A wheelchair includes a frame, a chair, a pair of drive wheels, a pair of rear wheels, and a pair of from wheels. Each front wheel is part of a front arm assembly that is rigidly coupled to a drive via a mounting plate. The mounting plate is connected to the wheelchair frame by a pivot. The drives are transversely mounted. The batteries are disposed rearward of the drives. The wheelchair seat can be moved forward to provide access to the batteries without fully removing the wheelchair from the frame. Or the wheelchair may provide side access to the batteries and the wheelchair may be fixed.

Powered wheelchairs often have six wheels including a pair of center wheels, a pair of rear wheels, and a pair of front wheels. Typically, one pair of wheels is driven by, and directly connected to, a drive. The front wheels may be suspended above the ground surface, are fixed except for the capability of turning about their axis of rotation; such wheels are referred to herein as "fixed wheels." Wheels that are configured to ride on the ground surface during normal operation typically have the capability to swivel about a vertical axis; such wheels are referred to herein as "castors."
Wheelchairs that employ fixed wheels often employ springs to suspend the fixed wheels above the ground at the end of forward extending arms. The fixed wheels are the first part of the wheelchair that contact an curb, and the fixed wheels are configured to ride over a curb.
Wheelchairs that employ castors often are disposed on forward-extending arms that are coupled to the frame at a pivot. Some wheelchairs, such as those employing an Active-Track™ suspension, available on some powered wheelchairs from Pride Mobility Products Corporation, have pivoting front castor arms that raise in response to wheelchair acceleration or motor torque to enhance the capability of the wheelchair to climb curbs. Pivotable front castor arms typically employ biasing springs to provide a downward force that is balanced against the drive's capability to raise the castors for ascending a curb and that urges the castors downward to contact the lower ground surface while descending a curb.
Wheelchairs typically have a frame onto which loads from the passenger and the wheelchair's batteries are applied. To properly distribute the load between the center wheels and the rear castors (and where applicable the front castors) and to enhance stability of the wheelchair, loads from the batteries and passenger typically are applied between the axis of rotation of the center wheels and the rear castors, especially where the center wheels are the drive wheels. Often, the batteries are located such that their center of gravity is near, but rearward of, the center drive wheels or in general near the center of the wheelchair. To accommodate the battery location, the drive for each drive wheel typically includes a longitudinally oriented (that is, oriented parallel to the axis of straight-ahead movement of the wheelchair) motor and a right-angle gearbox. An exception to such drive and battery configuration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,473 ("Degonda"), which discloses a transversely oriented motor that splits the battery compartment.
Because the conventional location of the battery compartment is at least partly underneath the passenger chair, the chair may be required to be removed to access the batteries.

Powered wheelchair having a side-access battery compartment


A spacer clamp assembly includes a clamping body with a recess for receiving a cable and a bolt hole defining a passage. A resilient member on the clamping body has a bolt hole receiving a clamping bolt. The bolt is resiliently biased in the bolt hole of the resilient member to a clamping position. A keeper has a first end coupled to the first end of the clamping body and a second end with an open slot configured for mating with the clamping bolt in the clamping position. The keeper has a contact surface to contact the clamping bolt during closing of the keeper for guiding the bolt along the contact surface into the slot. The resilient member enables the clamping bolt to move when contacting the contact surface and bias the bolt into the slot to the clamping position in the closed clamping position.

In the electrical utilities industry, conductor bundles can be used to transmit bulk power with reduced loss, thereby increasing transmission efficiency. A conductor bundle is a series of two or more conductors spaced apart by non-conducting spacers. Bundled conductors are used on high-voltage power lines to help reduce energy losses due to the corona effect, and reduce audible noise and radio interference. As a result, the conductor bundles improve the power transmission process.
However, one disadvantage associated with conductor bundles is that they have higher wind loading. The spacers must maintain separation between the conductors of the bundle to prevent arcing, particularly during higher winds. Arcing can cause damage to equipment of the power distribution system.
Spacer assemblies for conductor bundles exist in which two clamping bodies move toward one another and are then secured together to space the conductors apart. A fastener is used to secure the two clamping bodies together. A disadvantage associated with such spacer assemblies is that the fastener must be removed from at least one of the clamping bodies to allow the clamping bodies to move with respect to one another when opening or closing the spacer assembly. An operator in the field cannot secure the clamping bodies together if the fastener is dropped or lost. One type of clamping assembly has the clamping bodies hinged together and secured by a bolt. Typically, the bolt must be positioned manually by the operator in the clamping position. To overcome this disadvantage, a spacer assembly for conductor members can have a fastener that is not removable from either clamping body to open or close the spacer assembly.
Examples of cable bundle spacing devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,613,104, 3,979,553, 8,079,122 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0067744. While these prior devices have generally been suitable for the intended purpose, these devices have some limitations.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide a spacer assembly for an improved conductor bundle and cable spacer damper that is easy to install and maintains spacing between conductors of a conductor bundle.

Bundle spacer and clamp assembly for conductors


A method of moving a refuse collection vehicle from a first location to a second location, the refuse collection vehicle of a type having a towing vehicle, a semi-trailer and a hoist mechanism interconnecting the towing vehicle to the semi-trailer and operative for moving the semi-trailer between a normal lowered position and a hoisted position, the method including the steps of securing the towing vehicle in a first towing vehicle location, moving the semi-trailer from the normal lowered position to the hoisted position thereby moving the rear wheels of the semi-trailer from a first semi-trailer location to a second semi-trailer location, securing the semi-trailer in the second semi-trailer location, and moving the semi-trailer from the hoisted position to the normal lowered position thereby moving the towing vehicle in the forwardly direction from the first towing vehicle location to a second towing vehicle location thereby resulting in the movement of the refuse collection vehicle from the first location to the second location.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for collecting, transporting and depositing material.
More particularly, this invention relates to vehicles for collecting, transporting and depositing material.
In a further and more specific aspect, the instant invention relates to a vehicle including a towing vehicle and a semi-trailer for collecting, transporting and depositing material, the semi-trailer having a hoist mechanism for, among other things, moving the vehicle from a first location to a second location.
2. Prior Art
The collection and removal of refuse, the solid waste of a community, is a major municipal problem. For example, residential refuse is generated at an average rate of approximately two pounds per day per capita. Other waste, from commercial or industrial generators, typically add another pound. As accumulated, loose and uncompacted, the refuse has a density generally in the range of 150 to 300 pounds per cubic yard. For the health and welfare of the community, regular disposal is imperative.
Traditionally, residential refuse, including garbage, trash, and other waste materials were amassed and stored in containers of approximately 10 to 30 gallon capacity. On a regular basis, usually once or twice weekly, the containers were placed by the householder at a designated location for handling by the scheduled collection agency. Frequently designated locations were curb side and alley line. Not uncommonly, the refuse of a single residence, depending upon the number of occupants and the frequency of service, would occupy two or more containers, each weighing as much as 75 to 100 pounds. Commercial or industrial generators accumulated waste in larger, heavier containers.
Conventionally, these refuse containers were emptied into a refuse collection vehicle which transported the refuse to a disposal site. Disposal sites could be landfills, dumps, incinerators and the like. The conventional refuse collection method involved a mechanized unit supplemented with manual labor. The mechanized unit, or collection vehicle, included a refuse handling body mounted upon a truck chassis. Generally, the vehicle was attended by a crew of three or more. One of the crew, the driver, attended to operation of the vehicle while the others, known as collectors, brought the refuse to the vehicle.
Commonly, the vehicle included a hopper of conveniently low loading height into which the collectors emptied the containers. Means were provided for transferring and compacting the refuse from the hopper into the body. The body also included unloading means for ejecting the refuse at the disposal site.
Recently, considerable effort has been devoted to developing devices which increase the speed and efficiency with which refuse is collected. The current efforts are primarily directed towards automation of the collection process. These devices generally employ a self-loading device which engages, lifts, and dumps refuse containers into the refuse handling body. A wide variety of self-loading devices have been developed and are in current use. These include side mounted arms and front loading arms. The use of these devices greatly increases the rate and efficiency of collection.
While these self-loading devices greatly increase the rate at which refuse is collected, they fail to address pressing problems generated by increasing population, health concerns, and the increase in refuse volumes. Generally, these problems revolve around the transportation of the collected refuse. At this time, although refuse can be collected faster and easier than at any other time in history, disposal of this collected waste is an ever growing problem.
Typically, refuse is transported to a landfill for disposal. It is common for landfills to be located a significant distance from the collection area. This is especially true for large communities. The distance refuse must be transported is growing quickly as relatively nearby landfills are filled, and as regulations limit the number of available sites requiring the use of more distant landfills.
A major problem with transporting refuse to a distantly located landfill is the increased cost generated by the need to employ a highly specialized vehicle, developed for refuse collection, to haul refuse a great distance. A refuse collection vehicle is very specialized, requiring heavy and expensive equipment. As the weight of equipment used increases to increase the speed and efficiency with which refuse is collected, the amount of refuse an individual truck can carry is reduced. As a consequence, the cost of collecting each pound of refuse is increased due to a reduced payload, increased cost of the vehicle, and time spent transporting refuse instead of collecting it.
Innovators are attempting to deal with the necessity of transporting refuse a great distance, and several options have been developed. Trucks having a large carrying capacity are being produced. This approach, however, leads to an expensive truck which is relatively difficult to maneuver, reducing collection efficiency. A large refuse collection vehicle will lose time maneuvering and remaneuvering in order to reach a refuse container in a tight spot. This somewhat reduces the efficiency attained by the automated loading mechanism.
While the larger vehicles are capable of carrying a big load, all of the expensive, specialized equipment is inactive much of the time, and is actually a hindrance during transportation. The engine on the vehicle must also be correspondingly larger to transport the heavy loads to a distant disposal cite, adding to weight and expense of the vehicle. Simply increasing the size of the refuse carrying body carried by the truck chassis does not prevent the automatic loading mechanism from being idle while in transport. This is inefficient, wasting valuable collection time of expensive equipment.
In an attempt to eliminate the use of collection equipment for transportation of refuse to a disposal site, the use of transfer stations has been developed. Transfer stations are generally large shed-like structures located centrally of a collection area. Refuse collection vehicles collect a load, and travel a short distance to this central location where they deposit the refuse. The deposited refuse is then loaded into transpiration vehicles generally consisting of large open-topped tractor trailer rigs. Large expensive machinery transfers the deposited refuse into the transportation vehicles. These vehicles lacking the heavy self-loading mechanisms and built for long hauls, efficiently transport large volumes of material to distant disposal sites. Transfer stations allow refuse collection vehicles to make additional collection trips since very little time has been used transporting the refuse to the transfer station.
While larger and larger refuse collection vehicles and transportation vehicles are currently being employed to increase the amount of waste collected and transported to landfills, the increased amount of waste material carried by the refuse collection vehicles and transportation vehicles has been found to cause these vehicles to become stuck in holes, ruts, mud and the softly compacted dirt that drivers of these vehicles normally face with attempting to deposit waste at landfills. When these vehicles get stuck, it normally results in a time-intensive production to free the truck from its stuck position. In this regard, it is normally necessary to pull the stuck truck away from its stuck position with another truck. As a result, not only does the stuck truck lose valuable waste collection and/or transportation time, the second truck used to pull the stuck truck free also loses valuable waste collection and/or transportation time, or other useful work time.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of moving a refuse collection vehicle from a first stuck location to a second unstuck location.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of moving a refuse collection vehicle from a first stuck location to a second unstuck location that is easy to implement.
And another object of the present invention is to provided a method of moving a refuse collection vehicle from a first stuck location to a second unstuck location that is expedient.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of moving a refuse collection vehicle from a first stuck location to a second unstuck location that is efficient.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of moving a refuse collection vehicle from a first stuck location to a second unstuck location that is convenient.
Yet still another object of the instant invention is the provision of limiting down time associated with a refuse collection vehicle becoming stuck in a hole, a rut, mud, soft dirt and other locations where the refuse collection vehicle may become stuck.
And a further object of the present invention is to provide a method of moving a refuse collection vehicle from a first stuck location to a second unstuck location that is safe.
And yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a method of moving a refuse collection vehicle from a first stuck location to a second unstuck location that requires no assistance from an additional vehicle.

