A microfluidic device comprising: (a) a plate comprising a substrate, a plurality of electrodes, and a first layer of hydrophobic material applied over the plurality of electrodes; (b) a processing unit operably programmed to perform a method of pinning an aqueous droplet within the microfluidic device; and (c) a controller operably connected to a power source, the processing unit, and the plurality of electrodes. The method of pinning an aqueous droplet comprises: applying an electric field of a first polarity to an aqueous droplet located on the surface of the layer of hydrophobic material and having a first contact angle, to cause the droplet to maintain a second contact angle in the absence of the electric field, wherein the aqueous droplet contains a surfactant and the second contact angle is less than the first contact angle.

Digital microfluidic devices use independent electrodes to move droplets in a confined environment, thereby providing a "lab-on-a-chip." Digital microfluidic devices are alternatively referred to as electrowetting on dielectric, or "EWoD," to further differentiate the method from competing microfluidic systems that rely on electrophoretic flow and/or micropumps. A 2012 review of the electrowetting technology was provided by Wheeler in "Digital Microfluidics," Annu. Rev. Anal. Chem. 2012, 5:413-40, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The technique allows sample preparation, assays, and synthetic chemistry to be performed with tiny quantities of both samples and reagents. In recent years, controlled droplet manipulation in microfluidic cells using electrowetting has become commercially-viable; and there are now products available from large life science companies, such as Oxford Nanopore.
Most of the literature reports on EWoD involve so-called "passive matrix" devices (a.k.a. "segmented" devices), whereby ten to twenty electrodes are directly driven with a controller. While segmented devices are easy to fabricate, the number of electrodes is limited by space and driving constraints. Accordingly, it is not possible to perform massive parallel assays, reactions, etc. in passive matrix devices. In comparison, "active matrix" devices (a.k.a. active matrix EWoD, a.k.a. AM-EWoD) devices can have many thousands, hundreds of thousands or even millions of addressable electrodes. The electrodes are typically switched by thin-film transistors (TFTs) and droplet motion is programmable so that AM-EWoD arrays can be used as general purpose devices that allow great freedom for controlling multiple droplets and executing simultaneous analytical processes.
The fundamental operation of an EWoD device is illustrated in the sectional image of FIG. 8. The EWoD 200 includes a cell filled with an oil 202 and at least one aqueous droplet 204. In a basic configuration, as shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of propulsion electrodes 205 are disposed on one substrate and an singular top electrode 206 is disposed on the opposing surface. The cell additionally includes hydrophobic coatings 207 on the surfaces contacting the oil layer, as well as a dielectric layer 208 between the propulsion electrodes 205 and the hydrophobic coating 207. (The upper substrate may also include a dielectric layer, but it is not shown in FIG. 8). The hydrophobic layer prevents the droplet from wetting the surface. When no voltage differential is applied between adjacent electrodes, the droplet will maintain a spheroidal shape to minimize contact with the hydrophobic surfaces (oil and hydrophobic layer). Because the droplets do not wet the surface, they are less likely to contaminate the surface or interact with other droplets except when that behavior is desired. When a voltage differential is applied between adjacent electrodes, the voltage on one electrode attracts opposite charges in the droplet at the dielectric-to-droplet interface, and the droplet moves toward this electrode.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, EWoD devices typically comprise two parallel substrates; however, some EWoD devices may include a single bottom substrate comprising the array of propulsion electrodes that are coated with the layer of hydrophobic material. Typically, when the voltage is turned off in either dual substrate or single substrate EWoD devices, the sample droplets drift from their location on the array of propulsion electrodes. The force causing the drift may be gravity, flow, or other small forces. A current solution to maintaining the droplets in place is by applying a continuous low voltage holding force to hold the droplet in a desired location during operation. Using a continuous low addressing voltage requires constant actuation and will be dependent on the dielectric used. The use of constant actuation, however, may be disadvantageous because over time the constant voltage may degrade the EWoD device or the biological sample present in the droplet. It is also energy inefficient to constantly apply voltage to a droplet when an operation is not being performed on the sample. Thus, there is a need for an improved EWoD device capable of temporarily pinning a droplet in a desired location on the array that does not require a constant application of voltage.

Microfluidic devices containing reversibly pinned droplet samples and methods


A method and system for actuating an internal combustion engine exhaust valve to provide compression release actuation during an engine braking mode of engine operation and early exhaust valve opening actuation during a positive power mode of engine operation is disclosed. The system may include a first cam having a compression release lobe and an early exhaust valve opening lobe connected to a hydraulic lost motion system including a first rocker arm. A hydraulically actuated piston may be selectively extended from the hydraulic lost motion system to provide the exhaust valve with compression release actuation or early exhaust valve opening actuation. The hydraulically actuated piston may be provided as a slave piston in a master-slave piston circuit in a fixed housing, or alternatively, as a hydraulic piston slidably disposed in a rocker arm. The method and system may further provide exhaust gas recirculation and/or brake gas recirculation in combination with compression release actuation and early exhaust valve opening actuation.

