WPP/WRC) is in a range between 0.2 to 4.5 for the polypropylene series composition. By using the RC that contains discrete domains distributed along the flowing directions of the PP during molding or distributed randomly but at least connected to another domain, the sheets obtained have excellent transparency, low-temperature impact resistance and surface durability. Furthermore, a specific ethylene series copolymer with a large dielectric loss tangent (tan xcex4) is mixed into the polypropylene series composition, thus increasing high frequency welding characteristics and obtaining a propylene series resin sheet with excellent transparency, low-temperature impact resistance and surface durability at the same time.
As described above, the present invention provides a sheet that has high frequency welding characteristics, excellent transparency, low-temperature impact resistance, and surface durability. Moreover, the present invention provides a propylene series resin sheet having high frequency welding characteristics and the aforementioned features that is suitable for various applications, for example sheets for stationery and as a construction material used in a porch.
The present invention has the following compositions:
(1) A propylene series resin sheet characterized by a mixture of a polypropylene series composition with a weight percentage of 50-99% and an ethylene series copolymer with a weight percentage of 1-50%. The aforementioned polypropylene series composition consists of a crystalline polypropylene component (PP) and a propylene-xcex1-olefin copolymer component (RC, with any xcex1-olefin other than propylene). The propylene-xcex1-olefin copolymer component (RC) has an intrinsic viscosity [xcex7]RC of 6.5 dl/g or less. The viscosity ratio [xcex7]RC/[xcex7]PP of the intrinsic viscosity [xcex7]RC and the intrinsic viscosity [xcex7]PP of the PP is about 0.6xcx9c1.2. The weight of the PP is represented as WPP, while the weight of the RC is represented as WRC. The multiplying product of the weight ratio WPP/WRC and the viscosity ratio [xcex7]RC/[xcex7]PP [([xcex7]RC/[xcex7]PP)xc3x97(WPP/WRC) is in a range between 0.2 to 4.5 for the polypropylene series composition. The aforementioned ethylene series copolymer has a peak value of a dielectric loss tangent larger than 5.0xc3x9710xe2x88x923 (100 kHz) under a cohesive energy density of 60-90 cal/cm3.
(2) In the propylene series resin sheet as cited above in (1), the aforementioned polypropylene series composition consists of crystalline polypropylene component (PP) that contains propylene-xcex1-olefin copolymer with a propylene content of 90% more by weight and propylene-xcex1-olefin copolymer component (RC).
(3) The propylene series resin sheet as cited above in (1), the polypropylene series composition consists of a crystalline polypropylene component (PP) and a propylene-xcex1-olefin copolymer component (RC) that contains a propylene-xcex1-olefin copolymer (an xcex1-olefin other than propylene) with an xcex1-olefin content of 10-60% by weight.
(4) In the propylene series resin sheet as cited above in (1), the polypropylene series composition consists of a crystalline polypropylene component (PP) and a propylene-xcex1-olefin copolymer component (RC) that contains a propylene-ethylene copolymer with an ethylene content of 15-60% by weight.
(5) In the propylene series resin sheet as cited above in (1), the ethylene series copolymer includes copolymers of ethylene with unsaturated carboxylic acid, its derivatives or vinyl ester.
(6) In the propylene series resin sheet as cited above in (1), the ethylene series copolymer includes copolymers of ethylene with unsaturated carboxylic acid or its derivatives.
(7) A propylene series resin, multi-layered sheet includes at least a layer of the propylene series resin sheet as cited above in (1) to (6).
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.