Method of moving a vehicle from a first location to a second location with a hoist mechanism


Representative embodiments provide for a fuel activation device including a fuel storage chamber configured to store a plurality of fuel pellets arranged as a stack. A fuel dispensing device is configured to transport a fuel pellet to a fuel activation chamber. A spring is configured to advance the fuel pellets toward the fuel dispensing device as one or more fuel pellets are removed from the stack. A fuel initiator is configured to activate a release of hydrogen gas from the transported fuel pellet. The fuel activation device is configured to provide the hydrogen gas to a fuel cell through a gas vent. A method is provided including providing a plurality of fuel pellets arranged as a spring-loaded stack, transporting a fuel pellet from the stack, activating a release of hydrogen gas from the transported fuel pellet, and providing the hydrogen gas to a fuel cell.

A wide variety of portable and/or remotely located electrically powered devices are known in the electrical and related arts. Examples of such devices include, for example, cellular phones, laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), still and/or video cameras, radio repeater equipment, pump and hoist motors, electric land vehicles, aerospace equipment, etc. These and other similar electrical devices are powered by a number of different kinds of electrical energy sources. Non-limiting examples of such electric energy sources include storage batteries, primary cell batteries, charged capacitors, photovoltaic cells, etc.
Generally, it is an ongoing pursuit of the electrical arts to decrease the overall size and weight of portable and/or remotely located electrically powered devices, while simultaneously increasing the total electrical energy (i.e., device running time) that is available from the corresponding electrical energy source. Furthermore, another general pursuit of the electrical arts is to provide electrical energy sources that can be recharged or 'refreshed' in as short a period of time as possible.
One type of electrical energy source that is being increasingly utilized toward these goals is the fuel cell. Broadly speaking, fuel cells are electrochemical devices that consume fuel (commonly in the form of gaseous hydrogen) and oxygen (commonly extracted from ambient air), and convert these materials into usable quantities of electrical energy and water, wherein most or all of the water is typically eliminated as a waste product. Fuel cells generally exhibit a number of relative advantages over some other kinds of portable or remote use electrical energy sources. Such advantages can include, for example: relatively fast refueling times; construction from environmentally inert or 'benign' materials; relatively long usable lives; the use of hydrogen fuel derivable from a variety of abundant resources; waste water discharge is non-toxic; etc.
Because fuel cells consume fuel (i.e., hydrogen) during operation, this fuel resource must be replenished over time. As it is generally desirable to keep fuel cell systems as lightweight and compact as possible, it is also desirable to provide mechanisms and methods for delivering fuel resources to these fuel cell systems that are correspondingly compact and easy to use.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide fuel storage and delivery mechanisms and methods for use with fuel cells that exhibit reduced weight and size and that provide improved ease of use relative to the prior art.

Method and system for dispensing pelletized fuel for use with a fuel cell

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A battery includes a spiral electrode assembly obtained by winding a positive electrode and a negative electrode with a separator between them, at least one of the electrodes having a connection that projects from the assembly and the separator having a part that projects from the assembly and which is interleaved between the edge of the electrodes and the connection. The separator has first and second layers formed by two halves of a common strip, the projecting part being localized in a central part of the strip.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a battery (cell, battery, etc) including an electrode assembly comprising at least two electrodes of opposite polarity and at least one separator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In cylindrical batteries the spiral electrode assembly is obtained by winding the positive electrode and the negative electrode alternating with first and second separator layers. The separator insulates the positive electrode from the negative electrode and insulates the positive and negative exterior parts of the battery.
The electrode assembly is introduced into the cylindrical sealed metal casing. An electrolyte enabling ion exchange is introduced into the electrode assembly. A lid insulated from the casing is connected to the positive electrode, usually by welding, and forms the positive pole. An interior groove in the upper part of the casing locates the lid horizontally in the casing. The casing is crimped to the lid with a seal between them to seal the battery.
Short-circuiting of the cell by continuous or intermittent contact of the connection between the lid and the positive electrode with the top of the negative electrode must be avoided.
Such contact can occur during assembly of the cell, in which case it can be detected during in-production testing; however, it occurs mainly during normal charging and discharging of the cell due to thermal effects (expansion) and vibration. Short-circuits between the connection and the top of the electrode are associated with assembly problems such as:
the negative electrode shifting relative to the separator during winding, PA1 defective positioning of the lid during welding of the connection, and PA1 defective bending of the connection during closing of the lid.
Document JP-A-7 014 572 teaches the addition of an insulative washer above the electrode assembly to solve this problem. This solution has the drawback of requiring an additional manufacturing operation and of increasing the unit cost of the battery. Moreover, locating the washer correctly in the battery, whether manually or automatically, is not easy, given the presence of the connection, and defective location entails the risk of sealing problems or problems with locating the lid in the battery (tilting).
Document FR-2 094 491 describes a battery in which the conductive parts of the electrode project and are slit and bent perpendicularly to form a bearing surface resembling fish scales. The projecting ends of the separator are bent and engage to a greater or lesser degree between two consecutive scales, the effect of which is to enhance the elasticity of the bearing surface. This produces an overlap which makes it very difficult to impregnate the electrode assembly with the electrolyte and impedes the flow of gas during operation of the cell.
The aim of the invention is to propose a solution which avoids short-circuits but does not have the drawbacks mentioned above.


A method and system for optimizing the performance of a storage system by classifying each client request for resources based on operational limits of the resources and controlling when to submit the request for processing based on service class. The operational limits are determined from performance characteristics of the system resources and from the level of performance guaranteed to each client. By regulating the clients' usage of resources using the resource operational limits, total system performance requirements and guarantees can be achieved.