Internal combustion engines typically use either a mechanical, electrical or hydro-mechanical valve actuation system to actuate the engine valves. These systems may include a combination of camshafts, rocker arms and push rods that are driven by the engine's crankshaft rotation. When a camshaft is used to actuate the engine valves, the timing of the valve actuation may be fixed by the size and location of the lobes on the camshaft.
For each 360 degree rotation of the camshaft, the engine completes a full cycle made up of four strokes, i.e., expansion, exhaust, intake, and compression. Both the intake and exhaust valves may be closed, and remain closed, during most of the expansion stroke, when the piston is traveling away from the cylinder head and the volume between the cylinder head and the piston head is increasing. During positive power operation, fuel is burned during the expansion stroke and positive power is delivered by the engine. The expansion stroke ends at the bottom dead center (BDC) point, at which time the piston reverses direction. The exhaust valve may be opened for a main exhaust event prior to BDC. A lobe on the camshaft may be synchronized to open the exhaust valve for the main exhaust event as the piston travels upward and forces combustion gases out of the cylinder. Near the end of the exhaust stroke, another lobe on the camshaft may open the intake valve for the main intake event at which time the piston travels away from the cylinder head. The intake valve closes and the intake stroke ends when the piston is near bottom dead center. Both the intake and exhaust valves are closed as the piston again travels upward for the compression stroke.
The main intake and main exhaust valve events are required for positive power operation of an internal combustion engine. Additional auxiliary valve events, while not required, may be desirable. For example, it may be desirable to actuate the intake and/or exhaust valves during positive power or other engine operation modes for compression-release engine braking, bleeder engine braking, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), brake gas recirculation (BGR), or other auxiliary intake and/or exhaust valve events.
With respect to auxiliary valve events, flow control of exhaust gas through an internal combustion engine has been used in order to provide vehicle engine braking. One or more exhaust valves may also be selectively opened to convert, at least temporarily, the engine into an air compressor for engine braking operation. This air compressor effect may be accomplished by either opening one or more exhaust valves near piston top dead center position for compression-release type braking, or by maintaining one or more exhaust valves in a relatively constant cracked open position during much or all of the piston motion, for bleeder type braking. In both types of braking, the engine may develop a retarding force that may be used to help slow a vehicle down. This braking force may provide the operator with increased control over the vehicle, and may also substantially reduce the wear on the service brakes. Compression-release type engine braking has been long known and is disclosed in Cummins, U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,392 (November 1965), which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Generally, engine braking systems may control the flow of exhaust gas to incorporate the principles of compression-release braking, bleeder braking, exhaust gas recirculation, and/or brake gas recirculation. During compression-release engine braking, the exhaust valves may be selectively opened to convert, at least temporarily, a power producing internal combustion engine into a power absorbing air compressor. As a piston travels upward during its compression stroke, the gases that are trapped in the cylinder may be compressed. The compressed gases may oppose the upward motion of the piston. As the piston approaches the top dead center position, at least one exhaust valve may be opened to release the compressed gases in the cylinder to the exhaust manifold, preventing the energy stored in the compressed gases from being returned to the engine on the subsequent expansion down-stroke. In doing so, the engine may develop retarding power to help slow the vehicle down.
During bleeder engine braking, in addition to, and/or in place of, the main exhaust valve event, which occurs during the exhaust stroke of the piston, the exhaust valve(s) may be held slightly open during the remaining three engine cycles (full-cycle bleeder brake) or during a portion of the remaining three engine cycles (partial-cycle bleeder brake). The bleeding of cylinder gases in and out of the cylinder may act to retard the engine. Usually, the initial opening of the braking valve(s) in a bleeder braking operation is in advance of the compression top dead center, i.e., early valve actuation, and then lift is held constant for a period of time. As such, a bleeder type engine brake may require lower force to actuate the valve(s) due to early valve actuation, and generate less noise due to continuous bleeding instead of the rapid blow-down of a compression-release type brake.
Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems may allow a portion of the exhaust gases to flow back into the engine cylinder during positive power operation. EGR may be used to reduce the amount of NO created by the engine during positive power operations. An EGR system can also be used to control the pressure and temperature in the exhaust manifold and engine cylinder during engine braking cycles. Generally, there are two types of EGR systems, internal and external. External EGR systems recirculate exhaust gases back into the engine cylinder through an intake valve(s). Internal EGR systems recirculate exhaust gases back into the engine cylinder through an exhaust valve(s) and/or an intake valve(s).
Brake gas recirculation (BGR) systems may allow a portion of the exhaust gases to flow back into the engine cylinder during engine braking operation. Recirculation of exhaust gases back into the engine cylinder during the intake stroke, for example, may increase the mass of gases in the cylinder that are available for compression-release braking. As a result, BGR may increase the braking effect realized from the braking event.
Many different actuation systems may be used to selectively actuate engine valves to produce brake gas recirculation and compression-release events. One known type of actuation system is a lost motion system, described in the above-referenced Cummins patent. Another example of a lost motion system for variable valve actuation is disclosed in Vanderpoel, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,152,576 (Dec. 26, 2006), which is hereby incorporated by reference. An example of a system with primary and offset actuator rocker arms for engine valve actuation is disclosed in Janak, et al., U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0005796 (Jan. 12, 2006), which is hereby incorporated by reference.
In many internal combustion engines, the intake and exhaust valves may be actuated by fixed profile cams, and more specifically, by one or more fixed lobes or bumps that are an integral part of each cam. The cams may include a lobe for each valve event that the cam is responsible for providing. The size and shape of the lobes on the cam may dictate the valve lift and duration which result from the lobe. For example, an exhaust cam profile for a system may include a lobe for a brake gas recirculation event, a lobe for a compression-release event, and a lobe for a main exhaust event.
It may also be desirable to increase the exhaust back pressure in the exhaust manifold during engine braking. Higher exhaust back pressure may increase gas mass and pressure in the engine cylinder available for engine braking, and thereby increase braking power. Increased exhaust back pressure, however, may undesirably increase the force required to open the exhaust valve for a compression-release event because the opening force applied to the exhaust valve must exceed the increased pressure in the engine cylinder resulting from the increased exhaust back pressure. To some extent the increased exhaust back pressure may also increase the pressure applied to the back of the exhaust valve, which may counter-balance the increased pressure in the cylinder and thus reduce the loading on the exhaust valve opening mechanism used for the compression-release event.
Increasing the pressure of gases in the exhaust manifold may be accomplished by restricting the flow of gases through the exhaust manifold. Exhaust manifold restriction may be accomplished through the use of any structure that may, upon actuation, restrict all or partially all of the flow of exhaust gases through the exhaust manifold. The exhaust restrictor may be in the form of an exhaust engine brake, a turbocharger, a variable geometry turbocharger, a variable geometry turbocharger with a variable nozzle turbine, and/or any other device which may limit the flow of exhaust gases.
Exhaust brakes generally provide restriction by closing off all or part of the exhaust manifold or pipe, thereby preventing the exhaust gases from escaping. This restriction of the exhaust gases may provide a braking effect on the engine by providing a back pressure when each cylinder is on the exhaust stroke. For example, Meneely, U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,289 (Jul. 18, 1989); Schaefer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,027 (Aug. 29, 2000); Israel, U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,474 (Jan. 9, 2001); Kinerson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,096 (Jan. 30, 2001); and Anderson et al., U.S. Pat. Appl. Pub. No. US 2003/0019470 (Jan. 30, 2003) disclose exhaust brakes for use in retarding engines.
Turbochargers may similarly restrict exhaust gas flow from the exhaust manifold. Turbochargers often use the flow of high pressure exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold to power a turbine. A variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) may alter the amount of the high pressure exhaust gases that it captures in order to drive a turbine. For example, Arnold et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,642 (Aug. 7, 2001) discloses a variable geometry turbocharger where the amount of exhaust gas restricted is varied by modifying the angle and the length of the vanes in a turbine. An example of the use of a variable geometry turbocharger in connection with engine braking is disclosed in Faletti et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,231 (Sep. 29, 1998), Faletti et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,793 (Nov. 21, 2000), and Ruggiero et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,017 (Mar. 15, 2005), which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Over the years there have been improvements to lost motion systems for engine braking and there continues to be a need for improvements as technology evolves and new problems are discovered. Improvements are needed for many reasons, including providing a mechanically-driven exhaust main event for cold start and failsafe modes, meeting loading limits, (e.g., cam Hertz stress), avoiding separation and impact loading between cams and rollers, avoiding bridge tilt, meeting exhaust valve seating velocity limits, and protecting against valve-piston contact. There is a risk of valve-piston contact in many electronically-controlled variable valve actuation (VVA) systems. For example, lost motion VVA systems that provide early valve opening and spill oil near peak lifts have an increased risk of valve piston contact if the spill does not function, which may occur, for example, due to a clogged spill port or a broken valve spring. The valve/cam lift ratio of a rocker-actuated VVA system is more limited by the valve-train layout than that of a master-slave system, where the valve/cam lift ratio is governed by hydraulic piston diameters.

Lost motion variable valve actuation system for engine braking and early exhaust opening


An apparatus comprising a storage medium and a communicatively coupled processor are presented. The storage medium has stored therein a plurality of executable instructions which, when executed, implement an information server which, upon receiving a request including a resource identifier for an information page that may or may not exist, constructs and issues commands to retrieve the requested information and dynamically generates instructions to create the requested information page for provision to a requesting client if the information page does not exist.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data processing over data networks and, in particular, to a method, apparatus and system for improved content management and delivery.
2. Background Information
As computer technology has evolved, so too has the use of data networks to communicatively couple computer systems together enabling them to communicate with one another. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that data networks may be configured in a number of alternative network topologies, employing any number of alternative communication protocols. From small peer-to-peer networks, to local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN) and enterprise networks (sometimes referred to as an intranet), to global data networks. One of the more popular of such global data networks is colloquially referred to as the Internet, an Internetworking of governmental, educational and commercial networks and servers throughout the world.
Once the domain of scholars and computer researchers, the introduction and acceptance of the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) associated with the World Wide Web (WWW) initiative effectively opened the Internet to anyone with an appropriately configured computer system. With the increased accessibility brought about with the WWW, data networks such as the Internet have evolved into a limitless collection of information for those with the computer savvy to access them.
One of the criticisms of the Internet, in particular, is that the wealth of information that is theoretically available on the Internet is not easily identified and retrieved by a typical user. Until recently, this difficulty in accessing the eclectic collection of information available on the Internet has not really been a problem, as many netizens1 rely on search engines and the like to locate information of interest. Simplistically speaking, search engines search the meta-tags and text of a number of web pages in an effort to identify the information of interest. Until recently, the use of such search engines has proven acceptable as a means of identifying information on the web. 1Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a new vocabulary has evolved to describe the evolving sociology of the Internet, wherein a netizen is a citizen on the Internet, i.e., an Internet user.
Recently, however, the Internet has evolved to support electronic commerce, sometimes referred to as e-commerce. Electronic commerce sites on, for example, the Internet are presented in the form of publicly accessible web pages which place the stock, availability and pricing information of their products online. A typical e-commerce site may be thought of as being comprised of at least two parts, a first part which is comprised of the HTML document to create the graphical user interface (GUI) on the Internet, and a second part comprised of a database housing the product information, i.e., stock/availability, and pricing information. The GUI front end provides the user with a means of searching for product information, stock or availability, and pricing by entering search terms or a query list, which is then used to access and retrieve the appropriate information from the database for display to the user. Accordingly, it typically requires at least two searches, often more, to identify the particular information of interest on the Internet. This makes it difficult, at best, for many netizens to find product information as it is often buried in databases hidden from search engines. One solution to make product information more readily accessible is to forego the product databases and have programmers generate HTML code for dedicated web pages for each product. One drawback of such a solution, however, is that substantial investments have been made to put together the current product databases. To simply forego using current product databases would be a costly solution, not to mention the substantial cost of generating dedicated web pages for each product. However, companies staking their commercial success on the e-commerce business paradigm will attest that the current difficulty conducting e-commerce is resulting in lost opportunity and unrealized profit for many e-commerce sites.
Thus, an improved method, apparatus and system for identifying, managing and delivering information content, e.g., product information, is required, unencumbered by the deficiencies and inherent limitations commonly associated with data networks and the network devices of the prior art. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, from the description to follow, that the present invention achieves these and other desired results.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method, apparatus and system for improved content management and delivery


A method and system for detecting wind noise are adapted to determine whether two of a plurality of sound signals acquired by a plurality of sound receiving units include wind noise. The method includes the following steps: (a) transforming the two sound signals to their corresponding digitized sound signals including a plurality of sound frames; (b) calculating a correlation coefficient of each pair of the corresponding sound frames from the two digitized sound signals; (c) subtracting one of the digitized sound signals from the other, and transforming the resultant digitized sound signal to frequency domain; (d) selecting a frequency bin in frequency domain for each of the sound frames to serve as a frequency boundary, and calculating a dB difference, a low-frequency energy decay factor, and a low-frequency ripple number of each of the sound frames according to the frequency boundary; and (e) determining whether the correlation coefficient, the dB difference, the low-frequency energy decay factor, and the low-frequency ripple number of a respective sound frame comply with a predetermined determination rule, the two sound signals being determined to include wind noise if affirmative.

