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Communications devices with the ability to consolidate multiple functions into a single device are becoming increasingly popular. For example, such a communications device may be used as a telephone and for e-mail. In addition, it is common for an individual to use such a communications device for many aspects of their lives such as work and personal use.
A user may wish to use a different phone line when making calls to different parties. For example, when calling a work colleague, a user may wish to use a line dedicated for work use so that, when the work colleague receives the call on their communications device, the user's work phone number is identified. Likewise, when calling a friend, the user may wish to use a line for personal use so that, when the friend receives the call on their communications device, the user's personal phone number is identified. The use of multiple lines may also be useful for tracking long distance bills and other billing matters.
Systems for selecting alternate lines exist and are commonly known as “Alternate Line Service” (ALS). In one known system, when a user wishes to make a call on an alternate line, they must open a menu and manually select the alternate line. Due to the added operating steps and time it would take to configure the call, it is not convenient to use an alternate line. In addition, the user may accidentally make a call on the wrong line by forgetting to select an alternate line or by selecting the wrong line. | {
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Items of extremely sensitive nature or very high proprietary value often must be stored securely in a safe or other containment device, with access to the items restricted to selected individuals given a predetermined combination code necessary to enable authorized unlocking thereof. It is essential to ensure against unauthorized unlocking of such safe containers by persons employing conventional safe-cracking techniques or sophisticated equipment for applying electrical or magnetic fields, high mechanical forces, or accelerations intended to manipulate elements of the locking mechanism to thereby open it.
Numerous locking mechanisms are known which employ various combinations of mechanical, electrical and magnetic elements both to ensure against unauthorized operation and to effect cooperative movements among the elements for authorized locking and unlocking operations.
The present invention, as more fully disclosed hereinbelow, meets these perceived needs at reasonable cost with a geometrically compact, electrically autonomous, locking mechanism. | {
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The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Retail outlets, particularly food retailers, require a plurality of building systems during operation. Such building systems often include refrigeration systems, anti-condensate heating (ACH) systems, lighting systems, and HVAC systems. Each of these building systems includes associated equipment and controllers configured to perform various functions. For example, refrigeration systems include compressors, condensers, evaporators, and the like, connected to a refrigeration system controller and configured to cool refrigeration cases to a desired temperature.
Building system performance may be monitored by monitoring building system operating parameters and associated data, such as set point, temperature and pressure data, via the refrigeration system controller. Building system performance impacts the retailer profit. Building system operating data and operating parameters must be monitored to ensure that the building systems are operating correctly, efficiently, and cost effectively.
Traditionally, access to building system controller operating data and parameters is done piece meal, one controller at a time. It is difficult for a retailer, accessing building system controllers in this manner, to monitor all the building systems of a given retail location. It is even more difficult to monitor all the building systems of a retailer across all of the various retail locations. It is also difficult for a retailer to backup, or restore, building system data and operating parameters for all the retailer's various building systems. It is also difficult to effectuate an operating parameter change across all building systems. | {
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Several attempts have been made to provide ergonomic solutions for workers which have to perform tasks in both raised and seated positions. In fact, some tasks can hardly be performed while the worker is completely seated since they require a substantial mobility from the user. Thus, over long periods of work such tasks can be very tiring for workers. Some seating devices have been developed so as to provide these workers with a further point of support in addition to their legs so as to stabilize the posture of their body, without being in a completely seated position. By using these devices a worker can thus perform tasks in a raised position and in an intermediate position so-called a sit-stand position. Some of these devices are thus called sit-stand stools or seats.
Examples of these sit-stand stools are sold by the company Steelcase™ under the name B Free™. This stool comprises a base made of a flexible material which allows a user to incline the stool at various angled positions in various directions while performing a task. The stability of the stool is maintained by means of the grip of the flexible material to the floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,263 describes a stool having a stem connected to a sand-filed base. The base comprises a flexible bag filed with sand and this base can change of shape in response to displacement of the bag produced by a tilting of the stem. However, this stool can be substantially heavy for some users in view of the amount of sand required to maintain its stability. Such a base can also be bulky and cause obstruction to a user's feet particularly when the person is not using the stool.
U.S. Published Application No. 2003/0164633 describes a sitting device comprising a seat, a stem and a floor-contacting element which acts as a base. The base has a point of apex and an outside edge which permits a user to incline or tilt the stool at various angled positions in various directions.
Some workers are however reluctant to use any one of the above-mentioned stools since they can be tilted or inclined in any directions at various angled positions and it may be difficult for a user to stabilize them. The tilting of the stem can eventually generate a lost of stability and the user can even fall down. Moreover, the grip of the base member to the floor can be reduced by dust or other impurities and can cause the stool to skid, thereby exposing a user to potential injuries. Also, since these stools can be tilted in considerably inclined positions, their use in some small workspaces such as the cashier's workspace behind a check-out counter may not be appropriate.
It is well known for ergonomists that it is sometimes difficult to convince workers to perform tasks in a different manner than the way they have been doing these tasks for many years. It is also difficult to convince them to use new tools or devices to perform these tasks. It has been demonstrated over the years that new solutions such as new methods or devices presented as alternative solutions to workers must be simple, easy to use, safe and must offer considerable advantages over the known methods or devices in order to be adopted or used by the workers. There is therefore a need to provide a seating device which would be simple, safe, easy to use and which would overcome the above mentioned drawbacks. | {
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In lighting arrangements, several light sources can be used together, such as a red and a white light emitting diode, abbreviated LED. A use of three light emitting diodes, a red, a green, and a blue light emitting diode, is also often encountered for RGB lighting. Such lighting arrangements are used, for example, as backlighting for a liquid crystal display.
In order to test whether such a lighting arrangement outputs light with a given wavelength characteristic, lighting arrangements typically provide several photodetectors, which each have different filters. In this way, the light of a red LED is measured by means of a photodetector, which is covered with a filter layer that is transparent for red light. Photodetectors covered with corresponding filters are also provided for a green and a blue LED. This allows white balance correction. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a raindrop quantity sensing apparatus and a wiper control system.
2. Description of Related Art
For example, a vehicle, such as an automobile, has a wiper apparatus to wipe a windshield of the vehicle. Wiper blades of the wiper apparatus are driven by a drive force generated by a wiper motor (drive source) based on a drive command signal. Each of the wiper blades is swung forward from a stop position to a return position of a wiping range of the windshield and is then swung backward from the return position to the stop position. By repeating the above described series of wiping action of the wiper blades, raindrops on the wiping range of the windshield are wiped.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Number 2000-085538 discloses one such a technique. According to this technique, a raindrop sensor is placed at a top center location of the windshield of the vehicle. More specifically, the raindrop sensor is placed on a vehicle passenger compartment side of the windshield at the location near a room mirror, i.e., a rearview mirror. A quantity of raindrops in a sensing range of the raindrop sensor on the windshield is measured at the time, at which the wiper blade reaches the sensing range, and is thereafter measured once again at the time, at which the wiper blade reaches the sensing range. Then, an amount of a change in the quantity of raindrops is computed based on these measurements. Then, the quantity of raindrops, which is measured right before the reaching of the wiper blade to the sensing range, is added to the amount of change. In this way, the quantity of raindrops is measured without a need for providing a raindrop quantity sensing prohibited time period, during which the sensing of the quantity of raindrops is prohibited.
However, when the quantity of raindrops is determined based on the measurement signal of the raindrop sensor, which is obtained while the wiper blade is amid of moving in the sensing range, the quantity of raindrops may be erroneously measured. For example, the state of raindrops in the sensing range may be disturbed by the wiper blade, or the wiped water, which is wiped by the wiper blade and is placed in the sensing range, or the adhered water, which is adhered to the wiper blade, may be erroneously additionally measured. Thus, in such a case, the quantity of raindrops fell from the sky on the sensing range may not be accurately determined.
In view of the above disadvantage, the following technique has been proposed. A time period, during which the wiper blade passes the sensing range of the raindrop sensor, is set as a raindrop quantity sensing prohibited time period based on an elapsed time from the time of sensing a leading edge of an operating signal, which is outputted at the time of actual wiping movement of the wiper blade. The remaining time period other that the raindrop quantity sensing prohibited time period is set as a raindrop quantity sensing execution time period. The measurement signal of the raindrop sensor, which is outputted during the raindrop quantity sensing prohibited time period, is not used to determine the quantity of raindrops present in the sensing range. Instead, the measurement signal of the raindrop sensor, which is outputted during the raindrop quantity sensing execution time period, is used to determine the quantity of raindrops in the sensing range. In this way, it is possible to eliminate the above-described influences encountered at the time of movement of the wiper blade through the sensing range of the raindrop sensor.
However, recently, various types of vehicles are equipped with the raindrop quantity sensing apparatus, and it has been demanded to place the raindrop sensor to the other location(s), such as a lower part of the windshield other than the top center location of the windshield of the vehicle. However, when the raindrop sensor, which is placed at the lower part of the windshield, is operated in the above-described manner, in which the raindrop quantity sensing prohibited time period is set based on the elapsed time from the time of measuring the leading edge of the operating signal, the following disadvantages may be encountered.
In general, even when a stop command for stopping the wiper motor and thereby stopping the reciprocal wiping movement of the wiper blade is received from a user of the vehicle through a wiper switch, the reciprocal wiping movement of the wiper blade cannot be stopped immediately. In such a case, the wiper motor terminates the reciprocal wiping movement of the wiper blade upon moving the wiper blade to the stop position to provide clear front view. Therefore, as long as the provision of the clear view to the user is required, it is not possible to completely synchronize the operating state/stopped state of the wiper motor with the ON-state/OFF-state of the wiper switch. Thus, in order to notify the actual operational state of the wiper motor, the wiper motor outputs the operating signal, which indicates the operating state of the wiper motor, when the wiper motor is actually placed in the operating state. Also, the wiper motor outputs a negate signal, which indicates the stopped state of the wiper motor, when the wiper motor is actually placed in the stopped state.
However, none of the operating signal and the negate signal indicates the actual operational state of the wiper motor. Specifically, it is required to avoid simultaneous outputting of the operating signal and the negate signal, which indicate the opposite states, respectively. Therefore, in order to avoid this, the wiper motor outputs the operating signal after the lapse of a certain delay time period from the time of shifting of the operational state of the wiper motor from the stopped state to the operating state. Also, the outputting of the operating signal is stopped before the shifting of the operational state of the wiper motor from the operating state to the stopped state. Furthermore, the wiper motor outputs the negate signal after the wiper motor is actually placed in the stopped state. Thus, when the sensing range of the raindrop sensor is placed adjacent to the stop position of the wiper blade, by for example, providing the raindrop sensor at the lower part of the windshield, it may happen that the wiper blade has already passed the sensing range before the outputting of the operating signal upon the shifting of the operational state of the wiper motor from the stopped state to the operating state. In such a case, it is not possible to set the time period, during which the wiper blade passes the sensing range of the raindrop sensor, as the raindrop quantity sensing prohibited time period. As a result, it is not possible to eliminate the above-described influences on the result of the determination of the quantity of raindrops at the time of passing of the wiper blade through the sensing range of the raindrop sensor. Thereby, it is difficult to accurately determine the quantity of raindrops in the sensing range of the raindrop sensor.
In order to avoid the above disadvantages caused by the time difference, it is conceivable to set the sensing range of the raindrop sensor remote from the stop position of the wiper blade. However, in such a case where the sensing range of the raindrop sensor is set remote from the stop position of the wiper blade, the sensing range of the raindrop sensor is normally placed in a vertical center part of the windshield. When the raindrop sensor is placed in such a location, the sight of the user of the vehicle is disadvantageously reduced or interfered. Furthermore, the positioning of the raindrop sensor in such a location is prohibited by the law in many countries. | {
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This disclosure relates generally to electronic display technology and more specifically to multi-view three-dimensional parallax displays.
It is known that it is possible to create a three-dimensional image by approximating the wavefronts that emanate from three-dimensional (3-D) scenes. One such class of displays contains “parallax displays,” which project the appearance of a 3-D scene from multiple viewpoints. Parallax displays generally allow a viewer to move his head horizontally and/or vertically to inspect the 3-D scene from different viewpoints. FIG. 1 illustrates a generalized parallax display 10.
In FIG. 1, a 3-D image 20 is projected by the parallax display 10 due to rays emerging from image plane (or hologram plane) 40 which enter the eyes of a viewer at location A or B. In general, an illumination source 50, which is typically a collimated laser beam, a sequence of 2D bitmapped images, or a single 2D image composed of interdigitated 2D views, passes light through a light steering and shaping element 55.
There are several specific ways to construct parallax displays. One approach utilizes a lens sheet, such as a lenticular lens array or a holographic optical element of similar function, to map a field of interdigitated images to their corresponding nearest viewpoints. In this way, a user walking around the parallax display will see a series of images that approximate the scene's appearance from the corresponding viewpoints. In FIG. 2, a lenticular lens sheet 52 includes an array of lenticular lenses 54 on at least one of its surfaces. Lenticular lens sheet 52 enables the parallax display 10 to project different imagery for different viewing angles. If properly registered imagery is projected onto the screen, or if the screen is overlaid on an image source such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), the system will provide imagery that provides correct perspective and parallax and also has variable transparency so that objects may occlude each other. This requires computing image data from several viewpoints for each projected frame. Though lenticular lenses and lens arrays are well known in the art, a brief description of how they work will be provided.
A widely known embodiment of a lenticular lens array is a lenticular lens sheet. It includes a sheet with a plurality of adjacent, parallel, elongated, and partially cylindrical lenses and multiple (e.g. two) interleaved lenses on the sheet. In general, the plurality of lenses enables the multiple interleaved images to be displayed on the underlying sheet but only one of the images will be visible from any given vantage point above the sheet.
The underlying principle which explains this is illustrated in FIG. 2, which presents a schematic side view of a lenticular lens sheet 52 with a plurality of lens elements 54(1-3). The image on the underlying sheet is represented by pixels 56-58. In this example, three image pixels, identified by suffixes “a”, “b”, and “c”, respectively, are shown under each lens element 54. Thus, for example, under lens element 54(1) there are three associated pixels, namely 56a, 56b, and 56c.
If a person views the sheet from location “A”, lens element 54(1), because of its focusing ability, allows that person to see light from pixel 56a. That is, of the light which lens element 54(1) collects, it only sends toward the person at location “A” that light which is collected from pixel element 56a. The rest of the light which lens element 54(1) collects from other locations under the lens is sent off in other directions and will not be seen by a person at location “A”. For similar reasons, a person at location “B” only sees light emanating from pixel 56b, but does not see light emanating from other locations under lens element 54(1).
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,251, Benton and Kollin disclose a three dimensional display system. More recently, Eichenlaub et al (Proc. SPIE, 3639, p. 110-121, 1999) disclosed a discrete light field display, which produces up to 24 discrete viewing zones, each with a different or pre-stored image. As each of the observer's eyes transitions from one zone to another, the image appears to jump to the next zone.