An organization that offers a data storage service, such as a Storage Service Provider (SSP) or an information services department within a company, needs to ensure that performance requirements are met for accessing the stored data. It is common in computer systems for a single data storage system to be used to hold data for multiple storage clients, which may be different computers, different applications, or different users. When the data storage system is owned by a Storage Service Provider (SSP), different clients using the same system may be separate customers, with separate contractual arrangements with the SSP.
A storage system has many components that participate in the servicing of requests from clients. These include but are not limited to: arm actuators, data channels, disk controllers, memory buses, and protocol chips on the disk drives themselves; processors, memory controllers, buses, and protocol chips on storage system controllers; and SCSI buses, network links, loops, fabric switches, and other components for the client-to-controller and controller-to-disk interconnect. A request generally requires several of these components to participate at particular steps in its processing. Many components can generally be used concurrently, so that steps in the servicing of many requests are being performed simultaneously.
To facilitate the concurrent utilization of resources, the system is built with an ability to enqueue requests and the subtasks involved in servicing them. There is a tradeoff between throughput (the total number of requests or number of bytes processed) and response time (the elapsed time from when the request is received by the system and when its completion is reported to the client). To achieve maximum throughput, a client usually submits a large number of requests for data. The large request load enables efficient workload scheduling in the system, but the response time in this case may be many times greater than that for a lightly loaded system because the requests spend a long time in the queue before being serviced.
Typically, the storage system contains one or more storage devices such as disk drives for storing data in a persistent way. It also contains one or more processors that handle requests for access, generally calling upon the storage devices to do so. Associated with these storage devices and processors are memory devices and data transfer channels, such as data buses, that are all needed for processing the requests. The system further includes some form of interconnect facility through which the clients submit data requests to the processors. This may be a network capable of supporting general purpose communications among clients, processors and other devices, or it may consist of more specialized interconnect facilities such as direct connections. Within one system, there may be many instances of each kind of device and facility. These are all resources of the system; however, they need not all be owned exclusively by the storage system. For example, the processors and memory buses might be involved in other computational tasks that are not part of handling storage requests from the clients.
One request from a client to the system generally does not require exclusive use of all resources. The system is designed therefore to handle many requests from many clients concurrently by scheduling stages in the processing of requests concurrently, such as disk arm motion and data transfer. One of the system's functions for achieving concurrency is queuing, by which the stages of processing for one request can be delayed when other requests are occupying required resources.
Although the data objects used by different clients will generally be separate, the storage system resources involved in accessing those data objects will often overlap. These resources may include any of the components described above, such as storage devices, processors, memory, buses, and interconnect. One client's access to data can suffer performance degradation when another client consumes too much of one or more resources. If this competition for resources is not controlled, it is impossible for guarantees to be honored regarding the level of service offered to any one client. However, a data storage service with no assurance of performance is of little value.
One approach for providing assured performance levels is to create a system capable of the required performance for the expected traffic loads. This is referred to as system provisioning and is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,174 by Borowsky et al. and in the paper entitled"Hippodrome: Running Circles Around Storage Administration" by E. Anderson et al., Proceedings of the Conference on File and Storage Technologies (FAST '02), pages 175–188.
A system provisioning process does not completely solve the problem of guaranteeing performance to each client. Performance targets are met when the demand from each client matches the statistical expectations used to determine the system configuration. When demand from one client goes beyond those expectations, the performance delivered to other clients may not meet the targets. Thus, the system does not provide an effective guarantee to those clients.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,174 provides for the added possibility that a failure to meet performance targets may be addressed by solving the provisioning problem again and changing the system to accommodate the new demand. However, this approach does not guarantee that performance targets will be met for clients in a timely way, as the system reconfiguration may take hours or weeks to complete.
Another way for offering storage-service performance guarantees is to solve the provisioning problem for a worst-case load rather than a typical load. This method is not attractive because it is not always possible to determine useful limits on worst case loads. Even when such limits can be determined, the cost of resource needed to handle the worst case can be more than ten times the cost of the system needed to handle the actual loads.
Another solution for assuring resource availability is based on a static partitioning of the resources. This involves selecting parameters for system configuration such that each resource is used only by a reduced group of clients (which may be a single client). For example, a block-level storage service on a Fibre Channel storage network may use fabric zoning to dedicate network ports and links to particular clients, and storage subsystems may be configured so that different clients do not have data on the same disk drives. When all possibilities of competition between clients are eliminated, a level of resource guarantee is achieved. However, this approach creates a separate virtual storage system for each client from the available resource pool. It therefore has many drawbacks and is very costly.
First, many hardware resources do not support partitioning, so at least one separate device must be provided to each client. Thus a separate disk and a separate interconnect channel must be provided for each client, even if that client will never use more than a small fraction of those resources. Second, each client's partition is a fixed set of resources that must be provisioned for the worst-case load from that client, which is inefficient. Third, the administrative cost of creating and maintaining the resource partitions themselves is high. The number of recurrent tasks involved in managing the storage system will in some categories be multiplied by the number of partitions. The personnel cost of managing a storage system typically exceeds the purchase cost.
A different but related problem is that of providing bandwidth guarantees on a shared network—the network quality of service (QoS) problem. A common approach for providing guarantees on a shared network is flow shaping, by rejecting packets at the network edge. Once a "flow" is established to which bandwidth guarantees and limits apply, the network-edge devices servicing that flow are configured to reject submitted packets that would exceed the service limits. This ensures that flows do not exceed their budgeted resources. An example of the techniques for providing guarantees on a shared network is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,647.
Network flow shaping technology in a storage network would not meet the need for storage-system performance guarantees. The consumption of many performance-limiting resources does not vary in proportion to bytes transmitted, so a bandwidth limit alone cannot represent the system limitations. Further, dropping individual message packets that are part of a larger operation can invoke expensive error recovery actions by the client that end up making total resource consumption worse, not better. For example, a quota of 64 kB at a moment in time could have the result that the command and all but the last data for a 64 kB read would be transmitted, but the last data packet and status report would be dropped. The client, in coping with the incomplete results, would likely reissue the entire command. Finally, network flow shaping does not have the ability to distinguish all the clients that may need to be treated differently.
Using quality-of-service (QoS) principles, and specifically variations of "weighted fair queuing", for data storage service has been studied in several published papers. An example of this work was the YFQ model described by J. Bruno et al. in "Disk Scheduling with Quality of Service Guarantees", Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference On Multimedia Computing and Systems, 1999 (ICMCS'99). The YFQ algorithm attempts to guarantee a relative bandwidth allocation to a given client, by scheduling the operations submitted by competing clients in proportion to their assigned weights. It does not address the question of making absolute guarantees to individual clients. The environment assumed by YFQ is that all requests are submitted to a single control point, and that they are all passed on to a single resource, i.e., a disk drive.
Applying the YFQ algorithm to a storage subsystem or an entire networked storage system does not adequately address the problem of resource guaranty. First, the YFQ algorithm requires that one program has timely information on all requested operations, and controls their scheduling. Forcing all requests intended for a large-scale storage system to be handled by a single process would itself create an unacceptable performance bottleneck in the system. Second, the YFQ algorithm does not work effectively on systems with many resources—it assumes a single resource (e.g., a disk drive), and makes its scheduling decisions using an estimate of request dwell time on that resource. Such a model does not accurately represent a complex storage subsystem, in which multiple resources must be in use concurrently to achieve the intended performance. As a consequence, it cannot tell the difference between a set of complementary requests that promote concurrent use of multiple resources and a set of requests that collide on a single resource.
What is needed is a system and method for guaranteeing performance level to each of several clients in a shared storage system by regulating the processing of the resource requests from the multiple clients.

Method for improving performance in a computer storage system by regulating resource requests from clients

International Business Machines Corporation


A pivot unit for use with barrier devices which may be connected end-to-end to form a barrier wall. The pivot unit comprises first and second end connectors, each of which may be coupled to the end of one barrier device, and a hinge post extending between the end connectors. The hinge post is mounted by a pin to each end connector allowing pivotal motion of one end connector, and the barrier device to which it is coupled, through an angle of at least 90° relative to the other end connector and its associated barrier device.