For hearing impaired persons, the use of hearing aids can amplify ambient sounds to effectively help them hear the ambient sounds clearly. This is of great assistance to those hearing impaired persons in living and learning. However, although modern hearing aids are compact and are convenient to carry, hearing aids still cannot process sounds as precisely as the human ears, which can filter out annoying noise, such as wind noise caused by blowing wind. Generally speaking, when wind blows against the hearing aid, the hearing aid will amplify the sound of the wind as it is designed to, thereby producing a very loud noise. Such unexpected noise often causes much discomfort to the user. Therefore, three conventional techniques have been proposed to alleviate the problem of wind noise.
In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US20040161120A1, entitled "Device and Method for Detecting Wind Noise," there is disclosed a method to avoid the aforesaid problem. As disclosed in said patent publication, two input signals are transmitted to a low-pass filter, and computation results of a cross correlation function and an auto-correlation function of the filtered signals are compared to detect the presence of wind noise. However, since the method disclosed in the aforesaid publication is used to detect whether signals in a fixed low-frequency distribution are low-correlated, and is not only directed to wind noise, the effect is quite unsatisfactory. This is because there are many other noises belonging to such low-correlated signals in the fixed low-frequency distribution, e.g., non-voiced speech and ambient noise in a closed room.
In addition, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,741,714B2 "Hearing Aid with Adaptive Matching of Input Transducers," there is disclosed a hearing aid device that includes a plurality of input transducers, where the input transducers have a directional characteristic under normal conditions. When one of the input transducers receives wind noise, all of the input transducers will be switched from the directional characteristic to an omni-directional characteristic so as to reduce the effect of wind noise. One of the ways to detect the presence of wind noise is to determine whether a plurality of input transducer signals at a given time point have the same sign and from that time on measure the occurrence number of these input transducer signals having opposite signs at each time point within a time interval. If the occurrence number is greater than a threshold value, a wind signal is determined. This method determines wind noise based on whether the plurality of input transducer signals have the same sign. However, since the characteristic of wind noise is not absolutely like this, the result is not accurate.
Furthermore, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,736B2 "Method for Operating a Hearing Aid or Hearing Aid System, and a Hearing Aid and Hearing Aid System," another method for detecting wind noise is disclosed. The concept of said patent is to calculate the correlation of a plurality of input signals by subtracting one input signal from another input signal. The higher the correlation between the signals is, the smaller the average value of the results after subtraction will be. If the average value is greater than a threshold value, this indicates the presence of wind noise. Since said patent determines the correlation of the input signals merely with simple calculations, wind noise cannot be accurately detected.
All of the three above-mentioned prior art techniques fail to accurately detect wind noise and may mistake other types of noise for wind noise, thereby incurring incorrect processing. Therefore, there is a need for a solution.

Method and system for identifying audible noise as wind noise in a hearing aid apparatus


The present invention relates to compounds of formula (Ia), (Ib) or (Ic):

Allergic inflammatory conditions are largely the manifestation of binding of allergen specific IgE to high affinity IgE receptors (FcεRI) on mast cells and basophils. FcεRI cross linking by allergen-IgE complexes results in degranulation and the subsequent release of preformed acute inflammatory mediators (e.g. histamine, tryptase), de novo synthesized arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites (e.g. leukotriene LTC4, prostaglandin D2) and a range of cytokines and chemokines. The acute mediators and AA metabolites result in the early phase allergic response (EAR), characterized by increased vascular permeability, smooth muscle contraction, and the initial influx of inflammatory cells. The late phase allergic response (LAR) is characterized by cytokine- and chemokine-mediated activation and recruitment of additional inflammatory cells (eosinophils, macrophages, T cells). Inhibition of mast cell and basophil degranulation therefore represents an effective approach to the treatment of allergic inflammatory disorders such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, food allergy, allergic conjunctivitis and allergic skin diseases.
Spleen Tyrosine Kinase (SYK) is a non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase of 72 KD, which regulates FcεRI and FcγR signaling in mast cells and basophils and is widely expressed in a variety of inflammatory cells. SYK is upstream of the signaling cascades which regulate calcium flux and gene transcription, and is therefore essential for the production and secretion of both early and late allergic inflammatory mediators in response to allergen-IgE complexes. The critical role of SYK in regulating the degranulatory response is supported by the following observations: (i) SYK−/− murine mast cells fail to produce histamine, LTC4 and TNFα when stimulated through FcεRI; (ii) 10-20% of humans have a "non releaser" basophil phenotype in which these cells fail to degranulate in response to IgE crosslinking; this is due to a cell lineage-restricted and reversible SYK deficiency and (iii) small molecule SYK inhibitors dose-dependently block acute mediator and cytokine release from human mast cells.
There is therefore a need to provide novel inhibitors of SYK which have therapeutic potential in the treatment of allergic conditions and diseases.

Substituted pyrimidine-5-carboxamides as spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Abstract: to pharmaceutically acceptable salts therefore and to pharmaceutically acceptable solvates of said compounds and salts, wherein the substituents are defined herein; to compositions containing such compounds; and to the uses of such compounds in the treatment of various diseases, particularly asthma, COPD, allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, rosacea, alopecia, allergic conjunctivitis and dry eye disease.


A file holder and organizer is provided that can be used in either a horizontal or vertical direction. The file holder contains at least one removable partition and unitary body constructed of a material suitable for folding to provide the body for the file holder.

This invention relates to a file holder and organizer that is adapted to be used in either a horizontal direction or in a vertical direction. More particularly, it relates to a file holder constructed of fiberboard which is easy to assemble by the consumer.
An increasing number of people maintain an office at their home or are establishing small businesses. Because of this increase, that is an expanding need for inexpensive office products. One item is a file holder.
There are numerous types of file holders, including metal file cabinets and the like. These types of holders, however, are heavy, bulky, and difficult to transport. Accordingly, there is a need for a lightweight file holder.
In addition, there is an increasing awareness of the need to protect the environment, particularly by recycling. The file holder of the present invention solves these needs by providing a file holder preferably constructed of fiberboard that can be recycled.
The fiberboard file holder shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is presently being manufactured. This file holder, however, is constructed from three separated pieces of fiberboard. In addition, the ends of the body of this file holder, as shown in FIG. 2, must be glued or adhered thereby increasing the manufacturing steps. In contrast, the file holder of the present invention is constructed from only two pieces including a unitary body fiberboard cut-out. Thus, the file holder of the present invention is easier to assemble, uses less fiberboard, and accordingly reduces the amount of waste produced in manufacturing the file holder. In addition, unlike metal file cabinets and the like, the file holder of the present invention can be used to contain and organize files and other materials in either a horizontal or a vertical direction.


A linear side emitter, a backlight system and a liquid crystal display using the same are provided. The linear side emitter includes a plurality of LED chips, a bottom portion, a reflecting surface, and side surfaces. The LED chips arranged in a line on the bottom portion. The reflecting surface is disposed above the bottom portion and reflects light exiting the LED chips. The side surfaces are formed at both sides of the LED chip array line and transmit light is reflected by the reflecting surface and light reflected by the reflecting surface and then reflected by the bottom portion. The side surfaces each have at least one bend formed therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear side emitter, a backlight system, and a liquid crystal display using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) is a type of flat panel display. An LCD is not a self-luminant display but rather utilizes external incident light from. A backlight system may be installed behind an LCD to irradiate light.
Backlight systems are classified as either direct light type systems or edge light type systems. Direct light type backlight systems directly irradiate light to a liquid crystal panel, where the light is emitted from light sources disposed directly below an LCD. Edge light type backlight systems transfer light, which is emitted from a light source installed at a side of a light guide panel (LGP), to a liquid crystal panel.
Direct light type backlight systems may use a light emitting diode (LED), which emits Lambertian light, as a point light source.
In direct light type backlight systems which use LEDs as point light sources, a plurality of LEDs are arranged in a 2-dimensional array. Specifically, the LEDs are aligned in a plurality of rows and columns.
Light emitted by the LEDs is diffused by a diffusing plate and the diffused light is irradiated on a liquid crystal panel. In order to prevent colored light from the LED array from appearing at the top portion of the diffusing plate, it is necessary to laterally transmit the light emitted from the LED array so that the light is incident on the diffusing plate.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional side emitting LED disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,621.
Referring to FIG. 1, because the conventional side emitting LED uses a side emitter 1, Lambertian light emitted from an LED chip (not shown) with a given area can travel laterally through the side emitter 1. The side emitter 1 includes a funnel-shaped reflecting surface 3 inclined with respect to a central axis C′, a first refracting surface 5 inclined with respect to the central axis C′ to refract light reflected by the reflecting surface 3, and a second convex refracting surface 7 formed between a bottom surface 9 and the first refracting surface 5.
Light emitted by the LED array enters the side emitter 1. Light irradiated on the reflecting surface 3, inside the side emitter 1, is reflected by the reflecting surface 3. The reflected light is then transmitted laterally by the first refracting surface 5. Also, light transmitted toward the second convex refracting surface 7 in the side emitter 1 is transmitted laterally by the second refracting surface 7.
Since conventional side emitting LEDs laterally transmit light emitted by the LED chips, a side emitting LED array can also be used in direct light type backlight systems.
However, when conventional side emitting LEDs are used as point light sources, it is necessary to increase the distance between neighboring side emitting LEDs so as to sufficiently diffuse light emitted by the side emitting LED due to the large size of the side emitter 1. For example, when an LED chip emits Lambertian light in an area of 1 mm×1 mm, a gap between two neighboring side emitting LEDs should be larger than 10 mm.
This larger gap causes an increase in the thickness of the backlight system. This is because the mixing distance for producing uniform white light must be increased as the gap becomes larger.