In practice, parallax displays are problematic. In general, there is significant noticeable light emitted in inappropriate directions, causing imagery from wrong viewpoints to be visible. Furthermore, image realism is reduced because practical constraints limit the number of views that can be handled by each lens element. For example, the pixel density and the number of viewpoints are bounded by diffraction effects and brightness requirements. Also, many known lenticular sheet parallax displays produce undesirable dark bands as the viewer transitions between viewpoints. Therefore a parallax display with a large (i.e., 100+) number of viewpoints, high resolution, high brightness, and smooth transition between view zones is desired.
It is necessary to more closely approximate the light field generated by a 3D scene than by using lenticular sheets. A subset of the parallax display set contains holographic displays and holographic stereograms. A holographic video (“holovideo”) system creates 3D imagery that looks realistic, appears to float inside or outside of a viewing zone or panel, and exhibits motion parallax. Holovideo provides the monocular and binocular depth cues of shading, motion parallax, and viewer-position-dependent reflection and hidden-surface removal.
One group of systems was created at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Laboratory that in general creates holographic video by scanning the image of an acousto-optic scanner over a vertical diffuser. This is illustrated in FIG. 3.
An idealized holographic stereogram emits light from each holographic pixel (or “hogel”) in a way that allows a horizontally-moving viewer to see a continuous range of perspectives. See FIG. 5A. Here, the hologram plane 340 is decomposed into hogels such as hogel 341. A continuous range of viewer locations is shown.
Existing synthetic holographic stereograms sample the parallax views. Sampled parallax is shown in FIG. 5B. Scene parallax is captured from a finite set of directions, and is then re-projected back in those same capture directions. In order to prevent gaps between parallax views in the view zone, each view is uniformly horizontally diffused over a small angular extent.
Two things are needed to generate a holographic stereogram in this fashion: a set of N images that describe scene parallax, and a diffraction pattern that relays them in N different directions. In the case of the MIT Media Laboratory's holographic video system, a set of N diffractive elements, called basis fringes, are computed. When illuminated, these fringes redirect light into the view zone as shown in FIG. 6. These diffractive elements are independent of any image information, but when one is combined with an image pixel value, it directs that pixel information to a designated span in the view zone. FIG. 6 shows three basis fringes, 355, 360, and 365 for three spatial frequencies. To the right of each basis fringe is shown an example of repeating that basis fringe across a hologram line. Basis fringe 355 is repeated across a hologram line 342 and is illuminated by illumination 350, resulting in output 356 with a trajectory determined by basis fringe 355. Likewise, basis fringe 360 of higher frequency is repeated across a hologram line 343 and is illuminated by illumination 350, resulting in output 361 with a different trajectory and similarly for 365.
There are several ways to infer what basis fringes are required to generate a 3D scene. A typical method is to capture a scene using computer-graphic methods from N different directions. This method is illustrated in FIG. 7. In FIG. 7, to capture or render scene parallax information, cameras are positioned along a linear track, with the view also normal to the capture plane. N views are generated from locations along the track that correspond with center output directions of the basis fringes. In this type of horizontal parallax only (HPO) computed stereogram, correct capture cameras employ a hybrid projection—perspective in the vertical direction and orthographic in the horizontal. A desired 3D scene 2 is positioned near a capture plane 4. A set of cameras, C0, C1, and CN-1, are illustrated taking snapshots of the scene 2 from a series of viewpoints.
Once N parallax views have been generated, the MIT group combines them with the N pre-computed basis fringes to assemble a holographic stereogram. In practice, this scene reconstruction is achieved using the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3. The acousto-optical modulators (AOM) produce a stream of weighted linear combinations of basis vectors, as a function of the data compiled from the step illustrated in FIG. 7.
As described, the handful of existing systems decompose a synthetic hologram plane into spectrally-homogenous regions called hogels, each of which is “projected” in its entirety by a spatial light modulator (SLM) or acousto-optical modulator. An acousto-optical modulator is a device which, in one mode of operation, can diffract light when an ultrasonic sound wave propagates through it. Because holograms may require 1000 line pairs per millimeter, the imagery is usually small, or of low resolution.
It is well known that computational techniques enable the creation of synthetic holograms. Typical holograms require roughly 300 to 2000 lines per mm (ten million samples per square millimeter) for practical diffraction of visible light. This has been a difficult obstacle.
It is computationally difficult to generate the AOM inputs that result in the desired light field. Furthermore, the system uses components such as acousto-optic scanners and galvanometric scanners which are financially prohibitive. This type of system is shown in FIG. 3. A laser 150 illuminates a back of AOMs 154. The AOMs operate in a mode that diffracts the laser light horizontally, generating the constituent “hogels” of the final holographic image. Vertical and horizontal scanners throw the diffracted light to a vertical diffuser 159. An image volume 30 straddles the vertical diffuser 159. The 3D light field is visible by a viewer.
Another method of holographic video uses groups of SLM pixels as holographic fringes. One embodiment of this is described in C. Slinger, B. Bannister, C. Cameron, S. Coomber, I. Cresswell, P. Hallett, J. Hughes, V. Hui, C. Jones, R. Miller, V. Minter, D. Pain, D. Scattergood, D. Sheerin, M. Smith, and M. Stanley, “Progress and prospects for practical electro-holography systems,” in Practical Holography XV and Holographic Materials VII, Stephen A. Benton, Sylvia H. Stevenson, and T. John Trout, eds., Proceedings of SPIE v. 4296 (2001). This is depicted in FIG. 4. A laser 250 illuminates an electrically-addressable spatial light modulator (EASLM) 251. An optically addressable spatial light modulator (OASLM) 253 is addressed by a time series of images from EASLM 251 by a replication/relay stage 252. In this way, the speed of the EASLM is traded-off for spatial resolution on the surface of the OASLM. The imagery projected onto the OASLM is a hologram. Each pixel of the EASLM and OASLM are used as constituents of the underlying diffraction patterns. Electrically-addressable SLMs and replication optics project computer-generated hologram image segments onto an optically-addressable SLM (OASLM) for readout. The system requires a high-powered laser and generates low-resolution imagery because each SLM pixel is used within holographic fringes.
In summary, many existing holographic video systems can be schematically illustrated as shown in FIG. 10. A set of basis fringes 355, 360, and 365 are weighted using known techniques after scene generation by a “hogel vector” to form a stream of hogels 370. A “hogel vector” is a sampled hogel spectrum, specifying the diffractive purpose of a hogel. A scanning or tiling system, 154, scans this over hologram plane 340 to generate an image volume 30.
The systems described above suffer from low resolution, demanding computational requirements, and the utilization of costly optical and mechanical components. A system made of volume-reproducable components and existing computational infrastructure is desired which is capable of high-resolution imagery and the ability to better approximate 3D light fields. | {
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Various types of fuel cells can be distinguished on the basis of the type of electrolyte employed. For the mobile field of application, i.e. for the generation of electric power for vehicles driven by electric motors, fuel cells with proton-conducting membranes have proven effective, whose operating temperature typically lies in the range of 60-80.degree. C. To be sure membranes with fuel cells have already been devised which operate stably both at room temperature (EP 0 827 228 A1) and also at temperatures between 100 and 200.degree. C. Such a membrane is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,727.
Presently vehicles using fuel cells have fuel cell systems with a power of about 20 to 50 kW. The decisive handicap is presently the fact that too long a time passes after the vehicle starts operating until a stack reaches its operating temperature where it can produce full power. This problem becomes greater when fuel cells with higher operating temperatures are used. In other words, it is expected that the time delay for these fuel cells would be even greater.
Another problem to be considered is the fact that, for example, in the operation of oxide ceramic fuel cells (SOFC: Solid Oxide Fuel Cells), as is described in DE 196 11 591 A1, the temperature spread, i.e. the difference between the gas exit temperature and the gas intake temperature must not become too great since otherwise the material of the fuel cell would be very strongly loaded and inhomogeneous reaction distributions occur. It is therefore necessary to bring the process gas as well as the cooling gases or the cooling air up to approximately operating temperature before they enter the stack. DE 196 11 591 A1 therefore proposes that two oxide ceramic fuel cells of somewhat different types (one having a metallic and the other a ceramic bipolar plate) be connected in series, such that the process gases and the cooling air first enter the fuel cell with the lower (800.degree. C.) and then the fuel cell with the higher operating temperature (1000.degree. C.) | {
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The present invention relates to an electronic engine control system for a lean burn engine and more particularly to an engine control apparatus capable of retrieving an optimum control parameter in accordance with an engine condition even if a dynamic range of a air-fuel ratio to be controlled is wide to control the engine.
In a conventional engine control apparatus, generally, control parameters such as a target air-fuel ratio, a target throttle opening and an ignition timing are determined from a two-dimensional data map having one axis in which an engine speed Ne is defined and the other axis in which a basic injection amount (injection time) TPbas calculated from the engine speed Ne and an actually measured intake air amount Qa is defined as described in JP-U-2-85843. Further, as a special example, as described in JP-A-6-129276, the control parameters are determined from a two-dimensional data map having one axis in which an engine speed is defined and the other axis in which a target torque calculated from an acceleration opening is defined.
The lean burn system functions to increase the combustion efficiency so as to effectively utilize energy contained in fuel so that the fuel consumption is improved. When the air-fuel ratio is set to be leaner than the theoretical air-fuel ratio, the fuel consumption rate is improved, although since the combustion is made unstable, various measures have been made for the drivability and the exhaust emission control.
Further, in the lean combustion, when the air-fuel ratio exceeds a certain value, the combustion is unstable and variation of torque is suddenly increased, so that the smooth driving is difficult. For this purpose, there has been proposed that accurate control of the air-fuel ratio is made in the lean area in order to suppress the variation of torque to an allowable value.
The above-mentioned two known examples of the method of setting the control parameters are now verified in the lean burn engine represented by an inner-cylinder injection engine in which the dynamic range of the air-fuel ratio to be controlled is wide.
In the calculation method of the control parameters described in JP-U-2-85843, if it is assumed that the air-fuel ratio is controlled to be fixed in all of the operation area, the intake air amount Qa is increased as a load is increased. Accordingly, since the basic injection amount TPbas is increased monotonously and corresponds to the torque in one-to-one manner, the control parameters can be set to the optimum value even for any torque if the basic injection amount TPbas is used in the control axis.
However, when the air-fuel ratio for a light load condition is set to be leaner than the air-fuel ratio for a heavy load condition, the intake air amount Qa is reduced as the load is increased and even when the load is heavy, there is an area where the basic injection amount TPbas is reduced. Accordingly, the basic injection amount TPbas does not correspond to the torque in one-to-one manner. Hence, when the basic injection amount TPbas is used in the control axis, the control parameters cannot be set to the optimum value for any torque. Further, the basic injection amount TPbas representing the load is desirably increased as the load is increased, while since there occurs the reverse phenomenon that even when the load is increased the basic injection amount TPbas is the same or even when the load is increased the basic injection amount TPbas is reduced, the control is remarkably unstable. Since the phenomenon appears remarkably as a difference for the set air-fuel ratio is large, the control is not materialized in the lean burn engine represented by the inner-cylinder injection engine having a wide dynamic range of the air-fuel ratio to be controlled.
Furthermore, in JP-A-6-129276, the control parameters are retrieved from the data map having one axis in which the engine speed is defined and the other axis in which the target torque calculated from the acceleration opening is defined, while it cannot be verified whether the actual torque meets the target torque or not. Accordingly, even if the optimum values of the control parameters are set for respective torques in the bench test using a dynamometer, a deviation between the actual torque and the target torque cannot be compensated in an actual vehicle which cannot obtain the actual torque and accordingly the optimum control parameters cannot be retrieved from the map. | {
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This disclosure relates to composite electrode materials for electric lamps and methods of manufacture thereof.
The standard electron emissive coating currently used in a majority of electrodes of commercial fluorescent lamps contains a mixture of barium, calcium, and strontium oxides (“triple oxide emissive mixture”). Since these oxides are highly sensitive to ambient carbon dioxide and water, they are generally placed on the lamp electrodes initially as a wet mixture suspension of barium, calcium and strontium carbonates containing a binder and a solvent. The wet mixture suspension is then “activated” inside the lamp assembly during the manufacturing process by resistively heating the electrodes until the carbonates decompose, releasing carbon dioxide and some carbon monoxide, and leaving behind a triple oxide emissive mixture on the electrode.
However, the triple oxide emissive mixture suffers from several drawbacks. First, the “activation” requires an undesirably high temperature to convert the carbonates to oxides. The conversion of the carbonates to oxides undesirably releases carbon dioxide and some carbon monoxide. Incomplete activation can also lead to lamp performance issues like high ignition voltage, premature cathode breakdown, and loss in light output due to early wall darkening. Additionally, lamps having electrodes coated with the triple oxide emissive mixture have a rather short operating lifetime. Triple oxide emissive mixtures have therefore been substituted with barium tantalate emissive mixtures having various barium to tantalum ratios. The activation of barium tantalate is simple, as it does not require the decomposition of carbonates. “Activation” in this case is needed only to burn out the binder and remove the water vapor. Moreover, barium tantalate permits a higher loading of the cathode than the triple-oxide emissive mixture. The barium tantalate emissive mixtures are generally “activated” in less time and at a lower temperature than the triple oxide emissive mixture. Furthermore, lamps having electrodes coated with the barium tantalate emissive mixtures have a longer operating lifetime than the lamps with the triple oxide emissive mixture. However, a fluorescent lamp containing the barium tantalate emissive mixture generally has a somewhat inferior efficacy compared to the triple oxide emissive mixture. Adsorbed moisture is believed to be one of the reasons leading to dark band formation during the first one hundred hours of lamp operation. In addition, the moisture sensitivity of the barium tantalate emissive mixture gives rise to many serious manufacturing and processing issues. It is therefore generally desirable to develop a composition for discharge lamps which can function efficiently and which can reduce or even eliminate some of the moisture sensitivity issues presented by the barium tantalate emissive mixture. | {
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Liquid-crystal (L-C) polymers are known to form mesophases having one- and two-dimensional order as disclosed by Flory, P. J., Advances in Polymer Science, Liquid Crystal Polymers I; Springer-Verlag: New York (1984) Volume 59; Schwarz, J. Mackromol, Chem. Rapid Commun. (1986) 7, 21. Further, mesophases are well known to impart strength, toughness and thermal stability to plastics and fibers as described by Kwolek et al in Macromolecules (1977) 10, 1390; and by Dobb et al, Advances in Polymer Science, Liquid Crystal Polymers II/III (1986) 255(4), 179.
While L-C polymers have been widely studied, their potential utility as coatings binders seems to have been overlooked. Japanese patents claiming that p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA), a monomer commonly used in L-C polymers, enhances the properties of polyester powder coatings are among the very few reports that may describe L-C polymers in coatings; Japanese Kokai 75/40,629 (1975) to Maruyama et al; Japanese Kokai 76/56,839 (1976) to Nakamura et al; Japanese Kokai 76/44,130 (1976) to Nogami et al; and Japanese Kokai 77/73,929 (1977) to Nogami et al.