A variety of different devices have been developed for absorbing the kinetic energy resulting from impact with a moving vehicle, and for the containment of forces exerted by soil or water. Highway barriers, for example, are intended to provide a continuous wall or barrier along the center line or shoulder of a highway when laid end-to-end to absorb grazing blows from moving vehicles. One commonly used highway barrier is formed of pre-cast reinforced concrete, and is known as the "Jersey" style barrier. Highway barriers of this type have a relatively wide base resting on the pavement or shoulder of the highway, opposed side walls and opposed end walls. The side walls consist of a "curb reveal" extending vertically upwardly from the base a short distance, a vertically extending top portion connected to the top wall of the barrier and an angled portion between the curb reveal and the vertical top portion. This design is intended to contact and redirect the wheels of a vehicle in a direction toward the lane of traffic in which the vehicle was originally traveling, instead of the lane of opposing traffic. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,362.
One problem with the Jersey-style highway barriers described above is the weight of reinforced concrete. A concrete barrier having a typical length of twelve feet weighs about 2,800-3,200 pounds, and requires special equipment to load, unload and handle on site. It has been estimated that for some road repairs, up to 40 percent of the total cost is expended on acquiring, delivering and handling concrete barriers. Additionally, concrete barriers have little or no ability to absorb shock upon impact, and have a high friction factor. This increases the damage to vehicles which collide with such barriers, and can lead to serious injuries to passengers of the vehicle.
In an effort to reduce weight, facilitate handling and shipment, and provide improved absorption of vehicle impact forces, highway barriers have been designed which are formed of a hollow plastic container filled with water, sand or other ballast material such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,681,302, 4,773,629, 4,946,306, 5,123,773 and 5,882,140. For example, the '302 patent discloses a barrier comprising a housing having a top wall, bottom wall, opposed side walls and opposed end walls interconnected to form a hollow interior which is filled with water. The ends of each barrier couple to an adjacent barrier to form a continuous wall. The container structure is preferably formed of a resilient, plastic material which is deformable upon impact and capable of resuming its original shape after being struck.
The '629, '306, '773 and '140 patents noted above represent advances in deformable highway barrier designs. The first two patents disclose barriers which comprise a longitudinally extending housing made of semi-rigid plastic which is self-supporting, and has a predetermined shape which is maintained when filled with water, sand or other ballast material. Such devices are connected end-to-end by a key insertable within grooves formed in the end walls of adjacent barriers. Interconnected fill openings are provided which permit adjacent barriers to be filled with water or other ballast material when laid end-to-end.
The '773 and '140 patents disclose further improvements in barrier devices including side walls formed with higher curb reveals, a horizontally extending step and vertical indentations in order to assist in maintaining the structural integrity of the container, and internal baffles for dampening movement of water or other ballast material within the container interior. Interlocking male and female coupling elements are formed on the opposite end walls of each barrier to facilitate connection of adjacent barriers end-to-end. Additionally, channels or openings are formed in the barriers from one side wall to the other to permit the insertion of the tines of a fork lift truck therein for easy loading, unloading and handling of the barriers.
One problem with barrier devices of the type described above is that the coupling elements which connect one barrier device to an adjacent one permit limited pivotal movement. While a gradual curve along a barrier wall formed by a number of interconnected barrier devices may be obtained, the amount of articulation between adjacent barriers is limited to a few degrees. The formation of corners or other angles along a barrier wall of 90° or more is not possible.


A garment including a skirt has at least one ribbon or ring that attaches to the inside surface of the skirt and is appropriately sized and situated to encircle the leg of a person who is wearing the skirt in order to make the garment stay put. The garment may be, for example, a slip, a dress or a coat. The ribbon or ring is attached to the skirt along less than the entire length of the ribbon or ring. The ribbon or ring may be removably attached to the skirt, and may be adjustable for circumferential length and for elevation with respect to the skirt.

The modern slip evolved in tandem with dresses and skirts and has generally been subject to the same fashion trends. Early slip-like garments include relatively bulky petticoats that were popular in the nineteenth century and cotton linings of the twentieth century. Today, "slip" means a relatively thin, generally opaque or translucent lining, which includes a skirt portion and is intended to be worn as an undergarment. "Skirt" means that part of a dress, coat, robe or other article of clothing intended to hang below the waist and encompass at least a portion of both of the wearer's legs, and excludes any covering which extends around and along one of the wearer's legs individually such as, for example, a trouser leg.
While slips have met with almost universal acceptance, they are subject to unwanted displacement along the body of the wearer. This unwanted displacement is both unsightly and uncomfortable, and is sometimes referred to as "riding up".
One example of a slip is described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,350,848, issued to Starkweather. The slip of the '848 patent reportedly facilitates passage of air between and through the slip and the outer skirt. However, the slip of the '848 patent appears to be susceptible to riding up.
Clothing designers have from time to time redesigned separate garments to produce a single, unitary undergarment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,121,005, issued to Farnsworth, describes an undergarment combining four separate articles of clothing into a single, unitary undergarment. The '005 patent reports that a slip-, panty-, bust supporter- and skirt-supporter combination is worn under a dress in lieu of separate undergarments.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,419,940, issued to Mills, describes a combination of a panty and a petticoat to form a single, unitary undergarment. These unitary undergarments, to the extent that they include skirts, are not immune to riding up on the wearer's body.
Undergarments have also been incorporated into outer garments to form unitary, multifunctional clothing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,037,331, issued to Savage, describes a skirt to which bloomers are directly attached. The unitary garments are improvements in that they require fewer garments to clothe the wearer. However, neither the unitary undergarments nor the unitary outer garments, by themselves, solve the problem of a slip riding up.
Ordinarily, a slip is a loosely fitting, nonconforming garment. However, some slips have been combined with girdles or corsets, or stand alone in a manner that restricts or controls the shape of the body. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,399,679, issued to Barg, a slip is combined with a legged girdle. Front and back panels are reportedly attached to the girdle, so that an onlooker cannot see through the garment when it is worn in public.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,392, issued to Dzelzkalns, describes a relatively confining, no-slip undergarment. The garment of the '392 patent combines shorts constructed of elastic material with a front panel that serves as a built-in slip. The elastic material is said to keep pantyhose in place and to retain the slip in its proper position on the wearer's body. However, a need still exists for a loosely fitting, free-flowing slip that maintains its position and is resistant to riding up.
A relatively recent and currently popular development in slip design is known as a "slimmer slip." The slimmer slip includes panels constructed of a carefully-controlled elastic material, which is engineered to eliminate wrinkles in certain portions of the skimmer slip and to gently smooth the wearer's figure without significantly constricting the wearer's body. However, slimmer skirts are very susceptible to riding up. A need exists for an improved slimmer skirt that does not ride up.
Wearers would welcome a freely flowing slip that is immune to unwanted skirt displacement. Desirably, the freely flowing slip moves naturally with the wearer and flounces in a graceful and attractive manner. Preferably, the freely flowing slip is less restrictive and more comfortable, as compared to previously known undergarments. More preferably, the freely flowing slip can be made in a wide array of styles and designs, and constructed from a variety of fabrics.


A defective pixel correction apparatus and a defective pixel correction method of the present technique include a first defective pixel corrector for specifying a defective pixel included in an image signal of each of color signals sent from an imaging unit, and obtaining a linear interpolation value from pixels around the defective pixel to perform a first defective pixel correction process on the defective pixel by linear interpolation. Further, the defective pixel correction apparatus and the defective pixel correction method include a second defective pixel corrector for performing an aberration correction process based on an image signal of a specific color after the first defective pixel correction process, and performing a second defective pixel correction process different from the first defective pixel correction process on the pixel that has been subjected to the first defective pixel correction process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present technique relates to an apparatus and a method for correcting defective pixels in imaging signals caused by pixel defects of a solid-state image sensor in an imaging apparatus such as a digital still camera or a digital video camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, solid-state image sensors (hereinafter, image sensors), such as CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices) and CMOSs (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductors), are being miniaturized and increased in the number of pixels with the advancement of semiconductor microfabrication technique. On the other hand, with the increase in the number of pixels, some of pixels that do not output a normal signal level in the image sensors, namely, so-called defected pixels also increase in the number.
As a result, the importance of a defective pixel correction technique for electrically interpolating and outputting a signal level to be originally obtained in defective pixels is being increased.
As a defective pixel correction method, for example, a technique described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3830574 is known. Japanese Patent Publication No. 3830574 discloses a defective pixel correction method to be used in a so-called 3CCD imaging apparatus, which uses three CCDs as image sensors and outputs image signals of three primary colors including red (R), green (G), and blue (B) from the CCDs, respectively.
FIGS. 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams for describing a defective pixel correction method when a defective pixel is present in an R channel (Rch) color signal.
As shown in FIG. 1A, a case where a defective pixel P(i) is present in an Rch color signal of a captured image is described as an example.
In signals of the same color in which a defective pixel P(i) is present, signal values of normal pixels P(i−1) and P(i+1) before and after the defective pixel Pi are added and averaged as shown in FIG. 1B, so that a linear interpolation value Px is generated. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1C, a high-frequency component GH of a pixel on the same position as the defective pixel P(i) is generated based on another color signal different from the color signal where the defective pixel P(i) is present (in FIG. 1C, G channel (Gch)). Thereafter, a correction value GH is added to the linear interpolation value Px, so that a correction process can be performed on the defective pixel P(i) of the Rch color signal.
An imaging apparatus that captures a subject forms a subject image on imaging surfaces of the image sensors via an optical system such as a lens. The image sensors photoelectrically convert light beams incident on the respective pixels so as to output them as electric signals. On the other hand, since the imaging magnification of the lens in the optical system varies with a light wavelength due to magnification chromatic aberration, even when a subject of achromatic color, for example, is imaged, pixel positions on the image sensors where R, G, and B light beams are imaged displace. As a result, an outline or the like of the subject is colored due to color shift.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-165899 discloses a defective pixels corrective method in a case where such magnification chromatic aberration of an optical system occurs. Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-165899 discloses a method for selecting a defective pixel correction method according to a position of a defective pixel.