Linear side emitter, backlight system and liquid crystal display using the same


A blended yolk composition is disclosed comprised of a fat, an emulsifier and an aqueous component, at least one of the fat and the aqueous component containing a chicken-type flavoring. The yolk composition can be used in baking or combined with egg white, a modified egg white or a simulated egg white to produce a simulated blended whole poultry egg composition.. Alternatively the yolk composition may utilize a modified yolk, such as decholesterolized yolk. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the compositions.

Liquid egg substitute products have recently demonstrated increasing consumer acceptance. The primary benefit of these products is reduced fat, cholesterol and calories. Typical modified liquid poultry egg and simulated egg products suffer a variety of deficiencies when compared to natural poultry egg preparations particularly in organoleptic qualities, i.e., taste, aroma, mouth feel, texture and flavor. In particular, such products tend to be somewhat thick and grainy, and, when cooked, tend to be somewhat soft, fluffy or otherwise physically abnormal. Moreover, such products are typically deficient in functional parity compared to scrambled eggs and products made from poultry eggs.
In addition to the foregoing, microbiological stability before and during storage has been and continues to be a problem for liquid, modified, simulated and poultry egg compositions and products. A significant consideration of such products is that liquid poultry eggs and consequently products made therefrom contain differing degrees of microbial contaminants (such as salmonella) which can cause spoilage and illness. There are additional risks of cross-contamination upon mixing, processing and handling. Pasteurization processes retard bacterial spoilage for up to about 72 hours. Most liquid egg and egg products require frozen storage and defrosting prior to use. Despite freezing, some bacterial problems have persisted in those products.
Frozen egg replacement products are difficult for consumers to locate in stores and require thawing prior to use. In addition, if improperly stored, these products have a relatively high risk of bacterial spoilage.
Whether prepared for consumer or institutional use, various egg products have been pasteurized and dried. The drying usually is accomplished by spray drying, although in some instances the egg material is dried in a thin layer in a pan. The dried material may be ground to a powder of uniform consistency.
Poultry egg yolk is of greater commercial value than poultry egg white because the yolk contains the greatest nutrient value. It behaves as an emulsifier and may be used with or without egg white in various prepared foods such as pastries, cake mixes, souffles, sauces and pasta products. The modified and simulated liquid poultry egg compositions of the present invention are organoleptically, textually and functionally very similar to liquid poultry egg compositions and products made therefrom. Products of this invention are improved in keeping quality over ordinary liquid poultry egg compositions and do not necessarily contain cholesterol. They may also be reduced in fat and/or calories over ordinary poultry eggs.
This invention relates to simulated and liquid poultry egg products, products which ordinarily contain natural poultry eggs and products which ordinarily utilize yolks or blended whole poultry eggs such as scrambled eggs, egg patties, tube eggs, french toast batter, mayonnaise, souffles, omelets, hollandaise sauce, pancakes, waffles, pastries, egg nog and such.
As used herein, the term "modified" refers to compositions which contain components of natural egg in relatively large amounts, which have been treated to reduce the levels of fat and/or cholesterol contained therein, reduce or increase the viscosity of the product, or otherwise treated to affect the organoleptic or functional quality.
The term "simulated" refers to those products which do not contain a substantial quantity of a natural egg component in the composition.
For example, a yolk composition which contains a high concentration of decholesterolized natural yolk is referred to as a modified composition, whereas a yolk composition containing essentially no natural yolk is referred to as a simulated yolk composition.
The composition described herein can be used in place of natural poultry yolk, such as in baking, as well as in a blended composition containing the yolk composition and additional ingredients which when blended together with the yolk composition, simulate scrambled egg or a batter which is used as described above to simulate blended whole eggs.
Products produced in accordance with this invention may include poultry egg white, yolk or combinations thereof, as well as defatted, decholesterolized or otherwise modified natural egg components.
During processing, free glucose may be removed from the egg material by the action of bacteria, yeast or enzymes. Also, it may be desirable to stabilize the egg material or otherwise alter its physical properties. The resulting egg material may be stable in its dry form or may be preserved by refrigeration or freezing.
Compositions produced in accordance with the present invention resolve these organoleptic and functional problems, and are microbiologically more stable. After packaging, the compositions produced according to the invention may be frozen or simply refrigerated. When carefully processed and packaged, products can be made to provide extended keeping even when stored at room temperature.
One problem which has vexed egg substitutes prior to this invention is texture. They tend to have an unnatural fluffy, spongy or grainy consistency as described above.
When prepared using a microwave oven poultry and simulated poultry eggs become degraded organoleptically and cook unevenly. If slightly undercooked, there may be free running raw product mixed with cooked portions which may be somewhat rubbery. If overcooked, there may be a mixture of rubbery and even burnt portions in an abnormal chewy mass.
Products prepared from the present invention, whether provided in raw or pre-cooked form, substantially overcome these problems. Entrees may be made utilizing the composition of the invention which may be freeze thaw cycled numerous times.
When liquid egg products are processed in accordance with the present invention, they may be kept over extended periods of time without producing "off" flavors.
One object of the present invention is to provide modified and simulated poultry egg compositions which have substantially the same consistency as ordinary poultry yolk and blended poultry egg compositions, while imparting the same consistency as liquid poultry eggs to preparations and products made therefrom.
An additional object is to provide egg compositions which can be used as substitutes for blended whole poultry eggs or poultry egg yolks, exhibiting the characteristic effects of poultry eggs in preparations and products made therefrom.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a modified or simulated poultry egg composition which does not substantially separate on standing and is easily re-homogenized.
Another object of the invention is to provide a composition which can be employed in place of poultry egg yolk, and can be combined with egg whites or an equivalent thereto to closely simulate blended whole eggs or yolks in commercial food preparations.
An additional object is to provide a liquid modified, simulated poultry egg composition which is functionally equivalent to natural poultry egg and/or egg yolk, imparting the same or similar benefits to preparations when used as an ingredient.
Another object of the invention is to provide a simulated poultry egg yolk composition which contains essentially no poultry egg material.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a process for making simulated poultry egg compositions which are economical to use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide liquid modified and simulated poultry egg compositions as well as products containing such compositions which may be readily microwaved without noticeable substantial diminution in quality.
Another object of the invention is to provide liquid modified and simulated poultry egg compositions and products which are freeze/thaw stable whether raw or pre-cooked.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and the product produced therefrom, which are safe to prepare and eat after packaging and storage for extended periods of time.
The foregoing objects can be accomplished by producing liquid, modified and simulated poultry egg and/or yolk compositions and products made therefrom that can be used as poultry yolk and blended whole egg substitutes to provide simulated and modified scrambled eggs, poached eggs, tube eggs, yolk for use in baking, pasta, pastry, omelets, french toast batter, pancakes, waffles, egg nog, mayonnaise, sauces, souffles and the like.

Modified and simulated liquid poultry egg products and methods of making the same


A method for carrying out and verifying substitution and/or adjustments of mechanical components in an automatic packaging machine (1) during the size change over, said machine (1) being equipped with a computerized unit (UCC, 2, D) for verifying and storing instructions related to the operations necessary to change over the size of the articles being processed. The operations include substitution of specific mechanical components and/or adjustment of the spatial positioning of specific mechanical components. Information elements relevant to the size change over are stored in the unit (UCC, 2D) and are recalled and transferred to a palm-size computer (3, E).

Generally, when the size is to be changed in an automatic packaging machine, such as e.g. automatic machine for packaging articles into card-board boxes or the like, to which the present description will make explicit reference without losing its universality, some mechanical components or parts thereof must be absolutely substituted with others, whose dimensions allow to work with new articles to be packaged and/or with new boxes, while other components must be regulated/adjusted to the new positions, in order to suit to the new dimensions or shapes of the new articles and/or new boxes.
The above operations of substituting and/or adjusting of the mechanical components of the packaging machine are performed when the machine is off-work, and are usually quite complex, which results in the need of specialized staff.
Moreover, the substituting and/or adjusting operations must be performed in a sequence, which is well-determined in relation to different components to be substituted/adjusted, and usually is defined according to precise procedures contained in the packaging machine operation manual.
The operation manual also includes tables with identifying codes of new mechanical components which should replace the old ones, and which should be adjusted subsequently, so that they are easily found in the magazine.
The manual contains also tables with the values of new positions for each component which is only to be adjusted.
Therefore, during the size change over, the operator must only make constant reference to the sequence defined in the manual, and first of all, he/she must make constant reference to and remember the tables with the new identifying codes and the new positioning values.
In order to facilitate the size change over operations, in the current packaging machines the information related to the working sequence and to the tables of values contained in the manual, is stored in central control units (PLC or PC of the machine) of the packaging machines and thus it can be visualized on outer displays connected to the central units and fastened to the machine carrying structures.
The size change over procedures currently used require a lot of time, not only due to the complexity of the substitution and adjustment operations, but mainly because the operator must constantly consult the manual of the packaging machine, or anyway he/she must constantly make reference to the information visualized on the display of the machine central control unit.
Moreover, the above procedure in practice is not reliable, because adjustment errors of a mechanical component may occur if the operator forgets the exact new positioning value, or a component can be substituted with an incorrect one, if the operator erroneously interprets and memorizes the component identifying code written in the manual or visualized on the central control unit display.
Such errors result in an immediate stopping of the packaging machine, and in some serious cases, like for example in case of substitution of erroneous mechanical component, they can cause considerable damages to the machine.