Hardness and impact resistance are two desirable characteristics of coatings. However, because hardness is associated with higher T.sub.g s (glass transition temperatures), and good impact resistance with lower T.sub.g s, there is usually a trade-off between hardness and impact resistance. Further, non-baked polymeric vehicles with low viscosities which provide binder coating films with improved hardness and shorter drying times through combinations of polymers with mesogenic groups are not disclosed in the prior art and are to be desired.
An object of this invention is the provision of modified polymers comprising low T.sub.g polymers covalently bonded with mesogenic groups for use in formulated coatings to provide improved films.
A more particular object of this invention is to provide enamels of improved hardness and impact resistance.
Other important objects are to provide high solids/low viscosity, non-baking formulated coatings comprising polymeric vehicles for providing films wherein the coating formulation is fast drying and provides hard and impact resistant films.
Still further objects and advantages of the invention will be found by reference to the following description. | {
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A typical 3-point vehicle seatbelt restraining system includes, at each seat location of an automotive vehicle having a horizontal seat base on which an adult sized vehicle occupant sits, a belt (i.e., web), a buckle mounted on a first side of the seat location and a guide through which the belt passes. The guide is typically a fixedly mounted, pivotable plate having a slot through which the belt passes or a fixedly mounted idler roller the belt traverses. The belt has first and second ends respectively connected to (1) an anchor fixedly mounted below the guide, and (2) a retractor fixedly mounted below the guide. In use, the belt is wound and paid from the retractor. The anchor and retractor are mounted at or in proximity to the same, second side of the seat location that is opposite to the first side of the seat location. The restraining system also includes a tongue slidably connected to the belt between the guide and anchor for connection to the buckle. The guide is mounted at or in proximity to the second side of the seat location at a height above the horizontal base of the seat location. In many systems, the height of the guide above the horizontal base of the seat location is adjustable to enable a typical adult sized occupant of the seat location to be safely and comfortably restrained on the seat base at the seat location while the tongue is connected to the buckle. The belt, when in use with the tongue in the buckle, includes (1) a first segment between the retractor and the guide, (2) a second segment between the guide and the tongue for restraining the shoulder and chest of the adult occupant, and (3) a third segment between the tongue and the anchor arrangement for restraining the lap of the adult sized occupant.
Three point seatbelt systems of the above type, however, have not proven satisfactory for vehicle occupants who are not adult sized. It is mandated in most states of the United States that children under a certain size must sit in a booster seat that is held in place by three point seat belt systems of the above type. Such booster seat arrangements are expensive and difficult for many childcare givers to install and remove. The installation and removal process is particularly highlighted in families using more than one automotive vehicle to transport children and who do not have sufficient funds to purchase a booster seat for each automotive vehicle.
The problem is also acute in school buses for transporting children of different sizes and ages. In fact, the use of seatbelts for student transportation has become highly controversial. While some states of the United States have currently made some form of seatbelts mandatory for school buses, most states have not installed school bus seat belt systems because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Academy of Science (NAS) have stated that three point belts on school buses would provide little if any added protection in a crash. The findings of these agencies are understandable because those states which have installed seat belts on school buses use only lap belts that do not employ a belt guide or a retractor. Lap belts do not prevent the upper torso of an individual from being thrown forward if the school bus were involved in a front end collision or a bus roll-over. Hence, lap belts can create more of a hazard to the passenger of a school bus in an accident situation than no belt at all. In contrast, the three point seat belt systems do prevent the upper torso of an individual from being thrown forward if the vehicle were involved in a front end collision or a roll-over.
A major problem with attempting to place three point seat belt restraining systems in family automotive vehicles, as well as school buses, is that the same seat location is occupied by adult or near adult sized vehicle occupants as well as young children, who are obviously much smaller than the adult sized or near adult sized occupants. For example, the same school buses transport both young children (five-ten year old elementary students), and older and larger students, such as those attending middle and senior high schools.
The standard placement of the guide above the seat belt of the three point systems provides proper and adequate chest and lap position for the larger children, but creates a safety issue for the younger, small children, in both school buses and family automotive vehicles. The segment of the belt between the guide and the tongue for restraining the shoulder and chest of the occupant of the seat location is such that this portion of the belt is in front of or intersects the neck of the smaller children. If the small child were thrown suddenly forward in any type of accident involving the family automotive vehicle in which the child is riding or a school bus, there is a significant possibility of the child being choked or strangled by the belt. Consequently, three point safety belts are not used for small children in family automotive vehicles or school buses.
Another reason for not using the prior art three point seat belt systems on school buses is that the buses frequently are arranged so that three students sit on each school bus bench. In such an instance, the belts must be retrofitted to the school bus to maintain the desired total seating capacity of the bus.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved seatbelt system of the three point type, wherein the seat belt system can, at each seat location, be safely and comfortably used for seat occupants of different ages at different times. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of telecommunications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a telecommunications network environment having intelligent call routing and call return capabilities for routing service calls, such as emergency or poison assistance calls, to an appropriate service or control center.
2. Acronyms
The written description provided herein contains acronyms which refer to various telecommunications services, components and techniques, as well as features relating to the present invention. Although some of these acronyms are known, use of these acronyms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes of the written description herein, acronyms will be defined as follows: 10-Digit (10D) Action Control Point. (ACP) Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) Common Channel Signaling (CCS) Central Office (CO) Call Processing Record (CPR) Data and Reporting System (DRS) End Office (EO) Integrated Service Control Point (ISCP) Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Multi-Frequency (MF) Number Plan Area (NPA) Central Office Code (NXX) Poison Control Answering Point (PCAP) Poisoned Party Number (PPN) Primary Rate Interface (PRI) Public Service Answering Point (PSAP) Service Creation Environment (SCE) Service Control Point (SCP) Service Management System (SMS) Signaling System 7 (SS7) Service Switching Point (SSP) Signaling Transfer Point (STP) Terminating Attempt Trigger (TAT) Transaction Capabilities Applications Part (TCAP) Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
3. Background Information
In recent years, a number of new telephony service features have been implemented and provided by an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). The AIN evolved out of a need to increase the capabilities of the existing telephone network architecture and meet the growing needs of telephony customers. The AIN architecture generally comprises two networks, a data messaging network and a trunked communications network. The trunked communications network handles voice and data communications between dispersed network locations, whereas the data messaging network is provided for controlling operations of the trunked communications network.
An illustration of the basic components of an AIN network environment is shown in FIG. 1, which is provided to facilitate communication between a plurality of network locations or stations 72-86. As shown in FIG. 1, Central Offices (COs) 64-70 are provided for sending and receiving data messages from a Service Control Point (SCP) 56 via one or more Signaling Transfer Points (STPs) 51, 53 and 59. The data messages are communicated to and from the COs 64-70 and the SCP 56 along a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network 88. Each CO 64-70 serves as a network Service Switching Point (SSP) to route telephone calls between a calling station (e.g., station 72) and a called station (e.g., station 84) through the trunked communications network 90-93.
Additional information regarding AIN and AIN-related network environments, see Berman, Roger K., and Brewster, John H., “Perspectives on the AIN Architecture,” IEEE Communications Magazine, February 1992, pp. 27-32, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
A number of features provided by prior AIN or AIN-type intelligent networks relate to specialized call processing of incoming calls. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,611,094 and. 4,611,096, both to ASMUTH et al., disclose a system for providing custom incoming telephone call processing services to a subscriber operating at geographically diverse locations. A subscriber program stored in a central database is accessed to provide instructions to the SSPs to complete incoming calls to one of the subscriber locations in accordance with special services defined by the subscriber. The subscriber program controls the Action Control Points (ACPs) to string together the desired call processing capabilities to process each call. Specified parameters stored in the program, such as time of day, caller location, and data inputted by the caller may be utilized to determine the final destination to which each call should be completed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,718, to McNABB, discloses centralized recording of call traffic information. The system provides a data gathering and recording function to the centralized database which stores the subscriber's call routing program. The subscriber's call routing program performs several functions, including presenting various announcements to callers, prompting callers for inputting information digits and collecting the resulting information digits, routing the call to a number provided by the subscriber, and performing final call dispositions other than routing to the telephone number provided by the subscriber. Processing of the call traffic information dynamically changes the subscriber's call routing program to reduce the number of blocked calls to the subscriber's telephone numbers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,571, to KAY et al., discloses an Area Wide Centrex system to provide specialized calling features to stations connected to a plurality of central offices. Each of the central office switching points connects to a number of local telephone lines. The features are extended to the local telephone lines by taking the programming intelligence out of the central offices and moving it into a database located at a centralized location, such as an SCP. Service features are, controlled by the central database and are changed by reprogramming the service logic located at the central database. A variety of service features are provided including a work at home service that enables a user of a private network access from a home telephone and access authorization to increase the security of the private network.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,331, to EMERY et al., discloses an AIN system which connects to, and controls processing of, calls to a subscriber's wireless handset via a home base station or wireless communication network. In response to calls directed to the subscriber's wireless handset, the AIN determines where the handset is located using a central database and routes the call to that location. The incoming call can be routed directly to the handset, blocked, or routed to an alternate termination point. In response to calls from the handset, the central database provides data instructions to the landline network to extend a requested special service to the subscriber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,541, to FLEISCHER, III et al., discloses an AIN network environment for forwarding incoming calls by utilizing a subscriber defined routing list. The routing list may comprise alternate telephone numbers to which calls placed to the subscriber's number(s) will be routed. The routing lists may be defined for forwarding incoming calls to other numbers for either all of the numbers or for selected groups of one or more numbers. Incoming calls may also be routed according to the time-of-day, day-of-week, percentage allocation, specific date, originating location of calling party, or calling party selection.
While prior AIN or AIN-type intelligent network applications have provided various call forwarding and routing features as indicated above, such prior attempts have not provided intelligent call routing capabilities for routing service calls to predetermined service or control centers. For instance, with the development of emergency and poison assistance control centers by state and local governments, there is an increasing need to provide intelligent call routing capabilities to facilitate the handling and routing of emergency or poison assistance calls, so that calls may be directed to the most appropriate or nearest control center. It would be desirable, for example, to provide an intelligent network environment that is capable of routing calls based on the location of the calling party and the availability of designated service or control centers. Prior attempts have also not provided system flexibility in terms of providing various routing and/or call return options that may be combined with routing based on the location of the calling party.
Such features would be highly desirable for service or control centers that provide assistance to individuals or members of the general public who dial a single publicized telephone number. With intelligent routing capabilities, calls could be automatically directed to the most appropriate control or service center, without requiring additional information or assistance from the calling party. Further, with flexible routing options, calls could be routed away from under-staffed or closed centers (e.g., based on the time-of-day, day-of-week, percentage allocation, etc.) so that reliable service or assistance may be provided to end users. | {
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Modeling and numerical solution of miscible contamination cleanup may be performed in association with downhole sampling of fluid from a subterranean formation. | {
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Electric machines are utilized in a wide variety of applications. For example, hybrid/electric vehicles (HEVs) typically include an electric traction drive system that includes an alternating current (AC) electric motor which is driven by a power converter with a direct current (DC) power source, such as a storage battery. Motor windings of the AC electric motor can be coupled to inverter sub-modules of a power inverter module (PIM). Each inverter sub-module includes a pair of switches that switch in a complementary manner to perform a rapid switching function to convert the DC power to AC power. This AC power drives the AC electric motor, which in turn drives a shaft of HEV's drivetrain.
Some traditional HEVs implement two three-phase pulse width modulated (PWM) inverter modules and two three-phase AC machines (e.g., AC motors) each being driven by a corresponding one of the three-phase PWM inverter modules that it is coupled to. In some systems, voltage command signals are applied to a pulse width modulation (PWM) module. The PWM module applies PWM waveforms to the phase voltage command signals to control pulse width modulation of the phase voltage command signals and generate switching signals that are provided to the PWM inverter module.
Many modern high performance AC motor drives use the principle of field oriented control (FOC) or “vector” control to control operation of the AC electric motor. In particular, vector control is often used in variable frequency drives to control the torque applied to the shaft (and thus the speed) of an AC electric motor by controlling the current fed to the AC electric motor. In short, stator phase currents are measured and converted into a corresponding complex space vector. This current vector is then transformed to a coordinate system rotating with the rotor of the AC electric motor.
Recently, researchers have used multi-phase machines in various applications including electric vehicles. As used herein, the term “multi-phase” refers to two or more phases, and can be used to refer to electric machines that have two or more phases. A multi-phase electric machine typically includes a multi-phase PWM inverter module that drives one or more multi-phase AC machine(s). One example of such a multi-phase electric machine is a three-phase AC machine. In a three-phase system, a three-phase PWM inverter module drives one or more three-phase AC machine(s).
In such multi-phase systems, voltage command signals are applied to a pulse width modulation (PWM) module. To control pulse width modulation of the voltage command signals, the PWM module generates PWM waveforms which are equivalent to the incoming voltage command signal in a time averaged sense. The PWM waveforms have a controllable duty cycle with a variable PWM period, and are used to generate switching signals that are provided to the PWM inverter module.
The PWM inverter module uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to generate a variable voltage/frequency output with high efficiency. The PWM voltage waveform is effectively filtered by the motor impedance resulting in a sinusoidal fundamental frequency current going to the motor. However, the PWM inherently results in ripple current generation on the AC output phase currents going to the motor, as well as on the high voltage DC link input. These harmonic currents can in turn create acoustic noise, electromagnetic interference (EMI), bus resonance, or even torque ripple problems. The harmonic currents are typically at the first or second switching frequency carrier group and its sidebands. The harmonic spectrum can have sharp and distinct spikes with large amplitude at the various harmonic frequencies. These large amplitude spikes are often the worst case offenders with respect to the acoustic noise, EMI, bus resonance, and torque ripple.
One conventional method of reducing the amplitude of the distinct harmonics in the current spectrum is to rapidly change the switching frequency of the inverter at a fixed rate. This is known as “dithering.” Dithering has been applied to AC inverters as well as many other types of electrical systems where it is desired to spread the spectrum of emissions due to some periodic cycle (such as system clock or PWM).
Notwithstanding these advances, there are many issues that arise when trying to implement dithering techniques in a practical system.
It would be desirable to provide improved methods, systems and apparatus for implementing dithering in motor drive system that is used to control operation of a multi-phase electric machine. It would also be desirable to provide improved methods, systems and apparatus for computing a PWM voltage advance used in controlling operation of an electric machine. Other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates in general to methods of drilling wellbores, for example, but not limited to, wellbores for producing hydrocarbons from subterranean formations, and more particularly to methods of using resistivity data to identify a casing point in a well being drilled using formation resistivity markers obtained from resistivity measurements obtained while drilling one or more subterranean offset wells to identify one or more casing points in the wellbore being drilled while the drill bit advances toward but does not penetrate the formation while drilling the wellbore.
2. Background Art
Formation resistivity measurements are commonly made in oil and gas wells and then used to make decisions about the presence of hydrocarbons, the magnitude of pore pressure, the correlation to formations observed in offset wells, the salinity of formation fluids, porosity of formations, and the presence of permeability. FIG. 1 illustrates graphically the prior art concept of measuring resistivity as a function of depth, showing a typical decrease in resistivity at a depth where increased geopressure (pore pressure) exists (from Eaton, “The Effect of Overburden Stress on Geopressure Prediction From Well Logs”, SPE 3719 (1972)). In shale rocks, resistivity data points diverge from the normal trend toward lower resistivity values, owing to high porosity, overpressured formations.