Defective pixel correction apparatus and method

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


Proposed for the purpose of starting a high-pressure discharge lamp is a cuit which in the conventional way comprises a starting transformer (12) whose secondary side is connected to the lamp to be started and whose primary side is connected to a circuit triggering the starting pulse, the circuit triggering the starting pulse generating starting pulses with a pulse duration of less than 0.5 .mu.s and a repetition frequency of at least 2 kHz. An IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) (14) is preferably used as switching element.

Fundamentally, starting circuits for high-pressure discharge lamps can be operated together with two sorts of ballasts: conventional ballasts (KVG) and electronic ballasts (EVG).
In the case of KVGs, it is mostly an iron-cored inductor which is used for current limitation of a started high-pressure discharge lamp, while the current limitation is controlled electronically in the case of EVGs.
Known high-voltage starting devices frequently use a circuit comprising a starting transformer whose secondary side is connected to the lamp to be started and whose primary side is connected to a circuit triggering the starting pulse. Such a circuit is disclosed, for example, in DE-A 195 31 622, in which the switch is implemented as a SIDAC, which for its part can be controlled via a transistor. A further example is the application PCT/IB96/00051, published under WO 96/25022. Here, as well, the switch is a SIDAC.
It is typically required in many countries as the standard for acceptably starting a high-pressure discharge lamp that the starting pulse is 2 .mu.s wide in conjunction with a voltage of 3.6 kV. This starting pulse is to be repeated with each system halfwave, and this corresponds to a repetition frequency of 100 to 120 Hz. A large inductance is required in order to generate such a starting pulse, and this necessitates large dimensions of the starting transformer. In addition, this stipulation is only a minimum requirement, which is necessary for successfully starting the high-pressure lamp.
The requirements made of a starting device with these specifications cannot in practice be fulfilled directly, since both in the case of conventional ballasts and, in particular, in the case of electronic ballasts, suitable inductances are high and the outlay on circuitry is not inconsiderable. Firstly, in the case of electronic ballasts it is necessary for a starting transformer to be small because of integration into a circuit. Secondly, said transformer may have only a small inductance, in order to avoid noise during remagnetization of a core in low-frequency operation (LF operation), and to deform the shape of the curve of the output voltage as little as possible, because in the case of electronic ballasts the shape of the curve of the output voltage is mostly that of a square wave. Thirdly, the price for such a starting transformer is relatively high. When generating the starting pulses by means of the switching elements used to date (mostly SIDACs), a wide scatter of the starting voltage occurs owing to tolerances in these switching elements, in particular in SIDACs. This fact is taken into account by purposely overdimensioning the switching elements or by specifically selecting the components used. Only relatively low repetition frequencies can be achieved using SIDACs, and moreover their response voltage is problematic.
If it is desired to drop below 2 .mu.s for the starting pulse width, in accordance with the above requirements the time between the individual pulses is to be shortened to less than 300 .mu.s, and this corresponds to a repetition frequency of approximately 3 kHz.
As experiments have shown, the switching elements, such as spark gap and SIDACs, so far employed in conjunction chiefly with EVGs for starting high-pressure discharge lamps are suitable only to a limited extent for such short starting pulses. It has been found that turning-on delays of up to 10 s occur when such switching elements are used for lamps which are difficult to start.

Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer elektrische Gluehlampen mbH


A multi-row rolling bearing unit including an outer ring and at least two inner rings, between which rolling bodies are guided, and an elastic securing ring which engages in annular grooves of the inner rings, the securing ring having a U-shaped cross-sectional profile with two flanks which engage in the annular grooves.

DE 10 2013 220 702 A1 discloses a rolling bearing unit embodied as a multi-row rolling bearing with at least one outer ring and at least two inner rings, between which rolling bodies are guided. Adjacent inner rings are supported on one another with axial front sides oriented toward one another. In order to secure an axial position, a fixing element which engages in annular grooves of the inner rings is provided, wherein the fixing element is an elastic securing ring, which encloses a joint, with a U-profile and which is supported in a preassembly position frictionally on an inner wall of the inner ring, wherein overlapping ring ends of the securing ring are connected in a positive-locking manner for axial guidance and the securing ring is displaceable into an end position. The flanks of the securing ring lock automatically in corresponding annular grooves of the adjacent inner rings.

Roller bearing unit with a securing ring, and method for disassembling a securing ring


A toner of the present invention comprises at least a binder resin comprising as a main component a polyester resin, a wax, and a colorant, in which in case of measuring a wettability of the toner with respect to a mixed solvent of methanol and water in terms of an optical transimittance at an optical wavelength of 780 nm, a methanol concentration of the mixed solvent is in a range of 45 to 65% by volume when an optical transmittance is 80% and 10%, respectively; a melt index (MI) is of 0.1 to 10 g/10 min at a temperature of 125° C. and a load of 5 kg; the toner comparises a resin component insoluble to tetrahydrofuran (THF insoluble component) in an amount of 5 to 40% by mass based on a mass of the binder resin; and the toner comprises a THF soluble component having a main peak in a molecular weight region of 3,000 to 20,000, and has a proportion of a component having a molecular weight of 10,000 or less in the THF soluble component is 50% by mass or more, according to a chromatogram of the THF soluble component measured by gel permeation chromatography. According to the toner of the present invention, it is possible to control lowering of an image density after leaving under a high temperature and high humidity environment, and a decline in the image density due to a charge-rise phenomenon upon low rate printing. Further, the toner has excellent fixing property and high temperature offset characteristic, and occurring of the end-offset is controlled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner used in image forming methods such as electrophotography, electrostatic recording, electrostatic printing, and toner-jetting recording system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many proposals have been made with respect to a technique for improving the developing performance and durability of a toner, by controlling an affinity of the toner to a particular solvent. Examples of such technique include a technique in which a toner is dispersed into a mixed solvent of ethanol and water to measure the absorbance at the time, thereby finding an amount of magnetic iron oxides that exist on the surface of magnetic toner. With this technique, the extent of contamination a charging roller caused by the magnetic toner and the extent of the magnetic toners sticking to a photosensitive drum can be easily known (refer to JP11-194533A, for example).
Another example of such technique is a technique related to a toner having a predetermined wettability with respect to ethanol. In this technique, the hydrophobic property of the toner is expressed on the ethanol dropping transmittance curve, and the transmittance against the ethanol content by percentage is measured (refer to JP 2000-242027A, for example).
In addition to the given examples, there is a technique with which a charging property of a toner is improved by relating a surface condition of the magnetic toner with an absorbance of the magnetic toner dispersed in a methanol and water mixed solvent at the time (refer to EP1241530A1, for example).
Nevertheless, it is difficult to overcome all of the problems associated with recent increase in operation speed of electrophotographic devices such as problems which happen in and around a fixing device, end-offsetting, and a decline in the image density that is caused by charge-rise phenomenon of the toner.
Regarding to the polyester resin, which is used in toners, a tetrahydrofuran (THF) insoluble matter is 5% by mass or less, and in a THF soluble matter, proportions of ultra high molecular weight matter of 1×106 or more, high molecular weight matter of 1×105 or more, low molecular weight matter of less than 1×104, and middle molecular weight matter of 1×104 or more and less than 1×105 are defined (refer to JP10-60104A and JP10-69126A, for example).
However, it is difficult to solve the problem of end-offset by only defining proportions of the various molecular weight cutoff of polyester resin.
In addition, the polyester resin for toner, wherein the polyester resin has a maximum of molecular weight in the range of 1×103 to 8×103, has a Mw/Mn ratio value in the range of 20 to 200; has no more than 80% by mass, to the whole resin, of a component of molecular weight 1×105 or less; and the polyester resin comprises polycarboxylic acid with 3 or more carboxyl groups and/or polyhydric alcohol with 3 or more hydroxyl groups; is known as polyester resin for electrophotographic toner (refer to JP 9-251216A, for example).
As disclosed in this publication, a toner having a wide non-offset temperature range is obtainable. However, charge control of the toner is insufficient such that the toner has a difficulty in complying with high speed.
In addition, a toner comprising polyester resin using oxyalkylene ether of novolak type phenolic resin is known as a toner comprising polyester resin (refer to JP 9-251217A and JP 11-24312A, for example).
However, the characteristic of the polyester resin is that it does not comprise tetrahydrofuran (THF) insoluble matter. Thus, this toner has difficulties in satisfying the high temperature offset property and developing performance in a higher level.
In addition, as a polyester resin for use a toner binder, there is a polyester resin for a toner binder that uses oxyalkylene ether of novolak type phenolic-resin (refer to JP 5-27478A, for example) is known. In addition, in regard to a toner, a toner which comprises a resin that comprises polycarboxylic acid component and polyol component, in which at least one part of the polyol component is oxyalkylene ether of novolak type phenolic resin with 3 or more hydroxyl groups, and a THF insoluble matter of 0.1 to 20% by mass (refer to JP 2000-242030A, for example) is known.
According to these inventions, the problems of high temperature offset property and fixing property are definitely improved. However, there is still a room for further improvement since a hydrophobicity of the toner is not yet controlled, and a property of the toner is still greatly influenced by an environment.