Method for carrying out a size change over in a packaging machine


An airfoil with turning flow comprises a first surface, a second surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The first and second surfaces extend from the leading edge to a trailing edge. A chord extends from a midpoint of the leading edge to a midpoint of the trailing edge, defining a duct angle of at least fifteen degrees with respect to a turbine axis. An axial length of the chord defines an aspect ratio of at most one with respect to an average radial span of the leading and trailing edges. In a region of the trailing edge, an axial angle is at most four degrees and a circumferential angle is at most ten degrees, where the circumferential angle is defined in a direction opposite the turning flow.

This invention relates generally to airfoils for gas turbine engines, and specifically to turbine vane airfoils. In particular, the invention concerns a turbine vane airfoil configured for turning flow, for example in a transition duct region between high and low pressure section of the turbine.
The gas turbine engine is a power generation system built around a compressor, a combustor and a turbine, which are arranged in flow series with a forward (upstream) inlet and an aft (downstream) exhaust. The compressor compresses air from the inlet, which is mixed with fuel in the combustor and ignited to produce hot combustion gases that drive the turbine, and then are exhausted downstream. Compressed air is also utilized to cool downstream engine components, particularly turbine and exhaust parts exposed to hot working fluid flow.
The turbine is coupled to the compressor via a common shaft or, in larger-scale designs, via a series of coaxially nested shaft spools. Each spool operates at a different pressure and rotational speed, and employs a number of different stages comprised of alternating rotor blades and stator vanes. The rotor blades and stator vanes (generically, "turbine blades") have airfoil surfaces configured to compress incoming air from the inlet, and to extract rotational energy from the hot working fluid in the turbine.
In ground-based industrial gas turbines, power output is typically provided in the form of rotational energy, which is transferred to a shaft and used to drive a rotating mechanical load such as an electrical generator. Because weight is not as great a factor in ground-based applications, industrial gas turbines can be quite large, and utilize complex spooling systems for increased efficiency.
In some configurations, the compressor stages are centrifugal, rather than axial-flow, and can be either directly or indirectly coupled to the turbine shafts. Ground-based turbines are also commonly configured for combined-cycle operations, in which additional energy is extracted from the partially-cooled exhaust gas stream, for example by driving a steam turbine.
Aviation applications include turbojet, turbofan and turboshaft engines. Most modem fixed-wing aircraft employ a two- or three-spool turbofan configuration, as opposed to the older turbojet design. Rotary-wing aircraft (i.e., helicopters) typically utilize turboshaft engines, which deliver energy primarily in rotational form. Turbofan engines, on the other hand, drive a forward fan or ducted propeller to generate thrust via a bypass flow directed around the main engine core. Most turbofans are directly driven by the low-pressure spool, but some advanced designs utilize a reduction gearbox for independent speed control, reducing fan noise and increasing efficiency.
Subsonic aircraft typically employ high-bypass turbofans, in which most of the thrust is generated from the bypass flow and the exhaust generates relatively lower specific thrust, as compared to low-bypass turbofans with higher specific thrust. The engine core also provides power for accessory functions such as pneumatics, hydraulics and environmental control, for example via a bleed air system, an electrical generator, or both.
Auxiliary power units (APUs), which are essentially small gas turbine engines, are also utilized for accessory power. Auxiliary power units are variously configured for ground operations, when the main engines are not turning, as emergency in-flight backups, for independent full-time operation, and for combinations thereof.
Low-bypass turbofans tend to be louder and somewhat less fuel efficient than high-bypass designs, but are also more responsive, and are used for supersonic jet fighters and other high-performance applications. Low-bypass turbofans are also commonly configured for afterburning, in which additional fuel is introduced into an augmentor assembly downstream of the turbine, where it is ignited to provide substantially increased maximum thrust. Thrust augmentation is usually limited to short periods of high demand, on account of the increased operational stress and high rate of fuel consumption.
The gas turbine engine is highly adaptable, and also provides reliable and efficient power sources for specialized applications such as hydrocarbon fuel liquification, high-speed marine craft, armored vehicles and even hybrid cars. In each of these applications, performance ultimately rests upon the turbine's ability to precisely control the working fluid flow. As a result, there is a constant need for improved turbine vane designs, including designs which are adaptable to different turbine configurations and working fluid flows, including turning flows in the high- and low-pressure turbine sections, and in the transition regions between these sections.

Turbine vane airfoil with turning flow and axial/circumferential trailing edge configuration


A round boat has a one-piece, open-topped hull having a substantially flat bottom and outwardly concave but substantially vertical sides surmounted by flared gunnels. The concave sides mate with the inner walls of a toroidal-shaped flotation device, such as an inflated bladder, or tube, which fills the concavity and supports the hull. The tube and the hull are substantially coplanar such that cargo and passengers are supported within the toroidal opening of the tube. The tube and hull may be provided with a covering, or sheath, to help protect the tube from unnecessary wear or damage, and to provide means for replaceable decoration or identification. At least one seat is mounted to and projects radially inward from the gunnels to center the weight of a passenger above the hull, thereby increasing stability of the boat with the added weight of each additional passenger. The seat may include a swivel for convenience of movement. Also mounted to the gunnels and projecting radially outward over the tube, motor mount means supports a lateral transom for mounting an outboard motor to serve as both propulsion and steering. A tray projecting inward from the motor mount means includes cavities for small articles such as fishing lures, drinks or navigation equipment. A battery compartment mounted on the hull floor provides propulsion energy. A two-person boat as described is light weight and can be lifted by one person and rolled on its side for loading and unloading. The tube may be deflated for storage.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to water craft generally, and particularly to small, personal, leisure water craft. More particularly, this invention relates to a round, two-person boat having an inner, circular cockpit surrounded by a coplanar, toroidally-shaped floatation means.
2. Description of Related Art
Designs for small water craft generally can be grouped by their propulsion means, hull characteristics, sizes and purposes. Among small, leisure water craft, both flat-bottom boats and those with V-hulls are common, both typically having a distinct fore and aft which may be pointed or squared for mounting a motor. Barges and rafts by contrast usually have substantially squared ends and may or may not have a distinct stem and stern. Barges generally have non-watertight hulls and rely on weight displacement for flotation. Rafts by contrast rely upon the inherent flotation of their components, such as wood, closed-cell foam or air-tight structures such as barrels or rubberized tubes. Water craft design has for centuries explored the limits of these parameters, but a hybrid craft having characteristics of several others would be useful.
Small boats made from readily available flotation materials are common. Most, however, place mats or decks atop the flotation materials, and as a result suffer from several defects. First, they commonly are top-heavy and vertically unstable, having greater mass above the deck than below. Second, they depend heavily upon the integrity of the flotation materials. Should the flotation fail (e.g. an air-tight barrel becoming flooded), the boat will list seriously toward the defective flotation, further compromising stability. Thus, flotation requires constant vigilance and maintenance. A need exists for a hybrid water craft which, in an emergency, can float on its own without flotation material support.
Most personal water craft are large and represent significant storage problems. The typical bass boat, pirogue or flat-bottomed john boat is 10-15 feet long and rather heavy. Many require trailers for transportation, and they occupy considerable real estate during storage. A need exists for a small, personal water craft that easily may be transported and stored.


Computer data is transferred between a CDMA radio access network and a GSM core infrastructure using a switch that acts on the CDMA side as a packet data serving node (PDSN) element and on the GSM side as a serving GPRS service node (SGSN) element. Switching message sequences and protocol stacks are disclosed.

Code division multiple access (CDMA) is a digital wireless technology that inherently has relatively greater bandwidth capacity, i.e., that inherently permits the servicing of more telephone calls per frequency band, than other wireless communication technologies. Moreover, the spread spectrum principles of CDMA inherently provide secure communications. U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307, incorporated herein by reference, sets forth details of a CDMA system, which can be used to transmit both voice calls and non-voice computer data.
Despite the advantages of CDMA, other wireless systems exist that use other principles. For example, in much of the world GSM is used, which employs a version of time division multiple access.
Whether CDMA principles or other wireless principles are used, wireless communication systems can be thought of as having two main components, namely, the wireless radio access network (RAN) and the core infrastructure which communicates with the RAN and with external systems, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN), the Internet (particularly although not exclusively for data calls), etc. The core infrastructures associated with the various wireless technologies can be very expensive, both in terms of hardware and in terms of developing communication protocols to support particularized, typically system-specific call switching, subscription and attendant authentication and call monitoring, and billing. Consequently, the communication protocols of one wireless system (in the case of GSM, GSM protocols, and in the case of CDMA such as cdma2000-1×, IS-41 protocols) may not be compatible with those of another system without expensively prohibitive alterations in the core infrastructure of one system or the other.
From the disclosure above, the present invention recognizes that it would be desirable to enable the use of a CDMA-based RAN, with its attendant advantages, with a GSM-based core infrastructure, because GSM is extant in much of the world. The present invention still further recognizes, in light of the above, the desirability of minimizing if not eliminating the need to modify the communication protocols of the GSM core infrastructure.
Of particular focus in the present invention is the transport of non-voice computer data from a mobile station (MS) to a core infrastructure. In a CDMA system the MS can be a telephone, laptop computer, or other CDMA device that communicates digital data over the CDMA wireless RAN to a CDMA core infrastructure, which includes a packet data serving node (PDSN) that conveys the data to, e.g., the Internet using packet data call procedures that are part of the IS-41 protocols. In a GSM system the MS conveys digital data over the GSM RAN to a GSM core infrastructure. Until GSM begins deployment of so-called wideband CDMA, and even afterward for those service providers who will not be able to use wideband CDMA because of frequency spectrum limitations, the computer data transmission portion of the GSM infrastructure will continue to be a so-called GPRS infrastructure. The GPRS computer data infrastructure includes, for each base station system (BSS) of the GSM RAN, a corresponding serving GPRS service node (SGSN) coupled to a central gateway GPRS service node (GGSN). The SGSN and GGSN cooperate to convey the computer data using GSM protocols. The problem addressed by the present invention is how to transmit computer data using a CDMA RAN in combination with a GSM core infrastructure, without requiring excessive modifications to the GSM core infrastructure.