Existing techniques to measure resistivity are made after the bit penetrates the formation using either electric line logging methods or logging while drilling methods. In either case the formation of interest has already been exposed to the well in order to make the resistivity measurement. This exposure presents problems, including the fact that the condition of the borehole itself and surrounding disturbed formation will have an effect on the very resistivity values being sought, as noted by Hottman et al., “Estimation of Formation Pressures From Log-Derived Shale Properties”, SPE 1110 (1965).
Banning et al. discuss a theoretical application of time-domain electromagnetics (TEM) in a borehole-conveyed logging tool. Banning et al., “Imaging of a subsurface conductivity distribution using a time-domain electromagnetic borehole conveyed logging tool”, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, San Antonio Annual Meeting (2007). See also Published U.S. Patent applications numbers 2005/0092487; 2005/0093546; 2006/003857; 2006/0055411; 2006/0061363; 2006/0061364, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,909. Banning et al. state that, theoretically, such a tool may be used to image the conductivity distribution around and ahead of the drill bit at comparatively large distances from the borehole. However, Banning et al. do not disclose or suggest use of resistivity measurements in front of a drilling bit to identify a casing point in a wellbore being drilled, while the drill bit advances in the wellbore being drilled toward but does not penetrate a region of interest in the formation, using formation resistivity markers obtained from resistivity measurements obtained while drilling one or more subterranean offset wells. Banning et al. also do not disclose or suggest using resistivity in front of the bit measurements in the wellbore being drilled, in addition to resistivity measurements obtained from the one or more offset wells, to identify casing points in the wellbore.
It is known in wellbore planning and drilling operations to study data from offset wells to develop and validate geomechanical stress models, and adjust casing points and mud weights to meet well challenges. See for example Brehm et al., “Pre-drill Planning Saves Money”, E & P, May 2005. An offset well is an existing wellbore close to a proposed well that provides information for planning the proposed well. In planning development wells, there are usually numerous offsets, so a great deal is known about the subsurface geology and pressure regimes. A casing point is a location, or depth, at which drilling an interval of a particular diameter hole ceases, so that casing of a given size can be run and cemented. Establishing correct casing points is important in the design of the drilling fluid program. Conventionally, a casing point may be a predetermined depth, or it may be determined by a pressure hunt, selected onsite according to geological observations or dictated by problems in the open hole section. In many cases, weak or underpressure zones must be protected by casing to enable mud-weight adjustments that control unstable formations or overpressure zones deeper in the wellbore. A pressure hunt is used to evaluate various well parameters to identify when the pore pressure in a drilling well is changing. The purpose is to detect the pore pressure transition (usually from lower to higher pressure) and safely set casing in the transition zone to maximize wellbore strength.
To avoid or reduce undesirable consequences, it would be advantageous if resistivity measurements from one or more offset wells could be used to determine a casing point or points in a wellbore being drilled before the bit exposes the formation during drilling the wellbore. The methods and apparatus of the present disclosure are directed to these needs. | {
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Conventional computer-assisted shopping systems, such as the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,942 to Oosterveen et al, typically include a computer terminal having an integrated bar-code scanner to record merchandise purchases. If authorized, a user uses the terminal to scan-in bar code information, which in turn is stored in the terminal's internal memory so as to maintain a record of the merchandise selected by the user. In one embodiment, the merchandise record is relayed by wireless local area network and maintained in a centralized computer system. Prior to exiting the store, the information stored in the terminal's internal memory is downloaded through a communication port attached to a terminal dispenser, and a ticket of the customer's purchases is printed on a printer. The customer then proceeds to a check-out register where the customer tenders payment for the purchased merchandise.
Related co-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/866,690 filed May 30, 1997 discloses a similar portable shopping and order fulfillment system having enhanced ordering and product data profiles, order collection and order fulfillment capabilities. The disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/866,690 is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference, as are the disclosures of its parent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/780,023 filed Dec. 20, 1996 and its grandparent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/706,579 filed Sep. 5, 1996.
While conventional computer-assisted shopping systems can enhance and expedite a consumer's shopping experience, there still remains a need for providing tendering or customer service stations when the customer is ready to actually make payment for and/or take possession the purchased products. Further, in retail establishments offering computer-assisted shopping services, a need remains for providing traditional customer checkout and tendering capabilities for customers who are unwilling or unable to obtain identification or other required customer cards.
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/299,228, which is assigned to Symbol Technologies, Inc., the assignee of the present invention, thus describes multi-lane tendering stations constructed and arranged so as to reduce customer waiting times and to improve the overall efficiency of the shopping experience. Such tendering stations allow the servicing of one or more customer queues, and are used to tender payment from customers wishing to complete a purchase transaction. A typical multi-lane tendering station may include, for example, a bar-code scanner for scanning and identifying the items to be purchased, a processor coupled to the bar-code scanner for itemizing and totaling the identity and price of the items, and a printer for printing the itemized list. Such a station can optionally include a scale for weighing items, a bar-code label panel for identifying items being weighed, a packing station for packaging the items by the customer and a card reader for receiving payment directly at the self-service scanning station. The disclosed multi-lane systems therefore allow shopping establishments to service a greater number of customers while reducing the time and costs associated with customer check-out.
The above-described multi-lane check-out systems, however, are usually limited in number and are permanently fixed to a particular section of the retail facility. Thus, long lines and delays may still result especially during heavy shopping periods, i.e., the day after Thanksgiving (“Black Friday”), the day after Christmas, advertised sales event, etc. Therefore, a need exists for customer service or tendering stations that can be easily deployed to a variety different locations within a store so as to accommodate consumers during peak activity periods. | {
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U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,785 describes films consisting of a polyethylene or polypropylene layer between two layers of an ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer containing at least 18% by weight of acetate. These films may be welded to make flexible sachets. These films have a permeability to oxygen; indeed, when the sachets contain concentrated bleach, decomposition of the bleach takes place over time with evolution of oxygen. If this oxygen is not released, the flexible sachet may split. These films are also permeable to fragrances. The prior art presents this loss of fragrances to the outside of the sachet as being necessary to allow the user to identify the product in the flexible sachet.
The loss of fragrance should not exceed 15% in 90 days of storage of the sachet. This is all merely a desired situation, the prior art includes no examples. Indeed the Applicant has found that the loss of fragrance was such that after 30 days the sachet no longer had any odour, although it originally contained large amounts of fragrance. The EVA must also contain slip agents, but exactly which they are is not stated and the film can only be welded within a period of from 4 to 20 weeks of its manufacture.
EP 477,025 has also described such multilayers, which consist of a polymer barrier between two layers of EVA or of ethylene/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer. The polymer barrier may be a linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), a polyamide-polyethylene (PE) bilayer, an EVOH-polyethylene bilayer and preferably a polyamide or an EVOH between two layers of polyethylene (EVOH denotes a copolymer of ethylene and of vinyl alcohol, also known as hydrolysed EVA); that is to say that the films of the prior art may consist, for example, of the following layers:
EVA/PE/PA/PE/EVA or EVA/PE/EVOH/PE/EVA PA1 of one or more amino acids, such as aminocaproic acid, 7-aminoheptanoic acid, 11-aminoundecanoic acid and 12-aminododecanoic acid of one or more lactams such as caprolactam, oenantholactam and lauryllactam; PA1 of one or more salts or mixtures of diamines such as hexamethylenediamine, dodecamethylenediamine, meta-xylylenediamine, bis-p-aminocyclohexylmethane and trimethylhexamethylenediamine with diacids such as isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, adipic acid, azelaic acid, suberic acid, sebacic acid and dodecanedicarboxylic acid; PA1 or mixtures of some of these monomers which lead to copolyamides, for example PA-6/12 obtained by condensation of caprolactam and lauryllactam. PA1 polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers of ethylene with alpha-olefins, it being possible for these products to be grafted with unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydrides such as maleic anhydride or unsaturated epoxides such a glycidyl methacrylate. PA1 copolymers of ethylene with at least one product chosen from (i) unsaturated carboxylic acids, their salts and their esters, (ii) vinyl esters of saturated carboxylic acids, (iii) unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, their salts, their esters, their hemiesters and their anhydrides, and (iv) unsaturated epoxides. PA1 styrene/ethylene-butene/styrene (SEBS) block copolymers which are optionally maleic-treated. PA1 polyethylene, PA1 copolymers of ethylene and of an alpha-olefin, PA1 copolymers of ethylene/an alkyl (meth)acrylate, PA1 copolymers of ethylene/an alkyl (meth)acrylate/maleic anhydride, the maleic anhydride being grafted or copolymerized, PA1 copolymers of ethylene/an alkyl (meth)acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate, the glycidyl methacrylate being grafted or copolymerized, PA1 polypropylene. PA1 polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymers, ethylene-butene copolymers, all of these products being grafted with maleic anhydride or glycidyl methacrylate. PA1 ethylene/alkyl (meth)acrylate/maleic anhydride copolymers, the maleic anhydride being grafted or copolymerized. PA1 ethylene/vinyl acetate/maleic anhydride copolymers, with the maleic anhydride being grafted or copolymerized. PA1 the above two copolymers in which the maleic anhydride is replaced with glycidyl methacrylate, PA1 ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymers and optionally their salts, PA1 polyethylene, propylene or ethylene-propylene copolymers, these polymers being grafted with a product having a site which is reactive with amines; these grafted copolymers then being condensed with polyamides or polyamide oligomers having only one amine end. PA1 5 to 15% of an ethylene-propylene copolymer containing a predominant amount of polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride and then subsequently condensed with monoamine oligomers of caprolactam. PA1 the remainder to 100% being polypropylene. PA1 5 to 15% of at least one copolymer of ethylene with (i) an alkyl (meth)acrylate or a vinyl ester of unsaturated carboxylic acid and (ii) an unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydride or an unsaturated epoxide which is grafted or copolymerized. PA1 the remainder being polyethylene. PA1 5 to 15% of polyethylene or copolymers of ethylene and of an alpha-olefin grafted with maleic anhydride or glycidyl methacrylate. PA1 the remainder being polyethylene. PA1 monomers having: PA1 an additive for improving the slip nature such as, for example, a fatty acid metal salt (zinc stearate), PA1 an antioxidant, such as, for example, a sterically hindered phenol, a mercaptan or a phosphite, PA1 ultraviolet radiation absorbers such as substituted benzophenones, substituted phenylbenzotriazoles and sterically hindered amines; extinguishers such as nickel complexes, inorganic or organic pigment, such as zinc oxide or titanium oxide.
Furthermore, between the PE and the PA, as between the EVOH and the PE, it is necessary to place a coextrusion binder or to introduce into the PE, the EVOH or the PA, a polymer having reactive groups in order to facilitate the adhesion of the various layers. Sachets manufactured with these multilayers are permeable to oxygen, and are therefore suitable for bleach. | {
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The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Currently, the group of users for Android smartphones is increasing. It has become an issue of concern for people as to how to allow users to operate the Android smartphones more conveniently through Personal Computers (PCs).
Due to the open nature of the Android system, more and more mobile phone assistants for the PCs are available. The mobile phone assistants may be installed in the PCs to implement operations on mobile phones through universal serial bus (USB) interfaces.
Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. | {
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The present invention relates to an article of manufacture having improved high temperature oxidation and corrosion resistance comprising: (a) a superalloy substrate containing a carbide reinforcing phase, and (b) a coating consisting of chromium, aluminum, carbon, at least one element selected from iron, cobalt or nickel, and optionally an element selected from yttrium or the rare earth elements. Another embodiment of this invention comprises an aluminized overcoating of the coated superalloy. Still another embodiment of this invention comprises the method of making the article of manufacture described herein. | {
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} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the amount of paper remaining in a cassette of a printer and, more particularly, to an apparatus for detecting the amount of paper remaining in a cassette of a printer in which the remaining paper information is obtained as an electrical signal, to show the information by sending the information to a printer display and/or computer connected to a printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical electrophotographic printer such as a laser printer or a copying machine, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive medium by exposure, and an image obtained from the electrostatic latent image developed by a developing material is transferred to a paper to print a desired image.
In the above printer, a paper cassette is provided for storing papers capable of moving into or out of a main body of the printer.
When there is no paper in the paper cassette, printing cannot be performed. Thus, before printing, the paper cassette is checked using a separate sensor to detect whether there is paper in the paper cassette or not, or by using a sensor for detecting whether paper to be supplied to a printing unit passes through a paper transferring path. In the case of using a sensor for detecting whether the paper passes through the paper transferring path, a paper feeding roller for feeding the paper of the paper cassette is driven, and then when a paper passing signal is not output from the sensor at a predetermined time, the printing is stopped. Meanwhile, when there is no paper in the paper cassette, a system controller sends a signal or a message on a display installed on an operation panel informing the user.
However, in the conventional technology, information on the amount of paper remaining cannot be obtained before exhaustion of paper.
A display may be provided in one side of the paper cassette to show the amount of paper remaining without opening the paper cassette. However, a remote user away from a printer or a user using the printer through a network must go to the printer to check the amount of paper remaining. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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At the present time there is a resurgence in the fields of stained and art glass work, and many people that may have little or no previous experience with the use of glass cutters are interested in accomplishing projects in the flat glass medium. The techniques employed by artisans that are familiar with the use of conventional type glass cutters are not easily developed, and, accordingly, inexperienced workers have difficulty in cutting glass to provide the intricate shapes that may be required. When the sheets of glass being used have a mottled or irregular surface, the problem is greater. In most all prior art glass cutting apparatus, a cutter or stylus is moved across the face of the glass that is to be scored. Hand tools previously used and provided are likewise intended and primarily adapted for use in keeping with this conventional cutting procedure. In keeping with the present invention, apparatus is provided which makes an inversion of said conventional glass cutting technique advantageous. In keeping with the alternate cutting procedure, the glass is now moved past a mechanically held and loaded cutter. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of photomultipliers, and in particular to a solid dynode structure which is rugged and exhibits good pulse height resolution.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Photomultipliers come in a wide variety of forms. One type of photomultiplier utilizes a so-called "venetian blind" dynode structure wherein the dynode is formed from a series of slats or vanes arranged at an angle to the path of a photoelectron emitted from the photoemissive surface of a photocathode, or a secondary electron emitted from a preceding dynode stage. Such dynode structures are well-known and are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,834 and described in the RCA Photomultiplier Handbook, 1980, page 29.
The venetian blind dynode structure is particularly useful in environments where the photomultiplier tube may be subject to large shocks or vibrations, such as might be encountered in a spacecraft or in a well-logging operation. This is because the dynode is fully supported about its periphery by an electrically conductive mounting which also acts as the external electrical connection for the dynode.