A treated musical instrument string which has undergone the physical and chemical restructure of Cryogenic Thermal Cycling process to improve tonality and durability which is only achieved by combining both Cryogenic Thermal Cycling process and specially formulated coatings.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to musical instrument strings and particularly to through the treatment of cryogenic thermal cycling process
This method for the manufacture of musical instrument strings addresses extended useful life of said strings and improvement of it's tonality through the application of both the treatment of the Cryogenic Thermal Cycling Process*, (* henceforth known as: CTCP), in addition to specially formulated coatings.
Conventionally, musicians have to deal with both the short optimal tonal life of their strings, as well as string breakage at inopportune moments such as during live performance. The major causes of these problems being the friction at point of string contact on the instrument body, "wear and tear" of the string through both vibrations and tensile changes from both playing and tuning, degradation in quality from environmental factors such as moisture, (including perspiration from digits of the player as well as ambient moisture or humidity) and oxidation, and normal deviations from structural perfection inherent in manufacturing of any similar metal product; such as microscopic "hills and valleys", micro cracks or other such imperfections that increase friction and/or string breakage. All factors combine to the dwindling of the useful life of the string.
Although various products have been introduced throughout the years to address some of these issues, no one has been successful in addressing them all, as well as simultaneously improving upon tonality. Using the guitar as an example; please note the following.
Stringed instruments all need the string to come into contact with the instrument body in order to transmit the vibrations created by various methods of plucking the string in order to create the sound finally audible to the human ear. It is at these points that the stresses invariably produced in the movement created by the plucking occur, and begin they incur on the useful life of the string.
The point of contact on a guitar is known as a "saddle". Conventionally manufactured of metal, such as pressed steel, brass, or stainless steel, each string has to bend at this point of contact. Although new developments such as "rollers", (primarily a tuning aid), or saddles coated with various lubricants have come forth in the market place, they have offered minimal, if any change in the length of useful string life. One manufacturer, Fender, attempted to create a stronger musical string by applying a wrapping that acted to improve tensile strength and relieve occasion of breakage by applying yet another substance wound around a "normal" string. Unfortunately it was found to "deaden " the tone to such an extent as to be deemed unworthy of production. Some require excessive work in time and cost, or modification to the instrument to attach to the instrument body prior to use. None show appreciable progress in lessening occasions of string breakage, let alone improvement of sound or tonal qualities.
Furthermore, the average guitar string, as manufactured today, is subject to all problems existent in any product whose main component is a metal with tensile properties. There are microscopic pits and indentations as well as micro cracks, as mentioned above. Although invisible to the naked eye, in most cases, as a string is placed under increasing tensile pressure, these minor deformities become a major source of increased friction or may cause micro cracks to increase in size or severity.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,228 The microscopic pores, cavities, and crevices of the strings and the interstices of a wound string are filled with dry film lubricant particles using a moisture displacing agent and rust inhibitor as a carrier for the dry lubricant. This provides lubrication and inhibits corrosion, thus shortening initial break in periods and extending string life. Our invention uses cryogenic thermal cycling to obtain the enhanced properties of inhibiting corrosion and extending tonality and durability of the said string. In addition, the use of the coating process in our invention is applied only at the point where the strings rest over a device known as the "saddle" durability reasons. Our process involves spraying and baking the coatings at 350° F. for 10 minutes, the above patent soaks their strings to allow the coating of choice to penetrate the micro cracks of the string.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,027—This patent is not for a string, or string enhancement, rather a saddle/bridge enhancement which the claims lead to string durability or less breakage. This is relative to the coating portion of our invention. This patent discusses the use of dry film lubricants to change the surface of the substrate of the saddle/bridge of the guitar, not the string as with our invention. Our patent is the opposite premise, the strings is coated with the dry film lubricant material at the point of contact between the string and saddle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,319—This patent's claims center around coatings being used to counteract corrosion and obtaining an ease of playing, better tonality and intonation. Our invention uses cryogenic thermal cycling to obtain enhanced corrosive properties, tonality and durability. This patent does not make durability claims with the use of their coating process. This patent's claims refer to coating the entire string with a tube and various coatings to achieve their claims, our invention using cryogenic thermal cycling changes the molecular structure of the metal, without coating the entire string, to achieve the results of our claims. Our coating process concentrates coating with our spraying/curing method at the point of contact where the string rests on the device known as the "saddle", whereas this patent coats the entire string. Our invention uses coating on all 6 strings, both wound and unwound, whereas this patent coats only the wound strings. Between the two inventions, there are different application methods and material choices that set our patents apart.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional classical guitar 10. Conventional classical guitars include a "fret" or "fingering board" 12, across which multiple strings, 14a, 14b, 14c, 16a, 16b, and 16c, are strung and against which the strings are pressed to form different notes as the strings are picked or plucked. A typical classical guitar includes three relatively "high" note (or "treble") strings, 14a, 14b, 14c, and three relatively "low" note (or "bass") strings, 16a, 16b, 16c. The strings are strung from the bridge 11 along the fretboard to the tuning keys 13. High note strings 14a/b/c are generally formed from a straight "nonwound" material, such as gut, synthetic material, or metal, as the core 21 is seen in FIG. 2. Low note strings 16a/b/c are often formed from a wound string, and FIG. 2 shows a metal core having a wire winding, three such turns (21a/b/c) being shown in FIG. 2.