System and method for data packet transport in hybrid wireless communication system


An input signal composed of a predetermined total number of symbols is supplied to a series circuit of delay units. The input signal and delayed output signals from the delay units are multiplied by coefficients, and the products are added into an equalized output signal. The supplied input signal is transmitted, successively in normal, opposite, and normal directions, through a predetermined number of delay units corresponding to a unit number of symbols which is smaller than the predetermined total number of symbols to delay the input signal successively with those delay units. Each time the input signal is transmitted in the series circuit in one of the directions, an amplitude error of the equalized output signal is detected. In order to minimize the amplitude error, coefficients by which to multiply the input signal and the delayed output signals are calculated depending on the detected amplitude error. Alternatively, the input signal is divided into a plurality of blocks each composed of a predetermined number of symbols, and supplied to the series circuit to produce an equalized output signal of each of the blocks. An error signal is calculated which is composed of the sum of squares of differences between the equalized output signals and a reference signal. The coefficients are calculated depending on the rates of change of the error signal relative to the coefficients.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an equalization method suitable for use in a digital cellular telecommunications system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are known different digital cellular telecommunications systems in which a central switching office (fixed office) and mobile units (automobile telephones) are interconnected by radio waves. One of such digital cellular telecommunications systems is a time-division multiple access system. According to the time-division multiple access system, each channel of 900 MHz bandwidth is allotted six time slots, for example, for signal reception, and in each time slot a signal is received for 20 msec. within a time period of 120 msec. Similarly, six time slots for signal transmission are assigned to each channel, and a signal is transmitted in each time slot. The reference reception carrier frequency and the reference transmission carrier frequency are different from each other.
When a received signal (burst signal) is equalized by an equalizer in the central switching office or the mobile units, since the signal is received in a very short period of time (20 msec. in the above example), a signal portion corresponding to an initial portion of the received signal tends to drop from the equalized output signal from the equalizer. Furthermore, because the mobile unit moves at high speed, the characteristics of the received signal are likely to change abruptly due to Rayleigh fading or frequency-selective fading. Therefore, demodulating such received signal requires an automatic equalizer of quick convergence.
One known algorithm having high-speed convergence characteristics is the RLS (Kalman) algorithm. Since, however, this algorithm requires a vast amount of calculation O(u.sup.2) (u: the number of taps) and high calculation accuracy, it cannot easily be implemented by a digital signal processor (DSP).
Another known algorithm which requires less calculation accuracy and a smaller amount of calculation is the LMS algorithm. However, the LMS algorithm is not suitable for digital mobile telecommunication systems as its convergence speed is low.
The applicant has proposed, in Japanese patent application No. 2-130752, an equalization method (automatic equalization method) for supplying an input signal (burst signal) to a series circuit of plural delay means, multiplying the input signal and delayed output signals from the delay means by coefficients, and adding the products into an equalized output signal. The proposed equalization method comprises the steps of supplying the input signal to the series circuit, transmitting the input signal in a normal direction entirely through the series circuit to delay the input signal successively with the delay means, thereafter transmitting the input signal in an opposite direction through a predetermined number of delay means to delay the input signal successively with the predetermined number of delay means, thereafter transmitting the input signal in the opposite direction entirely through the series circuit to delay the input signal successively with the delay means, thereafter transmitting the input signal in the normal direction entirely through the series circuit to delay the input signal successively with the delay means, detecting an amplitude error of the equalized output signal each time the input signal is transmitted in the series circuit in one of the normal direction, the opposite direction, and the normal direction, and calculating coefficients by which to multiply the input signal and the delayed output signals from the respective delay means, depending on the detected amplitude error, in order to minimize the amplitude error.
However, if the transmission characteristics of the input signal (burst signal) vary, then the proposed equalization method tends to fail to converge, but become divergent.

Equalization method utilizing a delay circuit


A coffee machine (1) for preparing at least a first coffee beverage at a first brewing pressure and at least a second coffee beverage at a second brewing pressure, the second brewing pressure being higher than the first brewing pressure. The coffee machine is provided with a brewing means (5) which is connected via an outlet line (9) to a tap opening (1). A throttle means (12, 112) is provided in the outlet line (9) and is adjustable between a first and a second flow cross-section, the first flow cross-section being greater than the second flow cross-section. To simplify such a coffee machine in a constructionally simple way in terms of control, the throttle means (12, 112) is made adjustable by the action of the brewing pressure.

Such a coffee machine is known from EP 862 883 A. The known coffee machine belongs to those coffee machines that are able to make and dispense at least two different types of coffee beverages, especially coffee beverages of the filter coffee type and coffee beverages of the espresso type. Apart from the use of preferably different types of coffee beans, these two types of coffee beverages differ from one another by a different brewing pressure, the coffee beverages of the filter coffee type being prepared under atmospheric pressure up to a slight overpressure of up to 1.5 bar, whereas coffee beverages of the espresso type need a higher pressure, i.e. one above or even clearly above 1.5 bar to about 7.5 bar. Beverages of the espresso type are only accepted by consumers if they have a very distinct, fine-pored and stable foam layer, the so-called "crema". To this end such coffee beverage that is brewed at an increased pressure is passed in the known coffee machine through a flow path having a reduced cross-section. On the other hand, it is convenient for the consumers when both types of coffee beverages are discharged through the same tap opening, so that the user cannot put the cup or pot under the wrong outlet by mistake. In the known coffee machines, this problem is solved by interposing a device into the outlet line between brewing means and tap opening, said device reducing the outlet cross-section when coffee beverage of the espresso type is brewed, and releasing again the full cross-sectional area of the outlet when coffee beverage of the filter coffee type is brewed. This device is driven in the known coffee machine by a motor which requires additional control efforts.

WMF Wuerttembergische Mettwarenfabrik AG


Armature springs configured to be coupled to and bias an armature of a torque motor valve actuator to a null position are provided. The armature spring comprises a rigid central portion, opposed end portions, and a flexible portion intermediate the rigid central portion and each end portion. The rigid central portion, the opposed end portions, and the flexible portions define a variable cross section torsion bar with the flexible portions comprising reduced cross-sectional portions of the torsion bar relative to the rigid central portion and opposed end portions. Armature assemblies and torque motor valve actuators are also provided.

Torque motor valve actuators are used in myriad systems and environments. For example, many engine air valves associated with an aircraft gas turbine engine are controlled using torque motor valve actuators. No matter the specific end-use system and environment, a conventional torque motor valve actuator includes a plurality of coils, an armature, and a flapper. The coils are controllably energized to control the rotational position of the armature, which is coupled to a valve element, such as a flapper. By controlling the rotational position of the armature, the position of the flapper relative to one or more fluid outlets is controlled and thus fluid pressure and/or flow to a fluid controlled device is controlled.
In many instances, aircraft engine air valves are mounted near the engine. Due to the relatively high temperatures near the engine, the torque motor valve actuators associated with the engine air valves are remotely mounted. This remote mounting can increase the overall cost and complexity of the system. High temperature environments directly impact the power requirements of the torque motor. As the temperature increases, coil resistance increases resulting in increased power demands and higher internal power dissipation. Moreover, because of the high temperatures, conventional vibration damping sources such as rubber O-rings, etc. cannot be used, or used reliably. If there is no or insufficient damping, the valve assemblies and parts thereof (including a torque motor valve actuator and armature assembly) are subject to vibration-induced stresses and may therefore break during operation.
Hence, there is a need for armature assemblies for torque motor valve actuators that can operate in relatively high temperatures and high vibration environments and can be mounted directly to the air valves. The present invention addresses at least these needs.

High-temperature and high-vibration capable armature assemblies for torque motor valve actuators


A motor vehicle has two upper struts, which project forward from a passenger compartment and are arranged above two lower struts, which extend along respective substantially rectilinear axes inclined from the bottom upwards, going forward; the lower struts have respective intermediate portions with such a variation in cross section to define a preferential bending zone; the rear ends of the lower struts are fixed to a cross member connected to the upper struts by means of two connection members, which are substantially vertical and have respective breakable zones designed so as to break when a given load threshold is exceeded; the motor vehicle also has a powertrain connected to the cross member and to the upper struts by means of supports which are distinct from the connection members and are breakable in the event of a front crash.