One drawback to the venetian blind dynode structure is that it does not provide good pulse height resolution for low levels of incident photoelectrons. Under very low light level conditions (e.g., 50 or less electrons incident on the dynode), the output of the photomultiplier tube will no longer be proportional to the number of electrons impinging on the first dynode, but will fluctuate in a random fashion due to statistical variations in the numbers of secondary electrons emitted by the dynodes and the statistics of capturing and guiding these secondary electrons to the next dynode. The ability to discriminate between events which produce different numbers of photoelectrons is also reduced because of these statistical fluctuations.
These variations are due, in part, to the open structure of the venetian blind dynode which allows a large percentage (e.g., 30%) of the incident primary electrons to completely miss the first dynode.
The collection of secondary electrons by a succeeding dynode stage also varies with the position the incident primary electron strikes the vane of the preceding dynode stage. This is because each venetian blind dynode usually includes a screen or grid arranged just ahead of it which is held at the same potential as its associated dynode. This sets up an area of equal potential near the forward (leading) edges of the vanes of the dynode, and serves to improve collection of the secondary electrons emitted from the dynode by allowing the electrons to travel a short distance from the dynode within the region of equal potential. However, secondary electrons emitted from the leading edge of a dynode vane are less likely to be accelerated to the next dynode stage than are secondary electrons emitted from the rearward (trailing) edge of the vane because the influence of the potential applied to the next dynode stage is slightly less on the leading edge of the vane than on the trailing edge. This effect makes the collection efficiency of a succeeding dynode stage somewhat dependent on the location of where a primary electron strikes the preceding dynode.
One alternative type of dynode structure which does provide relatively good pulse height resolution is the so-called "box and grid" dynode structure, such as shown on page 29 of the aforementioned RCA Photomultiplier Handbook. However, such a dynode structure has the drawback that the dynode and electron focusing elements cannot be easily mounted within the photomultiplier tube in a rugged manner. This prevents this type of dynode structure from being used in those environments where the tube may be subject to high levels of shock and/or vibration. Also, the components used in the box and grid dynode structure are not symmetrical and thus can result in asymmetries in electron focusing and collection unless their designs are carefully executed.
In order to improve the electron collection efficiency in a photomultiplier it is known to use a dynode formed from a solid sheet of material oriented in a plane substantially perpendicular to the path of electrons to be accelerated. Such solid dynode structures are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,196,278 and 2,203,225. The arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,196,278 utilizes dynodes formed from a thin metal foil which are mounted to the wall of the photomultiplier by a single, slender support arm. However, this dynode structure is too weak to be able to withstand high levels of shock or vibration. Also the secondary electron coefficient of this device is low because an incoming primary electron must travel through the foil dynode before a secondary electron is emitted.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,203,225 shows a disk-type solid dynode arranged with its surface substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the photomultiplier tube and surrounded by a cup-shaped electron focusing structure. The dynode and cup-shaped focusing structure are mounted to the wall of the photomultiplier using a single support arm. This arrangement, similar to the support arm used in U.S. Pat. No. 2,196,278, will not support the dynode structure properly if the photomultiplier tube is subject to high levels of shock or vibration.
In addition, both these photomultiplier tubes require the use of external magnetic focusing coils in order to focus the electrons being accelerated by each stage of the photomultiplier tube. Such focusing coils increase the diameter and weight of the photomultiplier tube, thus rendering them less desirable for use in situations where size is critical, such as in the well-logging or spacecraft environments. Also, such focusing coils require a separate source of electrical potential, in addition to the potential source for the dynodes. | {
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This invention relates to a rigged truck, in particular for ditch clearing and excavating.
Several types of ditch excavating and ditch clearing machines are known which are usually tractor-mounted. Since such machines are mostly operated on cleared ground, dirt and any materials removed by such machines do not pose, as a rule, special problems as regards their disposal. Not infrequently, in fact, the escavated dirt is merely thrown out of the escavation site and scattered around.
Of course, this would not be permissible where a ditch extends alongside a road. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Quantitative customer survey results and other forms of customer feedback may provide insight into a customer's level of satisfaction with a particular company's services. Especially in instances where a customer contacts a service department over the phone and receives customer support. However, receiving feedback service scores from a customer as quantized levels of satisfaction (1—less satisfied, 2, 3, 4 and 5—highly satisfied, etc.) leaves a large level of uncertainty as to what each customer really likes or dislikes about a particular company, product and/or service.
Today, analyzing the data associated with a customer call is mostly a manual procedure. This can be burdensome and difficult to analyze as the recorded components of a customer call and how the customer ranked various services via a survey score are not easy to review and understand in a reasonable period of time. Data analysts are required to review the survey data and identify the individual customer and their respective account. Next, the data analyst must also access data in remote locations to listen to the recorded call (if available) to identify the trouble areas of the call. Once the call and/or comment-based recordings are made available, most analysis is done manually, on an ad-hoc level. Even advanced audio mining does not provide a concise and real-time analysis of the customer's true customer service experience.
If data analysis is performed without a corresponding audio mining application then samplings of calls must be listened to individually. This leaves different data analysts with the responsibility of making statements and decisions about the entire population of customers based on various call recordings. Such a task is usually the only situation for survey comment analysis. Any data analysis must be performed using a separate tool and linked back manually to the macro-level customer survey data, if linked back at all, in an effort to be efficient. In such instances where speech analytics are used, the entire process is performed in disparate systems, which is long and burdensome and far from a real-time analysis. | {
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This invention relates in general to cover plates that are typically associated with electrical outlet boxes but more particularly pertains to a protective cover plate that is only used to protect the electrical outlet box during the finishing stages while constructing a wall, or the like. The cover plate is universal, whereby usable with any style or specialized brand of the known typical electrical outlet boxes that are currently available. Also, the present cover plate is functional as one unit, or multiples of the cover plate may be used in unison so as to be adaptable with electrical boxes of various sizes.
It is well known within the construction field, that when building residential and commercial buildings various workers must perform many tasks simultaneously. Thus, time is often a critical factor, as well as efficiency and productivity. For example, electrical work in the nature of installing electrical wires, fuse boxes and the like is done prior to putting up interior walls, installing sheet rock, painting and such. When the electrician finishes the first phase of the work, typically wires remain exposed and uncovered within the open electrical junction boxes. After the walls are put up, however, the electrician still must follow behind and complete the wiring to switches, appliances, lighting and so forth. It is desirable to keep the time spent on this second phase to a minimum.
However a problem exists, as the electrical wires often accidentally get cut, painted over, plastered over, or otherwise damaged by co-workers while installing the walls around and/or over the junction boxes. When this is the case, the electrician must spend extra time in repairing or cleaning the wires prior to proceeding with the final phase of installation. This is most unfortunate as this inhibits the electrician""s efficiency and inadvertently increases construction costs.
In the past many attempts have been made to remedy the situation. For example, workers may install a screwed on face plate, or they may crumple up paper wads to stuff in the junction box housing, etc. Unfortunately, these remedies are involved and are also very time consuming and thus do not resolve the problem in any manner.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a means to protect the electrical outlet boxes during the construction phase in a manner that is efficient, quick, easy and inexpensive. An example of similar known prior art is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,222 entitled xe2x80x9cTEMPORARY COVER FOR ELECTRICAL OUTLET BOXESxe2x80x9d issued to: Jordan et al on Oct. 8th 1996. Wherein taught is a disposable cover of the type described which is formed from a very thin sheet of flat material having an inwardly extending flange which is sized to frictionally engage the inner surfaces of the walls of the outlet box. The cover is of the press fit variety and is used to temporarily protect the electrical components within the outlet box during construction, such as taught by the present invention. However, it can clearly be seen that this type of temporary cover has inherent disadvantages that the present invention recognizes, addresses and resolves in a manner heretofore not taught, as will be seen within the following specification.
For example, the noted reference is formed as a flat plastic plate having an exterior flange and two opposing indents for attaching the plate onto the electrical box and a finger grip for removal thereof. This is useful for its intended purpose for attaching and removing the plate but this causes additional problems. For example, the finger grip and indents within the plate can easily be filled or compacted with plaster or the like, just as easily as the electrical outlet box itself, thus defeating the entire purpose of the plate. Also, this type of plate does not provide any means for easily locating the plate and/or electrical box after the wall or sheetrock has been installed, this is important and is a novel advantage taught within the present invention. Still further the noted reference does not provide a cover plate that can be used in multiples so as to be usable with electrical outlet boxes having multiple outlets therein and/or various widths. Therefore, this type of flat electrical protective plate is not desirable and has not been found to be useful within today""s construction field.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a protective cover plate for temporarily covering an electrical outlet box that is of simple construction and economical to manufacture. For example, the plate may be formed from of material which can be corrugated, respectively. Whereby, the protective cover plate is formed having prominent ridges and grooves, each of which serve a purpose and provide unusual results not associated within the prior art, as later described.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a protective cover plate for temporarily covering an electrical outlet box that resolves the problems normally associated with the typical cover plates that are available in the construction field today.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a protective cover plate for temporarily covering an electrical outlet box that eliminates the need for any attachment means, such as nails, screws, bolts or nuts, etc.
Also another object of the present invention is to provide a protective cover plate for temporarily covering an electrical outlet box that can be used several times, and/or after use may be easily discarded and/or recycled in a manner which is economically friendly, unlike plastic or other materials which are not. Although it is to be noted that the plate may be made from substantially any material of engineering choice, including metal, wood, plastic, rubber, cardboard, aluminum, etc., if so desired.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a protective cover plate for temporarily covering an electrical outlet box that can be used in multiples. Whereby allowing a workman to easily install multiple covers in a side-by-side relationship so as to be functional with electrical outlet boxes having multiple electrical outlet plugs therein, such as 4, 6, or 8, etc.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a protective cover plate for temporarily covering an electrical outlet box that may include optional locator means thereon. For example, the plate may include a centralized magnet which allows a user to easily locate the plate as well as the outlet box after the wall or sheetrock has been erected by use of a magnet of proper polarity. Also, if the magnet is not used the cover plate and electrical outlet box may also be easily detected by use of a metal detector if so desired, which is most advantageous.
Other objects and advantages will be seen when taken into consideration with the following drawings and specification. | {
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Processors, including microprocessors, digital signal processors and microcontrollers, operate by running software programs that are embodied in one or more series of instructions stored in a memory. The processors run the software by fetching the instructions from the series of instructions, decoding the instructions and executing them. The instructions themselves control the order in which the processor fetches and executes the instructions. For example, the order for fetching and executing each instruction may be inherent in the order of the instructions within the series. Alternatively, instructions such as branch instructions, conditional branch instructions, subroutine calls and other flow control instructions may cause instructions to be fetched and executed out of the inherent order of the instruction series.
When a processor fetches and executes instructions in the inherent order of the instruction series, the processor may execute the instructions very efficiently without wasting processor cycles to determine, for example, where the next instruction is. When exceptions to normal instruction flow such as interrupts are processed, many processor cycles are taken away from the normal instruction flow to process an interrupt service routing (ISR) corresponding to the interrupt or exception.
In processor applications in which real-time performance of the processor is critical, there is a need to regulate when an interrupt is serviced in order to prevent impairing the real-time performance of the processor. The need may arise at only certain portions of a larger program, for example, when monitoring and processing operations are being performed. At these times, there is a need for a mechanism to prevent the servicing of an interrupt in order to devote processing power to processing the critical program portions. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to curable compositions of alk-1-enyl ethers which can be employed as radiation or thermally curable molding resins, coatings and adhesives.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Polyallyl ethers derived from polyols and carbohydrates, particularly allylated pentaerythritol, trimethylpropane, and starches and sugars have been widely investigated as monomers suitable for protective coatings. These materials are attractive since they undergo autoxidative polymerization in contact with air. However, because of slow curing rates, color formation and relatively poor substrate bonding strength, films of these allyl ethers have limited commercial use (see ALLYL COMPOUNDS AND THEIR POLYMERS by C. E. Schildknecht, Wiley Interscience, 1973). Additionally many of these monomers and oligomers are thermally unstable and decompose to give off an objectionable odor characteristic of acrolein.
Attempts to prepare high molecular weight monoallyl ethers by free radical or ionic polymerizations have not been successful and result in low molecular weight products in admixture with substantial quantitites of unreacted material which is difficult to separate. According to British Patent 730,670, the polymerization of a allyl glycidyl ether benzene solution in the presence of 3% ditertiary butyl peroxide at 155.degree. C. resulted in a product having a molecular weight of only 500 which was contaminated with a significant quantity of unconverted allyl glycidyl ether. Obviously such materials are unsuitable as protective coatings.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above deficiencies and to provide alkenyl derived ethers which are readily polymerizable to thermally stable compounds having superior coating properties and which provide films having good adhesion and high resistance to chemical attack.
Another object of this invention is to provide an economical and commercially feasible curable composition containing the present compounds.
Still another object is to provide metal and glass coatings and finishes which are not subject to coloration over extended periods of use.
These and many other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and disclosure. | {
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GDNF was originally purified, and characterized in the early 1990's as a neurotrophic factor supporting the survival and differentiation of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, and on the basis of the amino acid sequence of GDNF, it was possible to clone the GDNF gene (Lin et al., 1993). Neurturin (NRTN, also known as NTN) was isolated in 1996 based on its ability to promote survival of sympathetic neurons (Kotzbauer et al., 1996). Subsequently, persephin (PSPN, also known as PSP) and artemin (ARTN, also known as ART), were cloned on the basis of sequence homology (Milbrandt et al., 1998; Baloh et al., 1998). Reportedly, analysis of the Genome Database has indicated the unlikelihood of finding other functional GDNF family ligands (GFLs) (Airaksinen & Saarma, 2002).
A variety of biological actions have been ascribed to the GFLs. NRTN, PSPN, and ARTN, like GDNF, promote survival of midbrain dopaminergic neurons (Lin et al., 1993; Milbrandt et al., 1998; Baloh et al., 1998a). The survival of several other neuronal subpopulations in the CNS is supported by the GFLs, including central motorneurons (Milbrandt et al., 1998) and noradrenergic neurons (Arenas et al., 1995). GDNF, NRTN, and ARTN also support the survival of neurons in the PNS, including sympathetic, parasympathetic, sensory (Kotzbauer et al., 1996; Baloh et al., 1998), and enteric neurons (Hearn et al., 1998). In addition to their survival promoting effects, the GFLs also promotes neuronal differentiation (Lin et al., 1993; Baloh et al., 1998a; Yan et al., 2003; Paratcha et al., 2003).
As typical for secreted proteins, the four members of the GDNF-family are synthesized as inactive prepro-forms. The signal peptide is cleaved from the prepro-form of GDNF, and proGDNF is secreted. Further cleavage turns proGDNF into the 134 amino acid-long mature GDNF. Mature NRTN contains 100 amino acids, mature PSPN consists of 96 amino acids, and mature ARTN contains 113 amino acids (Kotzbauer et al., 1996; Milbrandt et al., 1998; Baloh et al., 1998). The GFLs are quite homologous, sharing from 53 to 64% sequence similarity. The identity of the protease(s) cleaving pro-GFLs to mature GFLs has yet to be determined.