An electrosurgical device is provided which can prevent the decrease of the effect of a treatment performed by an operator or the like on a biological tissue. A high-frequency voltage generated in an alternating power supply is transformed in a transformer. A high-frequency current in accordance with the transformed high-frequency voltage is supplied to the biological tissue via two high-frequency current supply lines. In this case, the impedance between the two high-frequency current supply lines is set in an impedance matching circuit so as to become maximum with respect to the frequency of the high-frequency current. Accordingly, the decrease of the effect of the treatment performed on the biological tissue can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrosurgical device capable of performing a treatment on a biological tissue with a high-frequency current.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an electrosurgical device, such as an electric scalpel, has been used in a surgical operation or the like to perform such treatments as cutting, coagulation, and hemostasis of a biological tissue. Generally, the above-described electrosurgical device is configured to include a high-frequency power supply for outputting a high-frequency current, and a treatment tool connected to the high-frequency power supply. Through the treatment tool made in contact with a biological tissue of a patient, an operator or the like supplies the biological tissue with the high-frequency current output from the high-frequency power supply to thereby perform each of the above-described treatments on the biological tissue.
Further, it is desirable that the above-described electrosurgical device is configured to be able to supply the high-frequency current in accordance with the condition of the biological tissue to be treated or the treatment performed by the operator or the like. As a device approximately similar in configuration to the electrosurgical device having the above configuration, a high-frequency current curing device proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-118093, for example, has been widely known.


A real-time multi-tasking digital control system with rapid recovery capability is disclosed. The control system includes a plurality of computing units comprising a plurality of redundant processing units, with each of the processing units configured to generate one or more redundant control commands. One or more internal monitors are employed for detecting data errors in the control commands. One or more recovery triggers are provided for initiating rapid recovery of a processing unit if data errors are detected. The control system also includes a plurality of actuator control units each in operative communication with the computing units. The actuator control units are configured to initiate a rapid recovery if data errors are detected in one or more of the processing units. A plurality of smart actuators communicates with the actuator control units, and a plurality of redundant sensors communicates with the computing units.

Computers have been used in digital control systems in a variety of applications, such as in industrial, aerospace, medical, scientific research, and other fields. In such control systems, it is important to maintain the integrity of the data produced by a computer. In conventional control systems, a computing unit for a plant is typically designed such that the resulting closed loop system exhibits stability, low-frequency command tracking, low-frequency disturbance rejection, and high-frequency noise attenuation. The "plant" can be any object, process, or other parameter capable of being controlled, such as an aircraft, spacecraft, medical equipment, electrical power generation, industrial automation, valve, boiler, actuator, or other device. A control effector is used to provoke a response by the plant. For example, when the plant is an aircraft, control effectors may be in the form of flight control surfaces such as rudders, ailerons, and/or elevators.
Various types of failures or faults may be encountered by conventional computing units found in control systems. A "hard fault" is a fault condition typically caused by a permanent failure of the analog or digital circuitry. For digital circuitry, a "soft fault" is typically caused by transient phenomena that may affect some digital circuit computing elements resulting in computation disruption, but does not permanently damage or alter the subsequent operation of the circuitry.
Soft faults may be caused by electromagnetic fields created by high-frequency signals propagating through the computing system. Soft faults may also result from spurious intense electromagnetic signals, such as those caused by lightning that induce electrical transients on system lines and data, buses which propagate to internal digital circuitry setting latches into erroneous states. In addition to lightning, other elements of the electromagnetic environment (EME) such as high-intensity radiated fields (HIRF), radio communications, radar pulses, and the intense fields associated with electromagnetic pulses (EMP) may also cause soft faults. Further, high-energy atomic particles from a variety of sources (e.g., atmospheric neutrons, cosmic radiation, weapon detonation, etc.) may deposit sufficient energy in the bulk semiconductor material of a digital device to set electronic circuits into erroneous states. With the advent of smaller integrated circuits running at high speeds, soft faults are becoming more common such as in the radiation environment encountered by aircraft traveling at high altitudes. In such an environment, computing circuits containing state-of-the-art digital devices may be more susceptible to failure.
In conventional control systems, various forms of redundancy have been used in an attempt to reduce the effects of faults in critical systems. Multiple processing units, for example, may be used within a computing system. In a system with three processing units, for example, if one processor is determined to be experiencing a fault, that processor may be isolated and/or shut down. The fault may be corrected by correct data (such as the current values of various control state variables) being transmitted (or "transfused") from the remaining processors to the isolated unit. If the faults in the isolated unit are corrected, the processing unit may be re-introduced to the computing system along with the other two processing units.
Dissimilar computational redundancy is used to prevent the introduction of generic faults in control system architectures. Generic faults refer to common errors in system redundancies. Such errors can occur in the design and development of the hardware and software elements within general purpose computers that are used in control system architectures. As such, dissimilar computational redundancy would entail each redundant hardware element using a dissimilar microprocessor and each redundant microprocessor executing software (e.g., operating system, application, etc.) that was developed using a different programming language.
Other methods that have been used to help ensure the continued operation of control systems include the use of dissimilar technology, distributed computation redundancy, equalization, and mid-value voting. Each of these methods, however, generally requires at least one processing unit to remain operational at all times to preserve state variables. While the control systems may remain operational if all but one of the processing units experience a soft fault and the correctly-operating unit can be identified, the control system will not operate properly if all of the processors simultaneously experience soft faults. Similarly, if a lone properly-operating unit cannot be identified within the system, the system will not recover, as there would be no identifiable operating unit with correct values for all of the state variables to be transfused to the remaining units. In addition, because of the transfusion of state variables from other processing units, the system recovery may be relatively slow. It may therefore take an extended period of time for all processing units within the system to resume normal operation. In the meantime, redundant control is undesirably lost or degraded.
In the aerospace field, digital flight control systems are frequently interposed between the pilot and the flight control surfaces of an aircraft. Such systems may include fly-by-wire, auto-pilot, and auto-land systems. In a fly-by-wire system, in lieu of pilot controls being mechanically coupled (e.g., via cables or hydraulics) to the various primary flight control surfaces of the aircraft (such as the ailerons, elevators, and rudder), the position and movements of a pilot's controls are electronically read by sensors and transmitted to a computing system. The computing system typically sends electronic control signals to actuators of various types that are coupled to the primary flight control surfaces of the aircraft. The actuators are typically configured to move one or more control surfaces according to inputs provided by the pilot, or in response to feedback measured by a sensor on the aircraft. Failure of the control system could thus have catastrophic effects on the aircraft. Similarly, industrial, medical, or other systems may be gravely affected by certain control system failures.
In conventional flight control system (FCS) architectures, recovery from soft faults of FCS architectural elements, particularly in the flight control computer, is either not possible, has to resort to recovery attempts after a grace period of time, or requires recycling of power such as rebooting the computer. Any of these circumstances can impact the mean time between unscheduled removals (MTBUR) negatively. In addition, tight tolerance monitoring has been dependant on synchronous operations for tight tracking of redundant elements, and has been relatively federated and not easily scaleable.

Distributed and recoverable digital control system


A system and method which allows complex tasks to be scheduled and/or coordinated on one or more computer systems by focusing the level of autonomy to each phase of a plan. The phases include computational components and may spawn target phases such that the phases are dependent on the target phases. The phases may begin execution upon completion of the target phases. Each phase may determine further execution, including succeeding phases, in an event-driven manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to software framework planning and, more particularly, to a system and method for process planning and execution of separate phases of a plan in order to schedule and/or coordinate complex tasks on one or more computer systems.
2. Background Description
Planning systems have been a long-standing research topic, typically stemming from the field of artificial intelligence. As such, the output over the years has been planning systems that aim at high-level problem solving. That is, research in this area has mainly focused on the determination and inferencing of sub-goals and deducing activity that can produce those goals. Generally this is achieved using backward or forward chaining techniques as described in "Reasoning About Plans", The Morgan Kaufman Series in Representation Reasoning, by Allen et al., 1991, Morgan Kaufman Publishers. Thus, planning systems have focused more on plan deduction rather than the actual management of the execution of the resulting plan.
Recent work has attempted to look at plan revision (see, "Applying Dynamic Planning Frameworks to Agent Goals" by Barber et al. AAAI, 1999). However, these attempts tend to solve the planning process as a central process, with the plan itself being a result of that process. Or, the planning revolves about goal-action inferencing techniques to re-plan execution at an agent level. In these attempts, the actual plan is an executable path towards some goal.
Other works on this subject include U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,626 to Klein et al. which is directed to a system and method for synchronizing portions of a distributed transaction. During the processing of a transaction, a number of agents are formed for handling various aspects or portions of the computations to be performed. Each agent progresses through a predefined set of state transitions which define the status of the agent at any point in time. The state transitions, in these agents, are dependent on the status of other ones of the cooperating agents. The computation management system of Klein et al. defines for each agent a set of dependencies, each dependency corresponding to one or more state transitions. By defining dependencies for each agent, Klein et al. is able to show how agents are interdependent, and set up necessary data structures to denote those interdependencies.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,364 to Klein et al., as another example, a distributed computation system is provided which has a set of agents that perform each specified distributed computation. The event dependencies between events in the agents are dynamically specified at run time from a set of predefined dependency types. Each agent stores in its local knowledge database a representation of the conditions for local events, which are state transition events in that agent, and a representation of the conditions for those external events that depend on notifications of local events in this agent and for those external events on which the local events are dependent.
However, both of the Klein et al. references focus on how plan phases (agents) or external processes can cooperate through transactions. The issues of common state on conditions or blocking on state transitions are purely at the discretion of the plan phases (agents) themselves. What cannot be determine from the Klein et al. references, as well as other literature, are frameworks that address having the plan itself dynamically responding to changes and devising its own course of action.