As is known, the body of motor vehicles is designed to obtain adequate safety for the passengers in the event of accidents. In particular, to sustain the load due to front crashes, longitudinal struts are provided in the front engine compartment of the motor vehicles, the struts having collapsible zones for absorbing energy.
Generally, the front end of the motor vehicle is supported by two main struts and by two lower struts, arranged under the main struts. The rear ends of the two lower struts are connected by a cross member, which supports the front suspensions and the powertrain (defined by the engine and by the gearbox of the motor vehicle).
In the event of front crash at a high speed, there is a need for the powertrain to deform the structure defining the passenger compartment as little as possible, to prevent injuries to the legs of the driver and front passenger in the motor vehicle. There is also a need to minimize the deceleration for the occupants in the passenger compartment. To meet these needs, normally a release system of pyrotechnic type is provided which, in the event of a crash, explodes and causes the release of the cross member, so as to let the powertrain fall.
The need is felt to simplify the solutions of the type described above, by eliminating the pyrotechnic devices for uncoupling the cross member.
Patent EP1361099, which corresponds to the preamble of claim 1, describes a sub-frame which is arranged under the two main struts and which comprises two longitudinal elements, a front cross member and a rear cross member. The two longitudinal elements have a notch which promotes downwards bending thereof when the front end of the motor vehicle is subjected to a front crash of a greater entity than a given threshold. The powertrain is supported by two lateral connection members, each of which is fixed, at the top, to a main strut and, bottomly to a longitudinal element of the sub-frame. The two connection members in EP1361099 have a notch which determines the breaking thereof when the load reaches a specific threshold during the bending of the longitudinal elements of the sub-frame, so as to uncouple the powertrain from the main struts.
The powertrain thus remains constrained only to the sub-frame, which, by bending, moves downwards and drags the powertrain with it.
The drawback of this solution lies in the fact that powertrain assembly is forced to move back together with the sub-frame, during the plastic deformation of the latter, hence there is a risk that it may in any event crash and deform the structure defining the passenger compartment.

Motor vehicle provided with a release system to uncouple a cross member in the engine compartment in the event of a front crash


A hard-coated tool comprising a titanium carbonitride layer formed directly on a WC-based cemented carbide substrate by a chemical vapor deposition method; the titanium carbonitride layer having a composition comprising 74-81% by mass of titanium, 13-16% by mass of carbon and 6-10% by mass of nitrogen; the titanium carbonitride layer having a structure comprising columnar crystal grains having an average transverse cross section diameter of 0.01-0.22 μm; a layer of W diffused from the substrate to the titanium carbonitride layer having an average thickness of 30-200 nm; and the titanium carbonitride layer having an X-ray diffraction peak of a (422) plane in a 2θ range of 122.7-123.7°.

Surface-coated cutting tools having single-layer or multi-layer hard coatings of TiC, TiN, TiCN, Al2O3, etc. on the surfaces of cemented carbide substrates have been conventionally used to cut works. When such surface-coated tool is used to cut difficult-to-cut alloys such as Ni-based heat-resistant alloys such as Inconel (registered trademark), heat-resistant stainless steel, etc., cutting edges are chipped due to the work hardening of difficult-to-cut alloys by cutting; hard coatings are peeled by the repeated detachment of difficult-to-cut alloys seized to the cutting edges; and the substrate matrix are destroyed by the peeling of the hard coatings. Therefore, cutting tools having hard coatings excellent not only in wear resistance but also in chipping resistance are desired.
JP 9-262705 A discloses a coated cutting tool comprising a first layer constituted by a reacted solid solution of TiN having a granular crystal structure and substrate components, and a second layer constituted by a reacted solid solution of columnar crystal TiCN and substrate components, on a WC-based cemented carbide substrate. It has been found, however, that because the TiN film is formed at 920° C. using a starting material gas comprising a TiCl4 gas, a N2 gas, and a H2 gas in JP 9-262705 A, the starting material gas is excessively reacted with the substrate, excessively diffusing W in the substrate, resulting in a brittle layer under the first layer, and thus poor chipping resistance.
Japanese Patent 3503658 discloses a coated cutting tool comprising a lower layer of TiC or TiCN, an intermediate layer of columnar crystal TiCN, and an upper layer of TiC or TiCNO on a WC-based cemented carbide substrate, any of the lower layer, the intermediate layer and the upper layer containing 0.01-6% by mass of Co coming from the substrate. However, because the lower layer, the intermediate layer and the upper layer contain too much Co, the hard coating has low hardness and thus insufficient wear resistance. It has also been found that because Co and W are excessively diffused from the substrate, a brittle layer is formed, resulting in poor chipping resistance.
JP 2011-36988 A discloses a coated cemented carbide tool comprising a first layer (TiC film) and a second layer (columnar crystal TiCN film) formed on a WC-based cemented carbide substrate, the amounts CrL1, CoL1 of Cr and Co diffused from the substrate to the first layer meeting the conditions of 0.1≦CrL1≦0.6 by % by mass, and 0.6≦CrL1/CoL1≦1.6. It has been found, however, that because the first layer of TiC is formed at 930° C. or higher using a starting material gas comprising a TiCl4 gas, a CH4 gas, and a H2 gas in JP 2011-36988 A, substrate components are excessively diffused to the first layer, resulting in poor chipping resistance.
JP 2008-87150 A discloses a coated cutting tool comprising a TiN film; a columnar crystal TiCN film having an average crystal diameter of 0.05-0.5 μm when measured in parallel with the substrate surface, and an X-ray diffraction peak of a (422) plane in a 2θ range of 121.5-122.6° (CuKα); an aluminum oxide film; and a TiN film successively formed on a WC-based cemented carbide substrate. In the columnar crystal TiCN film, C/(C+N) is 0.70-0.90. Because the TiN film is formed directly on the substrate in JP 2008-87150 A, substrate components are largely diffused to the first layer, resulting in poor chipping resistance. Further, because the starting material gas for the columnar crystal TiCN film contains a TiCl4 gas, an CH3CN gas, a H2 gas, and an C2H6 gas, without a N2 gas, fine, columnar TiCN crystal grains do not uniformly grow, but coarse TiCN crystal grains are formed, resulting in poor chipping resistance.
Japanese Patent 4720283 discloses a coated cutting tool comprising a modified titanium carbonitride layer vapor-deposited on a WC-based cemented carbide tool substrate. The modified titanium carbonitride layer comprises a conventional TiCN layer formed on a TiCN film having an average thickness of 0.02-0.5 μm. The starting material gas for the TiCN film comprises TiCl4, C3H6, N2 and H2. When a conventional TiCN layer (thickness: 1 μm) as the first layer and a TiCN film as the second layer were formed directly on the WC-based cemented carbide tool substrate C, the coated cutting tool has a short tool life, because the conventional TiCN film has poor wear resistance and low adhesion to the substrate.
Japanese Patent 4534790 discloses a cutting tool comprising lower and upper layers formed on a substrate, the lower layer being a Ti compound layer (comprising a modified TiCN layer) having an average thickness of 3-20 μm, and the upper layer being a chemical-vapor-deposited aluminum oxide layer having an average thickness of 1-15 μm. The modified TiCN layer is formed by a usual chemical vapor deposition apparatus, using a starting material gas comprising TiCl4, CH3CN, C2H4, N2 and H2, under the conditions of a substrate temperature of 700-750° C. and a pressure of 25-40 kPa. However, the inventors' investigation has revealed that because Japanese Patent 4534790 uses C2H4 having remarkably higher reactivity to a WC-based cemented carbide substrate than the starting material gas (C2H6) in the present invention, W is excessively diffused from the substrate, resulting in poor chipping resistance. It has also been found that because the starting material gas pressure is 25-40 kPa, higher than the starting material gas pressure (5-10 kPa) for the TiCN layer in the present invention, fine columnar TiCN crystal grains do not uniformly grow, but coarse TiCN crystal grains are formed, resulting in poor chipping resistance.

Hard-coated tool and its production method


This disclosure provides a system and method for user interaction in complex web 3D scenes, including a receiving module, a transmission module and a 3D model module. The receiving module receives molecular data. The transmission module analyzes the received molecular data and then enters the two branch modules at the same time. The branch modules include: a view layer unit: processing browser rendering and 3D model construction, the data generated by the branch will finally be presented on the browser page; a data layer unit: processing 3D picking-related business logic, and establishing a list of related model index information for atoms and covalent bonds in molecular data. The 3D model module: establishes a one-to-one correspondence between color and 3D model. This invention simplifies the display model of the molecule for the picking of web 3D molecular visualization and reduces the computational cost of the model data on the rendering.