The sequences of the four GFLs reveal the existence of seven conserved cysteine residues within the mature proteins. These residues are spaced in a similar manner as the seven conserved cysteine residues found in members of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily. Hence, although they show less than 20% sequence similarity with the other members of the family, the GFLs are considered to be members of the TGF-β superfamily, constituting their own subfamily (Lin et al., 1993; Kotzbauer et al, 1996; Milbrandt et al., 1998; Baloh et al., 1998). All members of the TGF-β superfamily belong to the cysteine knot growth factor superfamily (Saarma & Sariola, 1999). The proteins in this family are characterized by being dimeric proteins containing a topological knot formed by three cysteine residues. Together with adjacent amino acids two of these cysteine residues form a covalent ring, through which the third cysteine passes.
Possible GFRα binding sites in GDNF have been investigated in two studies (Eketjäll et al., 1999; Baloh et al., 2000). The first study identified three negatively charged amino acids in finger 1 and one in finger 2, which are critical for binding of GDNF to GFRα1 (Eketjäll et al., 1999). These residues are placed in the most distal part of the fingers, as are four hydrophobic amino acids (one in finger 1, the rest in finger 2) also shown to be crucial for binding of GDNF to GFRα1. In addition, the flexible N-terminal region of GDNF is indicated to be of importance for binding to GFRα1. In contrast, the positively charged amino acids concentrated in the heel, did not appear to be involved in binding to GFRα1 (Eketjäll et al., 1999). Surprisingly, neither one of the identified residues in finger 2 nor one of the hydrophobic residues in finger 1 were required for GDNF binding in the presence of Ret since GDNF molecules mutated at these positions were still able to induce phosphorylation of Ret. Deletion of the N-terminal region did not inhibit Ret phosphorylation either. The authors therefore proposed the existence of two distinct binding sites for GDNF in GFRα1. One binding site consisting of GFRα1 receptors alone would be used for binding GDNF in the absence of Ret, while another binding site consisting of residues from GFRα1 and Ret would come into play, when GDNF interacts with a preassociated GFRα1-Ret complex (Eketjäll et al., 1999).
In the study by Baloh et al. (2000), it was found that two regions in finger 2 were important for GDNF-induced activation of Ret through GFRα1, whereas the flexible N-terminal was not required. Similar experiments showed that the corresponding two regions in NRTN and ARTN were important for the ability of these GFLs to activate Ret through GFRα2 and GFRα3, respectively. For NRTN and ARTN, regions comprising the most N-terminal part of the large α-helix were also required for Retactivation (Baloh et al., 2000).
In summary, the existence of more than one binding site in GFLs is indicated from the two studies, and although there appears to be some discrepancy about which finger is most important, the works of Eketjäll et al. (1999) and Baloh et al. (2000) underline the importance of the finger regions in binding of GDNF to its receptor complex and subsequent activation of Ret.
The understanding of the heterophilic interaction between NCAM and GDNF/GFRα1 is still very limited, but studies have indicated that both GDNF and GFRα1 bind to NCAM, and that the binding of NCAM to GDNF is greatly potentiated in the presence of GFRα1 (Paratcha et al., 2003). Furthermore, in the same study it was suggested that the GDNF-induced neurite outgrowth occurs independently of the FGFR and probably also independently of trans homophilic NCAM interactions. The GDNF-GFRα-NCAM interaction in fact seemed to interfere with homophilic NCAM interactions (Paratcha et al., 2003). | {
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Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and method for determining the rate of flow of a liquid by measuring an electrical potential difference developed in the liquid as it moves through a magnetic field. The invention particularly addresses the inherent problems related to insertion flow probes.
2. Background Information
In a magnetic flow sensor an electrical potential difference developed in an electrically conductive liquid is detected by a pair of electrodes contacting the liquid which are spaced apart from each other along a line that is generally orthogonal to both the direction in which the flow is measured and a magnetic field produced by an electromagnet. This arrangement is used in most commercially available full bore sensors where the electrodes are typically mounted in electrically insulating liners inside of metal shells, and at the bottom of insertion probe sensors.
Typical full bore magnetic flow sensors provide high precision measurement of flow rate but are bulky and expensive to purchase, install and remove. Typical magnetic probe flow sensors have relatively lower measurement precision and also lack the installation ease of other insertion-type probe sensors. For example, the flow transition around such a probe is abrupt because the bottom of the sensor is the flat end of a relatively stubby cylinder. This can produce turbulence and an uncertain path of the liquid flow producing the electrode signals, ultimately leading to a reduction of measurement precision. Because flow rate detection occurs at only one location in the flow profile, variations in the flow rate at other locations in the flow profile can also affect the measurement accuracy on a volumetric basis. When a probe sensor is mounted in pipes which are not much larger than the probe itself, the probe creates a pressure drop and leads to flow measurement uncertainties which may not be tolerable in some applications. Furthermore, because the signal magnitude depends, in part, on the size of the electromagnet providing the magnetic flux and the distance between the electrodes that is engaged by that flux, probe mechanical mounting diameters must generally be large compared to other types of insertion type sensors in order to produce sufficient electrical signal at the electrodes. Other problems associated with prior art magnetic probe flow sensors include a requirement for a larger opening through a pipe, and the greater pressure that the liquid exerts on the probe. This pressure acts to push the probe out of the pipe and leads to a larger hot tap insertion force because of the larger supporting stem diameter. The stem diameters must then be relatively large to prevent stem deflection at the higher flow rates. And finally, prior art sensors, make relatively inefficient use of the magnetic field and generally require substantially more electrical operating power than do other types of probe sensors.
It is therefore an object to provide a magnetic flow sensing probe which offers significant improvement over the prior art just described.
It is a further object to adapt the improvements of the probe sensor configuration to the inline sensor configuration.
The above and other objects of the invention are attained by magnetic flow sensors in accordance with various preferred embodiments of the present invention. In preferred embodiments, the magnetic axis (i.e., the line extending from the south to the north pole) of an electromagnet is oriented generally perpendicular to a direction of flow of a conductive liquid. As is known in the magnetic flow metering art, the flux from a magnet arranged in this fashion generates in the liquid a voltage difference proportional to the flow rate of the liquid. In various embodiments of this invention this voltage difference is sensed by a sensing head comprising, in addition to the magnet, a pair of electrodes (which preferably have the same size and shape and are made of the same material) spaced apart from each other along a separation line that is generally orthogonal to both a direction of flow and the magnetic axis. These electrodes may be located in a circular shroud.
The voltage indicative of flow rate is measured between the corresponding two electrodes of a pair when the associated magnetic flux is present and stable, as is known in the magnetic flow metering art. This may consist of a cyclic processing procedure including the measurement and storage of first a first electrode difference potential when no magnetic field is present, followed by a similar measurement with the field present. In this arrangement, the difference between the two measurements is representative of the liquid flow rate.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the flow passage is defined by a cylindrical shroud and the electromagnet is located close to the region of fluid flow being sensed by the electrodes so that the flux which it produces is more effectively used to generate the flow related potentials in the liquid. This close spacing is facilitated by routing the signal leads from the electrodes directly through a hole in the core of the electromagnet instead of running outside of the electromagnet, as is done in the prior art. The core, or at least a portion thereof, is preferably electrically conductive and grounded so that the leads are electrostatically shielded from the relatively high potentials existing on the outside of the coil of the electromagnet. This enables the signal amplifiers to experience lower voltage transients before the magnetic flux stabilizes. The amplifiers can recover faster and accurately detect the electrode voltages sooner after the flux stabilizes, thereby reducing electrical power consumption. It has been confirmed in practical examples that the magnetically induced voltages in the leads are common mode voltages and of a low enough magnitude to be well tolerated by the signal amplifiers. These voltages are inherently equal as they are derived from conductive paths that are easily made mechanically the same and symmetrically located around the core. This is much more difficult to achieve if the leads are instead routed on the outside of the coil where both magnetic and electrostatic induced voltages have to be coped with. Routing the leads through the core also enables the outside of the housing containing the electromagnet to be smaller.
The obstruction free shroud enables a relatively smooth and predictable passage of flow to be realized improving the precision of the liquid flow rate measurement. The improved magnetic flux utilization and electrode signal routing enables a smaller magnet and its housing to be used, thereby reducing its physical dimensions and that of the supporting stem. This reduces the flow obstruction and permits the supporting stem diameter to be made relatively small.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, an electromagnet similar to the one described above has a second, similarly configured flow shroud and electrode pair located on its opposite pole. The signals from both sets of electrodes may be directly electrically summed or otherwise combined, or may be passed through individual electronic processing circuits where they may be examined individually, compared and combined as desired. When the signals are directly combined in series aiding the net output signal approaches twice that from a single electrode pair. If desired, the shroud, magnet size and overall mechanical structure can be substantially reduced and still provide the same signal sensitivity as in the single channel embodiment described previously while being less obstructive of the flow path and easier to insert under pressure. The utilization of the previously unused magnetic field for the second shroud enables higher energy efficiency to be achieved as most of the energy used by magnetic flow sensors is for generating the magnetic field. Furthermore, The flow sensing at the two spaced apart locations provides a better sample of the overall flow rate for better volumetric accuracy. Using the same configuration more than one set of such dual sensing heads may be mounted in line one after the other to sense the flow rate over a large linear distance.
The present invention, although developed for insertion probes, could be applied to inline flow sensors in some applications, when energy efficiency is important as in the case of battery and current loop powered equipment.
Although it is believed that the foregoing recital of features and advantages may be of use to one who is skilled in the art and who wishes to learn how to practice the invention, it will be recognized that the foregoing recital is not intended to list all of the features and advantages. Moreover, it may be noted that various embodiments of the invention may provide various combinations of the hereinbefore recited features and advantages of the invention, and that less than all of the recited features and advantages may be provided by some embodiments. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to adjustable pliers and more particularly to adjustable pliers which are adapted to be locked in a particular position.
A number of patents have issued on adjustable pliers. Applicant is aware of at least the following patents relating to adjustable pliers: U.S. Pat. Nos.
4,651,598 PA0 4,893,530 PA0 5,351,584 PA0 4,802,390 PA0 4,662,252 PA0 5,060,543 | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to I/Q mismatch calibration, and, more particularly to devices of I/Q mismatch detection and compensation, and methods thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional wireless communication device such as a mobile phone, a digital baseband circuit provides a data stream of complex, digital baseband data to a transmitter, where the transmitted baseband data are often carried by an orthogonal transmitter signal represented by real components and imaginary components, or, in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components. In the transmitter, the real component of the transmitter signal is processed along a real-component circuit path and the imaginary component is processed along an imaginary-component circuit path, the circuit paths being parallel to each other. The digital and analog signal processing along the real-component and the imaginary-component circuit path are all in parallel, and may include multiplexing, filtering, power controlling, up-sampling and so on. The parallel signal processed transmitter signal is modulated to produce an analog radio frequency (RF) signal to be amplified and radiated into the air interface from an antenna, providing a base station of the communication system with communication data exchange.
Ideally, the real and imaginary components are processed along parallel circuit paths in the transmitter, and the circuit elements along one path are identical or matched with corresponding circuit elements along the other path. However, the corresponding circuit elements along the real and imaginary circuit paths may have differences from each other due to manufacturing process variations or geometrical layout differences, resulting in amplitude differences (“IQ gain mismatch”) and phase differences (“IQ phase mismatch”) between the real and imaginary components that are processed along the parallel paths and causing degraded signal quality.
Thus devices capable of I/Q mismatch calibration and methods thereof are needed to optimize transmitted signal quality. | {
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An arrangement for controlling the driving speed in a motor vehicle is already known from German patent publication 4,123,110. Here, the motor vehicle is equipped with a drive unit in addition to a power actuating member and a brake. The arrangement includes a device to which signals are supplied for a desired speed selectable by the driver as well as signals for a safety-based desired speed. The signals for a safety-based desired speed are obtained by means of a distance sensor which detects the distance to obstacles disposed ahead of the vehicle and especially a further traveling vehicle. These signals are supplied to the device for selecting the lowest desired speed as the instantaneous desired speed and for obtaining actuating signals for the power actuating member or the brakes when there is a deviation between the actual speed and the instantaneous desired speed. Signals, which are generated in traffic guiding devices external to the vehicle for permissible maximum speeds, are also supplied to the device as a permissible desired speed.
Furthermore, signals, which consider the friction contact between the vehicle wheels and the roadway, can also be supplied to the vehicle for subsequent reasonable maximum speeds, that is, desired speeds conditioned by the coefficient of friction. The device is designed to select the smallest of these desired speeds as the instantaneous desired speed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a fan with spiral supercharging device and particularly to a device capable of increasing pressure of fluid outward the fan.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional fan provides a hub 11 and a plurality of fan blades 12. The hub 11 is cylindrical with a flat facial end 111 having an area identical to the rear end thereof. The fan blades 12 surrounding the hub 11 each have a front edge 121 and a rear edge 122 with a gap 13 between every two adjacent fan blades 12, that is, the respective fan blade 12 is unshielded with another fan blade 12 next to it.
The problem of the preceding conventional fan is in that when the fan is in operation, the gap 13 becomes flow passage and fluid can pass outward through the gap 13. However, the fluid being acted by the fan blades 12 becomes less and it leads to pressure of the fluid moving outward being small. In addition, the fluid flows axially and diffuses outward immediately instead of gathering as a fluid beam moving outward. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Various transaction accounts, including transaction accounts utilizing physical credit cards, for example, are commonly used in retail, business and other transactions. A consumer may use a transaction account to purchase a good or service from a merchant using that type of instrument. When the consumer interacts with the merchant to initiate the purchase using a credit account, for example, a sequence of electronic processing takes place. This processing may involve an established interchange entity such as Visa™ or Master Card™, for example. The interchange entity may interact with a lending institution or other payment enabler, such as a bank, that extends a line of credit to the customer. Each of the customer, the interchange entity, and the lending institution interact with each other pursuant to established terms of account that each party has agreed upon.
It should be appreciated that the interchange entity performs a variety of processing in conjunction with handling an electronic transaction. Various administrative and other costs are associated with this processing. As a result, the interchange entity typically charges an “interchange fee” as compensation for executing the transaction. The amount of this interchange fee may vary. Typically, the interchange fee is a percentage of the purchase. Further, a minimum interchange fee is often imposed by the interchange entity, regardless of the amount of the transaction. Illustratively, this minimum interchange fee might be a $3 charge. This minimum threshold results in problems with purchases of small monetary value.
For example, a customer may purchase an item from a merchant for $4. The selling merchant is typically responsible for paying this interchange fee to the interchange entity. If the minimum interchange fee is $3, the merchant's net receipt on selling the item is $1, i.e., $4−$3=$1. This return may not even cover the cost of the item, and certainly reduces or eliminates the possibility of a profit margin for the merchant.
Accordingly, transactions of a low monetary amount are typically not processed using a transaction account, such as a credit card account, to which an interchange fee is applied. However, a significant portion of the transactions effectuated in the national economy are small dollar sales. It would consequently be beneficial in a wide variety of situations if a transaction account could be used to pay for low monetary amount transactions. In one regard, these low monetary amount transactions may be characterized as “microtransactions.” As used herein, a “microtransaction” may be or include any transaction between a first person or entity and a second person or entity in which the cost of an interchange or other processing fee might discourage such transactions from taking place. Other problems exist. | {
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1. Field
The disclosure relates to a method, system, and article of manufacture for the communication of conditions at a primary storage controller to a host.