System and method for dynamic self-determining asynchronous event-driven computation


Disclosed is an electrode for a lead storage battery that has good initial output characteristics and causes little or no reduction in output characteristics after charge-discharge cycle. The electrode comprises an electrode active material layer and a current collector. The electrode active material layer comprises a layer containing a lead-containing material as an electrode active material and a layer containing a porous carbonaceous material as an electrode active material. The electrode satisfies a requirement represented by the following equation: B/(A+B)×100=1.0 to 90.0% wherein A represents the weight of lead atoms contained in the electrode active material layer; and B represents the weight of the porous carbonaceous material contained in the electrode active material layer. The density of the layer containing the porous carbonaceous material is 0.40 to 0.80 g/cm3. Also disclosed is a lead storage battery using the electrode in at least one of a positive electrode and a negative electrode.

The lead acid battery using lead dioxide as the positive electrode active material and lead as the negative electrode active material, and also using sulfuric acid aqueous solution as the electrolyte solution is widely used in the industry since it is cheaper compared to other secondary battery and also since it is suitable for large current discharge. Thus, the importance thereof is not lost even though the high capacity secondary battery such as lithium ion secondary battery or so is popular today, and the study to improve the ability of the lead acid battery is carried out actively.
Recently, there are reports of the technique using activated carbons, in regards with the improvement of the large current discharge characteristic in short period of time, which is the advantage of the lead acid battery and the improvement of cycle characteristics having the large depth of discharge which is the disadvantage of the lead acid battery.
For example, the patent document 1 describes the lead acid battery using the negative electrode having the lead alloy porous body filled with the negative electrode in which 1 to 5 parts by weight of the activated carbon is added with respect to the negative electrode active material. Patent document 1 describes that this lead acid battery can hold high voltage of after 0.5 seconds at −15° C.
Patent document 2 describes the lead acid battery electrode formed with the active material layer comprising the activated carbons, the binder, and the conductive agent on the surface of the lead active material layer as the electrode active material; and Patent document 2 also describes the lead acid battery provided therewith. In Patent document 2, the active material layer comprising the activated carbons, the binder, and the conductive agent are formed by pulverizing the dry kneaded mixture by a cutter mixer, then adhering the obtained powder on the lead active material layer followed by applying the pressure; or it may be formed by mixing the active material, the binder solution, and the conductive agent, then coating the obtained active material layer forming composition on the lead active material layer. Further, Patent document 2 describes that the lead acid battery provided with this lead acid battery electrode exhibit higher power compared to that of conventional lead acid battery.
Patent document 3 describes the lead acid battery negative electrode placed by coating the paste which includes 13% of the lead active material to the one side across the grid shape current collector, and coating the paste which comprises the activated carbon, carbon black, carboxymethylcellulose on the other side across the grid shape current collector. Patent document 3, also describes the lead acid battery provided with said lead acid battery negative electrode. According to Patent document 3, it has good cycle characteristics which simulated the typical charge-discharge cycle in connection with the 42V mild hybrid electric automobile battery.    Patent document 1: JP-A-2003-51306    Patent document 2: JP-A-2007-12596 (corresponding US Patent application Publication No. 2006/269801)    Patent document 3: JP-A-2007-506230 (corresponding US Patent application Publication No. 2007/104981)

Lead acid battery electrode comprising a porous carbon material layer and a lead acid battery


A system provides a charging and a connection for a mobile unit. The system includes a housing of a mobile unit that couples to a latch. The housing comprises a loop and a panel. The loop is disposed on a top portion of the housing and receives a hook of the latch. The panel is disposed on a back portion of the housing and receives a corresponding panel of the latch. The panel includes a first set of electrical contacts that couple to a second set of electrical contacts of the corresponding panel to establish an electrical connection.

A facility may use a plurality of mobile units (MU) deployed therethrough. Depending on a type of facility, the MUs may be provided to employees, customers, or both. The MUs may include a variety of conventional functionalities used by the employees, customers, or both. For example, in a warehouse environment, employees may use the MUs for inventory purposes. In another example, in a retail environment, customers may be provided the MUs to perform sales functionalities such as price checks, locating items, checking out, etc.
The plurality of MUs used in the facility may require a high amount of maintenance. For example, updating all the MUs when upgraded software is used by the network or system requires that each MU receive a respective update. To this end, conventional technologies provide a cradle device in which the MU is inserted to recharge power as well as establish a connection with the network. In order to minimize an amount of space, the cradles may be aligned in rows and columns and mounted on a wall of the facility. However, because the cradle must provide a sufficient amount of surface area as well as the components to establish the connection that are sufficiently strong to hold the MU, the cradles may require a larger amount of space than anticipated. Furthermore, conventional cradle devices face issues relating to high speed connection interfaces as very short cables are preferred but cannot be accommodated.

System for a mobile unit charging and connection


The disclosure teaches a water treatment composition and method especially useful with respect to groundwater treatment upstream of an air stripper facility. The composition includes a chelating agent such as citric acid and/or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and a sequestration agent such as diethylenetriamine-methylenephosphoric acid.

Water contamination is a very serious problem which is increasing in magnitude, for example, with respect to groundwater contamination, municipal water supply systems, air pollution control scrubbers and cooling water systems. Specifically with respect to groundwater, roughly half of the population of the United States uses groundwater for drinking and many industries and most agricultural irrigation systems depend upon clean and safe groundwater supplies.
Contamination of the groundwater supply can come from any site at which hazardous materials have been concentrated. Common sources of contamination include garbage dumps, industrial waste dumps, septic tanks, and leaking underground storage tanks. Considerable effort is being expended to remediate this problem.
Contamination caused by volatile organic compounds (VOC's) has emerged as an area of considerable concern. These enter the groundwater most commonly from industrial spills, leaking pipelines and underground storage tanks.
A common clean-up system for remediation of VOC-contaminated groundwater involves an air stripper technique. An air stripper is a tower containing a medium through which water and air flow countercurrently and wherein the relatively high concentrations of VOC's in the water volatilize into the passing air. The VOC's removed by the stripper are carried out into the air where they dissipate and are ultimately broken down by natural causes. Alternatively, the effluent air can be cleaned before discharge.
However, a common problem facing air stripper operators is scaling caused by the natural minerals contained in the water or fouling of the stripper surfaces by other causes as biological fouling. Once fouled the system must be cleaned. This generally involves taking the stripper off-line and cleaning it manually. This naturally involves considerable labor and loss of use time and also lowers the effectiveness of the remediation program.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a safe and effective water treatment composition.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a composition based on the use of a single mixture of components effective for treating a variety of separate problems.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a composition as aforesaid which is relatively inexpensive, simple and convenient to use and provides significant advantages especially with respect to groundwater treatment upstream of an air stripper facility to prevent fouling of the stripper.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.

Method for treating ground water contamination


An internal combustion engine has at least one cylinder, wherein in the cylinder there is a piston, which has a recess. Furthermore, the internal combustion engine has a cylinder head, which has the shape of a roof complementary to the roof-shaped geometry of the piston with a first and second side converging in the shape of a gable, with the piston and the cylinder head defining a top side and a bottom side of a combustion chamber. The internal combustion engine has an ignition device, which is arranged at least approximately in the center in the roof shape. The cylinder further has preferably two inlet valves, which are arranged in the first side, and also preferably two outlet valves, which are arranged in the second side. The recess extends past both sides, wherein the recess includes at the side approximately vertically descending sides and a base. The piston further has at least two, preferably four quench zones, which are at least partially separated from each other by valve pockets for valves.