In the field of chemical research, it is often necessary to have a set of standard description files for molecules (mol format) and crystals (cif format) to facilitate different research organizations and institutions to reach a consensus on chemical molecules or crystals of the same structure. But the data in plain text format such as cif and mol is not conducive to the intuitive observation of the 3D structure of the corresponding chemical structure. Although there is related 3D structure display software in the chemistry field, these client end application is not conducive to popularization and dissemination. With the improvement of modern browser performance and the update of web 3D technology, web 3D tools that can run 3D display and interaction in browser have been developed base on JavaScript-based programming language.
Due to the complex structure of many chemical molecules or crystals, a large amount of data calculations will be needed during 3D rendering, so performance optimization is particularly important. The purpose of this solution is to solve the problems of stuttering and insufficient rendering frame rate caused by time-consuming calculation on the 3D molecular visualization interaction in the browser environment.
The current interactive operations in the web 3D scene are first based on the click picking up of objects in the 3D scene. At present, the main solution for picking up objects in a 3D scene is ray picking.
The objects rendered by the webgl rendering engine are located in a space called the frustum, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

System and method for user interaction in complex web 3D scenes


A dosage form for administering physiologically active substances to animals, especially ruminant animals. The dosage unit includes a core which contains the active substance and a coating. The coating has selected areas which are thinner than the average thickness of the coating and/or areas which are predetermined rupture sites. These thin areas or predetermined rupture sites are constructed and arranged so as to detach and/or rupture under the conditions which are present after oral administration of the dosage form. As a result, the delayed release of the physiologically-active substance is accelerated. For example, the coating may be formulated to not be affected in the first stomach of a ruminant but to rapidly disintegrate in the animal's second stomach.

Frequently, additional biologically-active substances must be administered to animals raised and kept for the production of e.g. meat, milk, wool or eggs, e.g. for supplying them with amino acids supplements, vitamins or veterinarily active substances. This generally poses no problems in the case of monogastric animals because the active substances to be supplied to them can be quite simply administered orally, e.g. mixed into the feed as an additive or in the form of gelatin capsules containing the active substance. However, such simple methods generally fail in the case of ruminants because the active substances to be supplied are metabolized at least for the most part in the rumen by the rumen flora and, in any case, are available in a low amount for direct resorption in the following intestinal tract. If a delayed release of the active substance is desired in addition thereto, this poses problems even in monogastric animals, especially when a large dose must be administered, since the active substance is generally either bound to a matrix or is embedded in a matrix and the matrix can usually contain only a small amount of the active substance. Also, diffusion-controlled release of active substances is difficult to coordinate and is hardly suitable for administering large amounts of active substance. Also to be considered is the cost of preparing the dosage forms.
An almost limitless number of suggestions have already been made for solving these problems. They all have in common the fact that the active substance to be supplied is protected against premature release in the rumen or the stomach by embedding it in a matrix or by surrounding it with a coating. A variety of materials can be used for the matrix or the coating. However, none of the known suggested solutions is completely satisfactory because substances must be used as component for the protective materials which are either not legally acceptable for ruminant nutrition or at least not yet or are not readily available, require an expensive pretreatment or the particles prepared with their help tend to adhere during storage and/or are thermally and mechanically not sufficiently stable.

Active-substance preparation for oral administration, especially to ruminants


Recorded seismic traces are gathered into common offset groups. Within each group, the traces are arranged according to shot point number. Mean and standard deviations are determined for each trace. High frequency amplitude variations in the mean and standard deviations caused by variations in source strengths and receiver calibrations are removed to produce traces of low frequency amplitude variations representing subsurface geology or wave propagation effects.

In seismic exploration, it is common practice to deploy a large array of geophones on the surface of the earth and to record the vibrations of the earth at each geophone location to obtain a collection of seismic traces. The traces are sampled and recorded for further processing. When the vibrations so recorded are caused by a seismic source activated at a known time and location, the recorded data can be processed by a computer in known ways to produce an image of the subsurface. The image thus produced is commonly interpreted by geophysicists to detect the possible presence of valuable hydrocarbons.
Seismograms are commonly recorded as digital samples representing the amplitude of received seismic reflection signals as a function of time. Since seismograms are usually obtained along a line of exploration on the surface of the earth, the digital samples can be formed into an array (t-x) of seismic traces with each sample in a trace representing the amplitude of the seismic trace as a function of time (t) and horizontal distance (x), When such traces are visually reproduced, by plotting or the like, seismic sections are produced. A seismic section depicts the subsurface layering of a section of the earth. It is the principal tool which the geophysicist studies to determine the nature of the earth's subsurface formation.
While the amplitudes of the received seismic reflection signals contain information about the earth's subsurface, such amplitudes are also influenced by the seismic energy sources and receivers that are used to create and record the seismic signals. Differences in source strength and receiver sensitivity, or calibration, cause random amplitude variations, a noise in the seismic reflection's signals, that must be removed in order to extract useful amplitude information.
The standard method for removing the effects of source and receiver variations is called surface consistent amplitude correction and is discussed in detail in "Surface Consistent Corrections" by M. T. Taner and F. Koehler, Geophysics, v.46, No.1, pages 17-22 (1981). In this method, the seismic data are modeled as a product of four scale factors. These factors are (1) a source performance factor, (2) a receiver performance factor, (3) an offset dependent factor, and (4) a subsurface or common midpoint point factor. In this method, an amplitude factor A is computed for each trace. Assuming that the amplitude factor is a product of the source, receiver, offset, and midpoint factors (denoted S, R, H and K respectively), the natural logarithm of A is the sum of the logarithms of the individual factors: EQU log(A)=log(S)+log(R)+log(H)+log(K).
Denoting the logarithms of these factors by A', S', H' and K' yields a single equation in four unknowns. Each trace provides one equation. The total number of equations is equal to the number of traces in the seismic line. Although the number of traces depends on the recording geometry, generally, the number of traces is equal to the product of the number of sources times the number of receivers. The number of unknown performance factors is equal to the sum of the number of sources, the number of receivers, the number of offsets, and the number of midpoints. This system of equations is solved with an optimization criterion to determine the performance factors that best match the amplitude factors. Amplitude balancing is then accomplished by applying the source and receiver performance factors, determined from the optimization problem, to the individual seismic traces.

Method for removing random source and receiver noise from seismic traces


Method and apparatus for analyzing an orientation of a subject. An image of an area that includes a subject to be monitored is captured, so that a model can be produced. A consistency test is then performed on the produced model to determine predetermined features of the subject. In response to a predetermined result of the consistency test, an undesired orientation of the subject is indicated.

Due to improved medical care, people are living longer lives. However, many people, regardless of age, are unable to care for themselves, and thus live, for example, in a nursing home or similar type institution. Other people, such as, for example, the aged, may find that it is difficult and/or no longer desirable to live alone, and thus, elect to live in, for example, an assisted living facility that provides their residents with assistance with certain daily tasks (such as, for example, bathing and dressing) and respond to requests for emergency assistance. Alternatively, such monitoring services may also be desirable in a home setting, when, for example, an individual lives alone but is afraid of being helpless should he/she fall.
In a typical assisted living or nursing home situation, a limited number of staff members are available to monitor a relatively large number of residents (or patients). Occasionally, an urgent need by one of the monitored individuals may arise that requires a rapid response. In the absence of that response, serious injury, or even death, may occur.
In a home setting, there are generally fewer individuals that need monitoring. In this situation, the individual to be monitored may retain an aid to assist with, for example, cooking, cleaning and performing routine house chores. Such an individual that is being monitored may, for example, fall while the aid is out shopping, and have to wait lying on the floor until the aid returns. Such a situation is not desirable.
In this regard, it is noted that phrases, such as, but not limited to, for example, staff, staff member, monitoring personnel, attending personnel, etc., refer to a person located on or off the premises (facility) where the individual (subject) is being monitored, and may include, for example, an emergency call service or a neighbor of the monitored individual.

Method and apparatus for subject physical position and security determination


A redundant level measuring system comprises a chamber for fluidic coupling to a process vessel whereby material level in the vessel equalizes with material level in the chamber. A float including a magnet in the chamber rises and falls with material level in the chamber. A magnet actuated visual indicator is mounted to the chamber for indicating level of the magnet in the chamber. A measurement instrument includes an antenna and a measurement circuit. The instrument is mounted atop the chamber with the antenna extending downwardly into the chamber. The measurement circuit measures time of flight of a through air signal representing level of the material in the chamber. A shield in the chamber isolates the float from the antenna.

Numerous technologies exist for measuring level of liquids or solids in an industrial process environment. Among these are transmitters which measure the level and transmit a signal representing actual level. The techniques for measuring level include through air radar, guided wave radar, magnetostrictive, capacitance and the like.
A magnetic level indicator is another type of commonly used level sensing device. A magnetic level indicator, also known as a flipper gauge, is constructed of a chamber, a float and a visual indicator. The chamber, also known as a cage, is essentially a pipe or similar device external to a process tank or vessel which is usually mounted vertically and which is usually connected to the tank through two or more horizontal pipes. One of the horizontal pipes is near the bottom of the chamber and the other is near the top of the cage. This arrangement allows the material level in the chamber to equalize with the material level in the tank, largely isolating the cage from agitation, mixing or other activities in the tank. The chamber, which is usually a pressure vessel, can be isolated from the tank using valves. The float is sized and weighted for the specific gravity and pressure of the application and contain magnets which actuate a visual indicator on the outside of the chamber to indicate level.
In certain applications it is desirable to transmit a level signal to a remote device in addition to the local visual indication of a magnetic level indicator. Currently, magnetic level indicators are used with magnetostrictive transmitters or with a series of reed switches, either of which provides an indication of continuous level which is redundant to the primary visual indication provided by the magnetic level indicator. Both the magnetostrictive and reed switch sensors are located on and external to the chamber and are actuated by the magnet placed inside the float in the chamber. A significant drawback to these redundant systems is that the float may fail, in which case both the primary visual and secondary transmitter signals are lost.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above in a novel and simple manner.