2. Background
A host may be coupled to a primary storage controller and a secondary storage controller. Storage volumes in the primary storage controller may be copied via synchronous peer to peer remote copy operations to the secondary storage controller. The primary and secondary storage controllers may in such a situation be referred to as being in a mirrored configuration.
The host may issue write requests to the primary storage controller, and the primary storage controller may replicate the writes to the secondary storage controller; the secondary storage controller may acknowledge the writes to the primary storage controller, and the primary storage controller may then acknowledge the writes to the host.
In certain situations, the host may not be able to perform I/O operations with one or more storage volumes of the primary storage controller. The inability to perform I/O operations with one or more storage volumes of the primary storage controller may be because of the failure of the one or more storage volumes in the primary storage controller, or because of the failure of the primary storage controller itself. In such situations, the host may be able to substitute usage of the primary storage controller with the secondary storage controller (i.e., use the secondary storage controller instead of primary storage controller), such that host applications may continue to execute.
If a host application was previously accessing the primary storage controller and received indications of I/O failures, then swapping of the primary storage controller by the secondary storage controller that maintains copies of the storage volumes of the primary storage controller allows the host application to continue execution. From the host application perspective, the swapping is transparent, i.e., host applications do not have to be aware that a swapping took place. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to treadmills and in particular to an improved shock absorbing treadmill which provides in use reduced landing forces to a runner's foot while simultaneously providing a substantially flat, stable running surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art has provided treadmills in response to demand of walkers, joggers and runners and the medical profession for a device which may be used, especially indoors, for exercise where outdoor walking, jogging or running is not enjoyable or practical. A problem with running or jogging as an exercise to strengthen the cardiovascular system relates to the possibility of impact injury to feet, ankles and knees caused by the force of the runner's foot striking an unyielding surface, such as street pavement. Prior treadmill designs have recognized this problem and have attempted to solve it in a number of ways. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,337 of Schomenberger discloses a treadmill with a flat top surface covered with a resilient surface such as foam rubber, carpeting or the like. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,405 to Lee et al which discloses a trampoline like top surface for a treadmill.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,336 to Hanford provides a treadmill having a frame to which rollers are attached which carry an endless tread belt. The belt moves above a platform disposed beneath the running portion of the belt. The platform is supported by longitudinal platform rails which are supported at one end by a lateral frame member which is secured to the frame. The platform is supported at its other end by shock absorbing members attached to the longitudina1 rails. The shock absorbing member may be moved longitudinally with respect to the frame. The shock absorbing member absorbs shock directly of the platform as a runner exercises on the treadmill belt above. The platform flexes longitudinally as it pivots at one end and is shock absorbingly supported at its other end.
Although an admirable improvement in the art of shock absorbing treadmills, the Hanford treadmill does not provide an adequately stable running surface. The platform is shock absorbingly supported, but the endless tread belt is not. The belt rollers are both supported directly by the frame. As a result, the belt runs over the platform with sufficient slack in it to allow the platform beneath it to move downwardly in response to the impact of a runner's foot. The slack in the belt can cause an uneven lateral surface for succeeding foot landings, possibly leading to twisted ankles, knees, etc. | {
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Proper cardiac function relies on the synchronized contractions of the heart at regular intervals. When the heart is functioning normally, synchronized cardiac contractions are initiated at the sinoatrial node and the heart is said to be operating in normal sinus rhythm. However, if contractions of the heart become irregular or uncoordinated, or if the contraction rate is too fast or too slow, the heart rhythm is described as arrhythmic. Cardiac arrhythmia may be caused, for example, by disease processes or from aberrant electrical conduction patterns occurring in the heart tissue. Cardiac arrhythmia impairs cardiac pumping efficiency and some types of cardiac arrhythmia can be life threatening.
A cardiac arrhythmia that originates in an atrial region of the heart is denoted a supra-ventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT). Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are examples of SVT. Both conditions are characterized by rapid, uncoordinated contractions of the atria resulting in hemodynamically inefficient pumping action.
Another example of SVT is sinus tachycardia, which is an increased heart rate due to exercise or a quick emotional response. In contrast to atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, sinus tachycardia is characterized by rapid, coordinated contractions of the atria resulting in hemodynamically efficient pumping action, compensating for the increased strain placed upon the body during exercise or quick emotional responses. Whereas atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are “abnormal” (yet not lethal), sinus tachycardia is “normal” (and also not lethal).
Cardiac arrhythmias originating in a ventricular region of the heart are denoted ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is characterized by rapid ventricular contractions and can degenerate into ventricular fibrillation (VF). Ventricular fibrillation produces extremely rapid, non-coordinated contractions of the ventricles. Ventricular fibrillation is fatal unless the heart is returned to sinus rhythm within a few minutes.
Implantable cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices, including pacemakers and implantable cardioverter/defibrillators, and have been used to deliver effective treatment to patients with serious cardiac arrhythmias. Cardiac rhythm management devices may treat cardiac arrhythmias with a variety of tiered therapies. These tiered therapies range from delivering low energy pacing pulses timed to assist the heart in maintaining pumping efficiency to providing high-energy shocks to treat and/or terminate fibrillation. To effectively deliver these treatments, the CRM device must first identify the type of arrhythmia that is occurring, after which appropriate therapy may be delivered to the heart. | {
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The present invention relates to a device for detecting the oxygen density of room air or the like by detecting an ion current in a combustor.
The oxygen density of the air in the room where a heating apparatus or a water heater with an open type combustor using indoor air for combustion is installed is an essential factor for safety and health. Therefore, it is necessary to detect the oxygen density of the air in such a room and to stop the combustor or to ventilate the room if necessary.
As shown in FIG. 1, the ion current value of flames in an open type combustor decreases with the oxygen density of air in the room. Therefore, the oxygen density of air in the room can be detected by detecting the flame ion current. For instance, the device may be constructed such that a reference level is suitably set and the reference level is compared with each of the ion current levels which are provided successively. When the ion current level is lower than the reference level, an output signal is generated to detect the oxygen density of the air in the room.
However, if the same reference value is used for more than one open type combustor, the oxygen density cannot be detected with a high accuracy because the ion currents of the open type combustors are not always equal to one another due to variations in characteristics which occur during manufacture or changes with time. Therefore, the relationships between ion current and oxygen density of the combustors are different.
This will become more apparent from the following description. It is assumed that first and second open type combustors A and B have different ion current characteristics with time as shown in FIG. 2. If, in this case, the common reference level for the combustors A and B is set to the level a indicated in FIG. 2, while in the combustor A an oxygen density of about 18% is detected, in the combustor B the oxygen density about 18.5%. Thus, the oxygen density cannot be accurately detected with plural combustors if a single reference level is used.
If the reference level for the first open type combustor A is set to the level a and the reference level for the second combustor B is set to the level b as shown in FIG. 2, then the oxygen density of the room air can be detected with a high accuracy. Therefore, a method may be advantageously used in which characteristics of ion current level with time are obtained for a plurality of open type combustors by prior tests, and reference levels set for each combustor separately.
However, that method still involves drawbacks in that it is cumbersome and expensive to test a large number of manufactured open type combustors one by one to obtain the individual reference values. | {
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An electronic system usually includes multiple electronic devices. Different devices are configured to perform different operations. At one given moment, some devices may operate at a high speed and therefore consume more power than some other devices that are in a sleep mode. Similarly, a specific device may perform more operations at one moment and therefore burn more energy than it does at a different moment. Other factors such as manufacturing process variations, environmental temperature variations, or even aging differences between device components may also result in a variation of power consumption for different devices at the same moment and for the same device at different moments. As a result, both the system and an individual device may have a dynamic power supply requirement.
On the other hand, it is quite common that various devices in a conventional electronic system are powered by very few or just a single static power supply. In this case, to ensure that the entire system operates appropriately even under worst scenario, many devices consume more power than necessary. Additionally, manufacturing or temperature variations can result in device performance which far exceeds the requirements of the system. In such cases the power supply could be reduced and the devices would still be able to meet system performance needs while consuming less power.
This power wasting problem is further complicated for a system-in-package (SIP) configuration. SIP has the benefit of providing low-cost interconnects between semiconductor chips within the same package. But the increased power density associated with the unnecessary power consumption may cause a device or system overheat, which severely limits the number of chips that can be assembled into a single package.
Therefore, there is a need for optimizing an electronic device's power supply without the aforementioned problems. | {
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The invention relates generally to an article used in the field of technical climbing and mountaineering, but is not limited to this use. The article is generally referred to as an ice piton and is utilized by securing same in a climbing medium to assist technical climbers. | {
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1. Field of Invention
The present invention is in a field related to application of electricity transmission technology of an electric power system. And more particularly, the present invention relates to a method for vertically grounding and leading down form a center of a composite pole tower and pole tower thereof.
2. Description of Related Arts
Pole towers are important instruments in an electric transmission line. The property of material of pole powers has a direct influence on safety, economy, and reliability of operation of the electric transmission line. Since raw steel material has a high intensity and good weight ratio, pole powers of high voltage electric transmission line at home and abroad are mostly made of raw steel material. However, pole powers of raw steel material also have disadvantages such as being massive (density of the raw steel material is high) and easy to corrupt. And thus a lot of manpower and materials are required for construction, transport and maintenance of the pole towers. With the development of the composite materials, advantages such as light weight, high intensity, corrosion-resistant, bearable in high temperature and low temperature, durable, and good insulating property have been found in composite materials. Therefore, poles powers of composite material, which have advantages such as low cost of transporting (especially in a sparsely populated area), antifouling, corrosion-resistant and the like, have good utilization prospects. It should be noted that pole towers of composite material have already been widely used in some areas in Canada and America.
However, lightning protection is not an issue when the pole towers of composite material are used in Canada and America. The mainly reason is that these areas using pole towers of composite material do not suffered a lot from lightning (For these areas in Canada and America have long winters, and lightning days are very few). Furthermore, the electric transmission lines are of low voltage which is mostly lower than 110 kv and do not required grounding. In addition, influence of lightning on the system is not vital because the voltage is relatively low.
Recently, pole towers in China are made of reinforced concrete, wood or raw steel (a pole tower in the rank of high voltage which is more than 110 kv often is made of raw steel). Because of the outstanding property of composite material, many regions in China also begins to use composite material (for pole towers in the rank of high voltage which are more than 110 kv). However, in these regions of China, issues such as much efforts have been put on building the transmission corridor, lightning takes place frequently, and contamination should be concerned, so that when the pole towers of composite material are employed to these regions, focus should be put on reducing a width of the transmission corridor (reduce the maximum distance between the leads of the transmission line), avoiding damage by lightning (reduce the possibility of destroy by lightning), and preventing contamination (reduce the possibility of running out of order because of pollution flashover by increasing a climbing distance of the pollution flashover).
In order to prevent the pole towers from damage by lightning, ground wires should be installed to the transmission line (the pole towers in Canada and America have not been provided with ground wires because it is not a issue in these regions of these countries). The pole towers of composite material should be grounded to release lightning energy of the ground wires (lightning conductor) or tower peak during lightning so as to increase ability lightning protection of the pole towers.
Therefore, in a region in which lightning takes place frequently, grounding should be carefully taken in consideration when pole towers of composite material are applied in use (since the body itself of a steel pole tower is a metal conductor, ground wires are directly electrically connected to the earth through the body of the pole tower, so that grounding is not an issue for a steel pole tower). There are several kinds of grounding and leading-down methods which directly have influence on performance of lightning protection, reducing the width of the transmission line and contamination prevention, so that methods of grounding and leading-down are important and key issues that should be solved when the pole towers of composite material are in application. | {
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A suction cup or clip is usually used as a fastening mechanism of automobile data recorders and other electronic devices in a vehicle. Meanwhile, the automobile data recorder is fastened to the vehicle by combining the fastening mechanism with a rotating assembly. | {
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The present invention relates generally to a signal transmission line connector, a signal transmission line, a signal transmission cable and a data processing system and more particularly to a signal transmission line connector, a signal transmission line, a signal transmission cable and a data processing system for use in a transmission line network such as an Ethernet network.
When designing an Ethernet network, the design must conform to the ANSI IEEE Standard 802.3 1993, which regulates the design including that of the transmission circuit for each network adapter so as to assure correct operation of the network.
To provide a lap-top personal computer (PC) with Ethernet functions using a mini-PCI type network card of, for example, the Type III model, therefore, the PC includes a transmission line so as to correspond to the Ethernet.
However, in case the lap-top PC must be provided with a port replication function at an RJ45 port at such an extended unit side used as, for example, a docking station and/or in case a mechanically efficient transmission line is disposed in the lap-top PC, a transmission line connector other than the RJ45 connector must be used unavoidably on the transmission line network, although the use of such a nonstandard connector should be avoided originally.
When such a nonstandard transmission line connector is used, a return loss occurs at the connection area due to impedance mismatching. Consequently, a stationary wave is generated, thereby attenuating the signal. This disables the subject data communication, resulting in a communication error.
In such a case, a transmission line connector that satisfies the characteristics required for the Ethernet Standard should be used. Otherwise, it would be difficult to develop a new transmission line connector that agrees to the design requirement each time a system is developed when the number of processes and the cost are taken into consideration.
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 9-51209, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, discloses a technique for preventing such impedance mismatching by changing both the permittivity of the substrate material and the width of the transmission line pattern. This technique, which unavoidably changes the permittivity of the substrate material gives rise to an increase in manufacturing cost.
Under such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a signal transmission line connector, a signal transmission line, and a substrate that can prevent the whole subject transmission line network from degradation of the transmission characteristics even when the network uses a transmission line connector whose characteristic impedance differs from that required for the transmission lines.
In order to attain the above object, the transmission line connector of the present invention enables a signal transmission line to be connected to a terminal area in an transition region. The transmission line is formed at a predetermined width so as to transmit a signal and the terminal area is formed at a specific width differently from the predetermined width so as to input/output a signal to be transmitted by the signal transmission line. The transition region is formed around the terminal area so that the predetermined width of the signal transmission line is changed gradually to the specific width of the terminal area in the transition region as the line goes towards the terminal area.
And, a plurality of such signal transmission lines are also formed on, for example, a flexible cable at a predetermined width therebetween and those transmission lines are used, for example, for communications among computers via a network. At an end or at a middle point of each of those transmission lines is formed a terminal area used to input/output a signal. This terminal area can be formed not only on the flexible cable, but also another type of substrate such as a printed circuit board. The terminal area has a specific width, which is different from that of the signal transmission line. Consequently, the impedance differs between the signal transmission line and the terminal area.
Consequently, in the present invention, the transition region is formed so that the predetermined width of the signal transmission line is changed gradually to the specific width of the terminal area therein as the line goes towards the terminal area and the transmission line is connected to the terminal area therein. And, because the width of the signal transmission line is changed gradually around the terminal area, the impedance around the terminal area can be prevented from an abrupt change even when the impedance differs between the signal transmission line and the terminal area. Consequently, a return loss to be expected around the terminal area can be reduced, thereby the attenuation of the signal can be prevented so as to assure normal communications.