From U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,066 it is known, for example, in a combustion engine, to provide a piston for a four-valve arrangement with a recess, which is approximately in the center relative to the arrangement of a cylinder spark plug in the cylinder head. The recess further has in the piston a flat geometry and is, in particular, round. Such a piston geometry should be in the position, on the one hand, to reduce the tendency to knock and, on the other hand, should allow improved lean operation with reduced HC emissions. In particular, such a system should be usable for auto-ignition combustion engines.

Vehicle piston internal combustion engine comprising an adapted recess


The invention is a process for epoxidizing an olefin with hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst mixture containing a titanium or vanadium zeolite and a supported catalyst comprising palladium, gold, and an inorganic oxide carrier. Prior to its use in the epoxidation process, the supported catalyst is calcined in the presence of oxygen at a temperature from 450 to 800° C. and reduced in the presence of hydrogen at a temperature greater than 20° C. The process results in significantly reduced alkane byproduct formed by the hydrogenation of olefin.

Many different methods for the preparation of epoxides have been developed. Generally, epoxides are formed by the reaction of an olefin with an oxidizing agent in the presence of a catalyst. The production of propylene oxide from propylene and an organic hydroperoxide oxidizing agent, such as ethylbenzene hydroperoxide or tert-butyl hydroperoxide, is commercially practiced technology. This process is performed in the presence of a solubilized molybdenum catalyst, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,635, or a heterogeneous titania on silica catalyst, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,342. Another commercially practiced technology is the direct epoxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide by reaction with oxygen over a silver catalyst. Unfortunately, the silver catalyst has not proved useful in commercial epoxidation of higher olefins.
Besides oxygen and alkyl hydroperoxides, another oxidizing agent useful for the preparation of epoxides is hydrogen peroxide. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,833,260, 4,859,785, and 4,937,216, for example, disclose the epoxidation of olefins with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a titanium silicate catalyst.
Much current research is conducted in the direct epoxidation of olefins with oxygen and hydrogen. In this process, it is believed that oxygen and hydrogen react in situ to form an oxidizing agent. Many different catalysts have been proposed for use in the direct epoxidation of higher olefins. Typically, the catalyst comprises a noble metal that is supported on a titanosilicate. For example, JP 4-352771 discloses the formation of propylene oxide from propylene, oxygen, and hydrogen using a catalyst containing a Group VIII metal such as palladium on a crystalline titanosilicate. The Group VIII metal is believed to promote the reaction of oxygen and hydrogen to form a hydrogen peroxide in situ oxidizing agent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,265 discloses a catalyst in which a platinum metal, selected from Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir and Pt, is supported on a titanium or vanadium silicalite. Other direct epoxidation catalyst examples include gold supported on titanosilicates, see for example PCT Intl. Appl. WO 98/00413.
Mixed catalyst systems for olefin epoxidation with hydrogen and oxygen have also been disclosed. For example, JP 4-352771 at Example 13 describes the use of a mixture of titanosilicate and Pd/C for propylene epoxidation. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,498,259 and 6,307,073 also describe olefin epoxidation with hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst mixture containing a titanium zeolite and a supported catalyst comprising a noble metal and a support. In addition, recent work has demonstrated the effectiveness of a Pd—Au supported catalysts for the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen. See Journal of Catalysis, 236 (2005) 69-79 and Catalysis Communications, 8 (2007) 247-250.
One disadvantage of the described direct epoxidation catalysts is that they are prone to produce non-selective byproducts such as glycols or glycol ethers formed by the ring-opening of the epoxide product or alkane byproduct formed by the hydrogenation of olefin.
In sum, new processes for the direct epoxidation of olefins are needed. Particularly valuable processes would have good productivity and selectivity to epoxides, while reducing the likelihood of alkane byproduct formation by the hydrogenation of olefin.

Direct epoxidation process using a mixed catalyst system


An electronic device includes a memory circuitry, an interface circuitry, a sensor circuitry, and a processor circuitry having a predictor circuitry configured to operate according to a prediction model. The processor circuitry is configured to obtain sensor data. The processor circuitry is configured to determine, based on the sensor data, using the predictor circuitry, a predicted time parameter indicative of a prediction of a time slot to initiate an establishment of a network with one or more other electronic devices. The processor circuitry is configured to initiate the establishment of the network with the one or more other electronic devices according to the predicted time parameter.

There are many scenarios where electronic devices (such as Internet of things, IoT, devices and sensor devices) need to perform some sensing tasks and report measured values (such as to a server). Local networks such as mesh networks may be used to communicate between electronic devices (for example, between low power consumption electronic devices, such as short range bearers). A mesh network topology may provide the possibility to communicate efficiently between devices with low power consumption. The mesh protocol may handle routing and make the network self-managing and self-healing. The routing of package to the correct destination may be handled by the network protocol which hides the complexity of reaching correct end node from the application layer.
However, local networks such as mesh networks may provide a more complex communication with more steps (such as more signaling). For example, when electronic devices join or leave the network or move physically, the network topology is changed.
Those changes may need to be communicated to other nodes in the network to make correct routing decisions (such as propagated to all routers, such that the routing tables may be updated in each node acting as a router). Therefore, current mesh protocols experience high power consumption when the electronic devices (such as sensor devices) are moving or leaving or joining the network (such as often, such as with a high frequency). For example, electronic devices that are joining or leaving the network may cause an increased load in the network.
Power optimization is therefore a challenging aspect of the design of electronic devices such as connected devices and IoT devices. It may be challenging to reduce energy consumption of electronic devices for example to ensure that a battery powered electronic device may be working for its intended operation time (such as battery powered devices that should be able to run for months without recharging or replacing the battery).

Electronic device and related methods for predicting initiation of establishment of a network with one or more other electronic devices


A vacuum cleaner according to an aspect includes a case defining a dust collecting space in which dust is stored and having a boss, a dust container cover rotatably connected to the case and configured to open/close the dust collecting space, and an opening/closing part configured to open the dust container cover, wherein the dust container cover has a cover locker having a rib caught by the boss, the opening/closing part includes a pair of push parts installed in the case and elastically deformed by a user, and the rib is spaced apart from the boss as the cover locker is deformed while the pair of push parts are moved in a direction in which the push parts become closer to each other.

The present disclosure relates to a vacuum cleaner.
In general, a vacuum cleaner is a device that suctions air including dust using suction force generated by a suction motor mounted inside a body, and then filters the dust inside the body.
Such a vacuum cleaner is classified into a manual cleaner and an automatic cleaner. The manual cleaner is a cleaner by which a user directly performs cleaning, and the automatic cleaner is a cleaner which performs cleaning while being driven by itself.
The manual cleaner may be classified into a canister type cleaner in which a suction nozzle is provided separately from a body and is connected to the body through a connection tube and an upright type cleaner in which a suction nozzle is coupled to a body.
Meanwhile, regardless of the types, the cleaner includes a dust container in which dust suctioned into a cleaner body through the suction nozzle is stored, and the user should periodically empty the dust container, in which the dust is stored, to maintain suction force of the cleaner.
When the user empties the dust container, the dust container is separated from the cleaner body, the dust container is opened, and the internal dust is shaken out of the dust container.
A dust container assembling device for a cleaner is disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-0751788 (2007.08.24) as the prior art.
According to the prior art, while the dust container is opened, hands of the user may be polluted by the dust stored in the dust container. Further, the dust container may be unintentionally opened.
Further, while the dust container is opened, the user should hold the dust container by one hand, and open the dust container by the other hand. Here, when a hand opening the dust container is not a mainly used hand (a right hand of a right-handed person or a left hand of a left-handed person), it is impossible for the user to apply proper force, and thus, the user may experience difficulty that the dust container may be dropped.
Meanwhile, when the dust container is designed to be easily used by the right-handed person such that the dust container is held by a left hand and the dust container is opened by a right hand, the left-handed person may feel inconvenience in opening the dust container.
Further, because a structure configured to open/close the dust container includes an elastic member having a form of a coil spring, it is difficult to assemble the structure configured to open/close the dust container.


A bionanochip cartridge for analysis of multiple samples or analytes is provided herein, and the cartridge is dimensioned to take advantage of existing robotic microtiter plate handling equipment. Fluidics are specially designed to provide a small footprint and to prevent cross contamination.

WO2012065025 and WO2012065117 describe bionanochip cartridges, system and software that allow the simultaneous quantification of cell morphometric data and expression of molecular biomarkers in an automated manner using refined image analysis algorithms based on pattern recognition techniques and advanced statistical methods. The device demonstrated at least 90% specificity and 90% sensitivity, preferably at least 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, or 97% specificity and sensitivity.
However, the cartridge therein only allowed the analysis of a single sample, and was limited in that multiple cartridges were required for multiple samples. This increases cost and time needed to either test a multiplicity of samples, or the same sample for a wider variety of analytes.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide devices that allow for the testing of a variety of samples and/or analytes in a single cartridge. A further benefit would be realized if the device could be handled by existing robotic fluid and sample handling equipment, thus allowing automation of analysis and increasing throughput. Yet a further benefit would be available if the device was easily manufactured from inexpensive components.