A reversible seat for a boat or other vehicle includes a base, a seat bottom, and a seat back. The seat bottom, which has a first surface and a second, opposite surface, is pivotally connected to the base such that the seat bottom is capable of rotating at least approximately 180 degrees about the base. The seat back is pivotally connected to the seat bottom on a side of the seat bottom opposite from where the seat bottom is pivotally connected to the base. In a first seat position, the first surface of the seat bottom faces substantially upward and the second surface of the seat bottom faces substantially downward. In a second seat position, the second surface of the seat bottom faces substantially upward and the first surface of the seat bottom faces substantially downward. In each of the first and second seat positions, the seat back extends upward at a predetermined angle relative to the seat bottom.

As is well known, sport boats are often used to tow water sports performers, such as water skiers, wakeboarders, and the like. Such boats typically include a driver's seat and seating for one or more passengers. Each passenger's seat usually is fixed so as to face one of the forward, backward, or sideways directions. As a result, passengers may have to contort themselves or change seats in order to look forward while cruising and backward while watching a water sports performer.


Each of a plurality of memory arrays is divided into a plurality of memory mats MAT00L-MAT07L to MAT10R-MAT17R in directions in which word lines and bit lines extend. First common data lines, that is, sub-IO lines, are provided which correspond to these memory mats and which are disposed in parallel to the word lines. Bit lines designating the corresponding memory mats are selectively connected to the first common data lines. Second common data lines, that is, main IO line groups MIOG0-MIOG7, are also provided and are disposed in parallel to the bit lines. Designated sub-IO lines are selectively connected to the second common data lines. Moreover, a plurality of main amplifiers forming a main amplifier unit MAU0 are orderly arranged in the direction in which the bit lines extend. These include a first main amplifier comprising a static current mirror amplifier which requires a relatively large operating current and a second main amplifier comprising a dynamic CMOS latch amplifier which requires only a relatively small operating current. These main amplifiers are put to proper use in conformity with the operating mode involved. By virtue of these arrangements, the number of parallel bits in a multibit parallel test mode of a dynamic RAM becomes expandable without being restricted by the number of the sub-IO lines correspondingly provided for each memory mat.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory such as a large capacity dynamic RAM (Random Access Memory) provided with a multibit parallel test mode and to a technique especially effective in testing the function thereof.
With rapid progress in the use of large capacity dynamic RAMs, so-called multibit parallel testing (multibit testing) for use in simultaneously writing, reading, comparing and collating stored multibit data by gaining an access to a memory once has become defined by the JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) as means for increasing the efficiency of function testing. In such a dynamic RAM, a multibit parallel test mode is established when a WCBR (WE.multidot.CAS BEFORE RAS) cycle, for instance, is executed and the multibit parallel test mode is released when a CBR (CAS BEFORE RAS) or RAS only refresh cycle is executed. The WCBR cycle has already been referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,299.
The multibit parallel test mode, and the setting and resetting of that mode of the dynamic RAM or the like have also been described in the "Nikkei Micro Device," pp 53.about.62, for May, 1987, published by Nikkei MacGraw-Hill Co.
The number of parallel bits of stored data that can simultaneously be read, compared and collated in the above-mentioned conventional multibit parallel test mode is 8 for a 4 mega (1 mega means raising 2 to the 20th power) dynamic RAM and 16 for a 16 mega dynamic RAM, for instance. This signifies that while the storage capacity of the dynamic RAM is quadrupled, the number of parallel bits in the multibit parallel test mode is only doubled. This results in increasing the time required to test the functions of the larger dynamic RAM and the like.


A memory device for data searching and a data searching method thereof are provided. The data searching method includes the following steps. A searching word is received and then divided into a plurality of sections. The sections are encoded as a plurality of encoded sections, so that the encoded sections may correspond to a plurality of memory blocks in a memory array. The encoded sections are directed into the memory blocks to perform data comparisons and obtaining a respective result of data comparison. Thereafter, addresses of bit lines which match the searching word are obtained according to respective result of data comparison for each of memory block.

As progressing of semiconductor technology, memories of various types and structures have been widely employed in electronic devices. Usually, a memory has a type of arrays to effectively address each memory unit, so as to rapidly access huge data stored in the memory array.
However, as capacity of the memory array greatly grows, data searching for data stored in the memory array will consume a great time. Particularly, for the case the target searching word has a greater length, data searching will become much more time-consuming.
In addition, for a large-sized memory array, if complicated data searching is to be performed, huge amounts of peripheral elements will be needed, such as, having to dispose huge amounts of word line drivers, searching line encoders and sense amplifiers for bit lines. Accordingly, it may lead to a large size of the chip of whole memory device and hence an increased cost for manufacturing such memory chip.
The above-mentioned issue refers to a technical problem which is encountered by conventional large-sized memory array, both in operating and in manufacturing.

Memory device with input circuit, output circuit for performing efficient data searching and comparing within large-sized memory array


A pet bed covering apparatus has a pillow region and a side region. The pillow region is adapted to at least substantially cover the bottom portion of a pet bed, and the side region is adapted to at least substantially cover the interior sides of the pet bed. A removable pillow is positioned within the pillow region.

Pet beds of various kinds are known in the art. Often, they are configured as a cushion or pillow located within a wicker-style basket. However, prior art pet beds can be difficult to clean. Most dogs shed, and hairs that have lodged in the wicker can be difficult to effectively remove. The pillow that is located within a typical prior art pet bed is also not convenient to wash. As a consequence, pet beds are not cleaned as effectively and frequently as they should be, and can become a source of unpleasant odors and potential unsanitary conditions.
A need exists for a pet bed covering which is more readily removable for washing purposes, with an integrated pillow. The present invention satisfies this need, and provides other, related, advantages.


A differential-output current driver is constructed entirely of CMOS transistors. Pseudo-ECL levels are reached when a standard resistive termination is connected to the outputs. The current driver can also drive a non-standard termination to the PECL levels. The non-standard termination is low power because it does not draw standby current from power to ground. Current from the current sources within the current driver are assigned to either the switching current or the constant current. The constant current is applied directly to the outputs to drive the termination to a bias point. The switching current is applied to a differential pair of transistors which switch the switching current to one or the other of the differential outputs in response to a differential input. The constant current is combined with any switching current output from the differential transistors and applied to the differential outputs to drive the external termination. For the non-standard termination, the differential outputs are driven with more constant current and less switching current than for the standard termination. The transconductance of the differential pair of transistors may also be increased when the switching current is increased. Thus the current-drive characteristics of a current driver are altered for different terminations. A half-sized voltage-swing option is also included.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ECL drivers implemented in CMOS, and more particularly to a PECL driver with programmable switching of current for implementing any voltage swing with standard or with non-standard termination.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's computer networks handle an ever-increasing amount of data. Fast Ethernet transmits and receives packets at 100 Mbps, and other technologies such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) also require high data rates.
The highest-speed applications have traditionally used current-switching technologies such as bipolar NPN transistors arranged as emitter-coupled logic (ECL) gates and drivers. Bipolar NPN transistors have been added to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes to support ECL. These CMOS processes with NPN transistors are known as BiCMOS. Unfortunately, such BiCMOS processes are expensive compared to standard CMOS.
CMOS operates with a 5-volt or 3-volt power supply and ground, but ECL traditionally operates with a negative power supply. Thus standard ECL voltage levels are not compatible with CMOS. A positive-voltage-shifted ECL known as pseudo-ECL (PECL) has been used for CMOS chips using ECL-type current drivers. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,495,184 and 5,089,723 which use CMOS transistors as current drivers for pseudo-ECL levels.

CMOS PECL driver with programmable current for varying voltage swings and termination types