The length of the transition region, that is, the length of the section in which the width of the signal transmission line is changed gradually, can be decided as follows, for example. At first, an impedance is found from an equalizing circuit of the signal transmission line system including the signal transmission line and the terminal area, then the area of the transition region, which is equivalent to the impedance, is found. This area can be found in accordance with the required impedance from the inductance and capacitance characteristics of the material of the signal transmission line. When the area of the transition region is decided, the length of the transition region can be found easily from the area, the predetermined width of the signal transmission line, and the specific width of the terminal area. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present inventions relate generally to methods and systems for tracking the presence, position and status of individual items, containers and the contents thereof, including locks and seals for such items and containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Related Information
When items are shipped over distances in sealed containers, boxes and other packaging (as most manufactured items are), a wide variety of problems can occur.
The five scenarios outlined below are illustrative of such problems. 1. The vendor ships the wrong item or no item; 2. The shipping company's employees or others having access during shipment remove some or all of the contents and reseal the package or container; 3. The return authorization and/or address to which returns must be sent is incorrectly understood or executed by the recipient; 4. The recipient claims (fraudulently) that the package delivered did not contain the item ordered; 5. The recipient (fraudulently) returns the package as though the ordered item were being returned, but the recipient keeps the ordered item and substitutes another similar but inauthentic item.
Because the package or container conceals its contents, it is often difficult to determine just who has or should have both custody and responsibility when goods do go missing. Theft and fraud are difficult to detect, and a contention that there was nothing of value in a box is very difficult to defeat. Previous (and undesirable) solutions depended upon non-technical processes including bureaucratic hurdles, negotiation, investigation, intimidation and simple loss write-offs to deal with errors, theft and fraud in both ecommerce and mail order fulfillment as well as large and high value transactions involved in, for example, shipping containers between continents on ships.
Credit card fees charged to merchants include charges specifically intended to defray costs of lost merchandise where customers dispute charges. Since often no one can be found to take responsibility, the expense of such lost merchandise is written off as a cost of using credit cards. Many credit card companies specify an appeals process for a denied charge that imposes difficult, bureaucratic, and lengthy procedures on consumers. This is intended to deter denial of charges, whether justified or not.
Improved methods and systems for tracking packages and containers would help to mitigate these disadvantages and inefficiencies. Specifically, what are needed are methods and systems for tracking both the containers and the contents thereof, from the initial vendor, through the shipping process, until receipt and acceptance thereof by the ultimate buyer. Also needed are methods, devices and systems to seal and lock containers to prevent theft and fraud during transit. | {
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One of the features of this invention is to prepare an improved large pore volume zirconia-silica catalyst support by reacting a particular zirconium compound with a particular silicate to produce a hydrocogel, aging the hydrocogel, washing with water and then aqueous ammonium nitrate and again with water, removing water from the resulting washed hydrocogel to produce a xerocogel either by azeotropic distillation or by leaching with a water miscible solvent and calcining the resulting xerocogel.
Another feature of the invention is to provide a catalyst support prepared by the above method.
A further feature of the invention is a method of polymerizing olefins comprising contacting the olefins with a catalyst comprising the above support and a chromium compound associated with it under polymerizing conditions.
The most pertinent prior art of which we are aware are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,289,919 discloses purified silica hydrogel (free of sodium ion) suspended in a zirconium salt solution (aqueous zirconyl chloride). Aqueous ammonium hydroxide is then added in order to precipitate zirconia onto the hydrogel (not coprecipitated). The zirconia-silica mixture is washed, dried at 300.degree. F., and calcined.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,444,913 discloses a method of preparing plural oxide catalysts containing zirconia and silica which comprises preparing a solution containing silica and zirconia by mixing an alkali metal silicate solution with an alkali metal zirconium carbonate solution and coprecipitating the silica and zirconia in said solution by the addition of an acid to a pH of about 6.5. The hydrogel is dried at 200.degree.-210.degree. F. and calcined at 1400.degree. F. in an air-steam.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,316 discloses a method of preparing a silica-titania catalyst support comprising mixing a water soluble titanium compound (potassium titanium oxalate, K.sub.2 TiO(C.sub.2 O.sub.4).sub.2.2H.sub.2 O or ammonium titanium oxalate, (NH.sub.4).sub.2 TiO(C.sub.2 O.sub.4).sub.2.H.sub.2 O with an alkali metal silicate solution, said titanium compound being nonreactive with the silicate, adding an acidic material to the silicate cntaining the titanium compound to form a hydrogel, aging the hydrogel for more than one hour, washing the aged hydrogel with either an ammonium salt solution or a dilute acid to produce an alkali-free hydrogel, forming a mixture comprising said washed hydrogel and a normally liquid oxygen-containing water soluble organic azeotrope-forming compound, separating the organic compound with water to form a xerogel. In the present invention, in contrast, the zirconium oxalate is reactive with the silicate. For example, ammonia gas is liberated when ammonium zirconium oxalate is mixed with sodium silicate solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,104 is similar to the above U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,316 except potassium titanate oxalate in aqueous solution with sodium silicate is added to an ammonium sulfate solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,705 discloses a method for providing a silica xerogel having a narrow pore diameter distribution within the range 300-600A, a surface area within the range 200-500 m.sup.2 /g, and a large pore volume between 2-3.5 cc/g.
None of the above discloses the claimed invention. | {
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the top lung diseases affecting the population and patients need expensive long term care. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are two main categories of diseases that comprise COPD. Chronic bronchitis affects the small bronchioles of the airway tree in the lungs. The airways inside the lung exist in a tree like structure that can be best analyzed in three dimensions (3D).
The measurements of the airway wall and the lumen are the best indicators of the presence of bronchitis in the patients. In two-dimensions (2D) the normal airway cross sections are not always perpendicular to the cross section of the axial plane and this can produce erroneous results. One of the important measurements in the COPD is the determination of the wall thickness on the bronchial section. The airways of strong interest (in the 5th or below branch generations of the bronchial tree) are very small in size and with conventional imaging resolutions, an image of the airways of strong interest do not provide many voxels for analysis. Also the airways of strong interest are almost always accompanied by small blood vessels that can sometimes distort the analysis of the walls. | {
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Known methods of introducing additives to polymeric particles include dry blending the materials, melting, and compounding the melted blend with extruders and pelletizing or powdering to the desired physical form. The additives include antioxidants, processing aids, slip agents, antiblocking agents, antistatic agents, lubricants, UV stabilizers, coupling agents and colorants.
Another method of introducing additives to polymeric particles is at the extruder hopper during end use processing. Additives such as colorants, slip agents, processing aids, blowing agents, and others are introduced to virgin polymeric particles at this stage usually in concentrate form. In many instances, difficulty is encountered in metering the exact amounts necessary to do a specific job. This is especially true for additives such as processing aids and external lubricants which are used at very low levels and usually cannot be added in a concentrate form. | {
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According to Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Ind. Chem., Vol. A24, 107(1993), silver is a precious metal resistant to oxidation, with superior electrical and thermal conductivity and catalytic and antibiotic activity. Thus, silver and silver compounds are widely used in alloys, plating, medicine, photography, electricity and electronics, fibers, detergents, household appliances, and so forth.
Silver compounds can be used as catalyst in synthesis of organic compounds and polymers. Especially, with the recent regulation of use of lead in electric and electronic circuits, use of silver in low-resistance metal wirings, printed circuit boards (PCB), flexible printed circuit boards (FPC), antennas for radio frequency identification (RFID) stags, plasma display panels (PDP), liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD), organic light emitting diodes (OLED), flexible displays and organic thin-film transistors (OTFT) as metal patterns or electrodes is on the increase.
Mostly, silver is used in the form of a paste comprising silver powder, a binder and a solvent. Or, a silver compound such as silver nitrate is reacted with another compound in an aqueous solution or an organic solvent to obtain a variety of silver compounds or organic silver compounds containing nanoparticles. These organic silver compounds are used to form metal patterns by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma vapor deposition, sputtering, electroplating, photolithography, electron beam technique, laser technique, etc.
The most common coordinator for organic silver complexes is carboxylic acid (Prog. Inorg. Chem., 10, p. 233(1968)). However, because silver-containing metal carboxylate complexes are generally sensitive to light, hardly soluble in organic solvents (J. Chem. Soc., (A)., p. 514 (1971), U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,312 (Jul. 9, 1996)) and have a high decomposition temperature, they are limited in application in spite of easiness in preparation. To solve this problem, several methods have been proposed in J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem., 40, p. 1599 (1978), Ang. Chem., Int. Ed. Engl., 31, p. 770 (1992), Eur. J. Solid State Inorg. Chem., 32, p. (1995), J. Chem. Cryst., 26, p. 99 (1996), Chem. Vapor Deposition, 7, 111 (2001), Chem. Mater., 16, 2021 (2004), U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,661 (Jan. 6, 1998) and Korean Patent No. 2003-0085357 (Nov. 5, 2003). Among them are the methods of using carboxylic acid compounds having long alkyl chains or including amine compounds or phosphine compounds. However, the silver derivatives known thus far are limited and have insufficient stability or solubility. Moreover, they have a high decomposition temperature to be applied for pattern formation and are decomposed slowly.
U.K. Patent No. 609,807 published in 1948 discloses a method of reacting ammonium carbonate or ammonium carbamate with a transition metal salt to obtain a transition metal salt coordinated by ammonia as carbon dioxide is generated. The patent mentions that silver complexes coordinated by ammonia can be prepared by the method. However, surprisingly, the present inventors found out that when ammonium carbonate or ammonium carbamate is added to a silver compound such as silver oxide, a stable silver complex is obtained without generation of carbon dioxide. They also confirmed that the silver complex is isolated as solid and can be easily prepared into thin film.
The silver complexes of the present invention are characterized in that, because they can be prepared under various reaction conditions, they have superior stability and solubility, can be easily prepared into thin film, thus enabling ease metal patterning, and are decomposed at low temperature, thus being easily prepared into thin film or powder. | {
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a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of miniaturized data input/output and character recognition systems.
B. Prior Art
While miniaturization of electronic circuitry for data storage and processing applications has progressed to a highly sophicated state, the benefits which would otherwise derive from this sophistication have been impeded by the failure of data input/output technology to develop with equal rapidity. This situation has become so extreme that further miniaturization of electronic circuitry will yield no appreciable benefit to numerous product areas employing miniaturized electronic data processing circuitry unless input/output devices first undergo significant improvement. But, unlike the data processing circuitry itself, size reduction of input/output devices is limited primarily by human engineering factors. For example, the size of the standard keyboard could easily be reduced significantly except that convenient human finger tip operation would no longer be possible because the size of the smallest standard data input/output symbols can not be reduced below what the human eye is capable of quickly or easily perceiving. A particular example of this dilemma is in the field of hand held calculators where the minimum size required for a convenient keyboard is the only limitation standing in the way of further reduction in overall size.
To date, most efforts at solving this problem have centered strictly on the hardware technology. For example, one approach has been to replace the standard calculator keyboard with specialized keys, each of which may be pivoted by the human finger in any one of four directions to uniquely indicate one of four character symbols or mathematical operators. By use of five such four-way keys, the size of a normal calculator may be reduced to that of a somewhat oversized writing instrument such as embodied for example in a calculator pen sold under the trademark CALCUPEN available from Chafitz, P.O. Box 2188, Dept. 289, Rockville, Maryland. While a decided improvement over the standard pocket calculator in terms of size, devices which need to accommodate five input switches and a standard visual display necessarily retain a rather bulky appearance and feel compared with a standard hand held writing instrument.
In an alternative attempt to avoid the need for the standard bulky keyboard, specialized writing platens employing sensors for responding to symbolic hand motion or the symbolic motion of hand held instruments have been developed. Examples of this type of input apparatus are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,142,039, 3,253,258 and 3,704,343. Although desirable in some respects, there are numerous drawbacks to devices employing specialized writing platens including the high cost of platens and the required specialized training of the operator. More particularly, devices of this type require motion to occur sequentially over distinct predetermined areas in order to yield electrical output signals properly indicative of the symbolic motion.
In another effort to further refine input apparatus, writing instruments have been developed, such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,435, which generate electrical signals indicative of visual indicia being formed by the movement of the writing tip of the instrument over an ordinary writing surface. This technique is accomplished by including motion sensing transducers in the tip of the writing instrument. While such instruments normally need to be connected with separate character recognition circuitry by means of flexible wiring, the device disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,453 includes a radio transmitter/receiver and visual display on the writing instrument to permit radio communication with remote character recognition circuitry. Furthermore, the U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,453 discloses an optical display directly on the writing instrument for providing a visual verification that the desired input character symbol has indeed been recognized by the electronic circuitry.
While a device which includes a character recognition circuit remote from an input pen solves some of the bulkiness problems inherent in devices which include such circuitry within the pen, mounting of the display on the pen still imposes constraints on possible further reduction in the size of the writing instrument and impairs accurate reading of the displayed information while the writing instrument is in motion. Through normal usage and custom, humans generally learn to solve mathematic problems and compose written language while employing a writing instrument. Devices which position the character recognition circuitry remotely but retain the display on a pen take limited advantage of this fact but may require cessation of hand movement in order that the visual display can be held in a steady, easily read position.
The use of character recognition circuitry with a hand held writing instrument input is well known and has become highly sophisticated as disclosed in the following U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,145,367; 3,182,291; 3,462,548; 3,500,323; 3,906,444; 3,930,229; While probably enjoying some specialized success, character recognition circuitry using a hand held writing instrument input has apparently not found wide commercial acceptance and does not vie in popularity with the more common keyboards.
An entirely separate approach to satisfying the need for a more convenient miniaturized data input/output system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,355 which discloses a wrist mounted unit including an electronic display and keyboard interconnected by horological and calculator circuitry. Devices such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,355 (and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,004 disclosing a wrist mounted body condition monitor) exploit the benefits of convenience and small size of mounting an electronic display on the wrist in the manner of a digital watch. However, from a practical bio-engineering standpoint, devices employing a wrist mounted display unit with a keyboard on the display do not solve the problem of making the input of data convenient for the user. For example, a device which requires both the display and the keyboard to be wrist mounted inherently requires a bulky overall size in order for the user to be able to accurately operate the keyboard.
In short, most efforts at miniaturization of input/output structure for small sized data storage and processing circuitry have centered on the introduction of new hardware technology rather than creating a more bio-compatible input/output system. In privious instances where prior art components have been reorganized, accuracy and ease of operation of either the input or output data processing structure has been compromised.
Significant improvement in products used directly by humans need not derive solely from technological breakthrough. In fact, attention to bio-engineering principles, that is the reorganization of known components to facilitate the ease with which a human interacts with his environment, can produce results every bit as startling as major technological advance. | {
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Many devices or systems are comprised of more than one processor which communicate serially with one another. For instance, a telematics device may include two processors in serial communication with another. Similarly, the processors in a computing system may communicate serially with each other. In these configurations, a first processor may perform a plurality of applications such as performing communications, controlling the GPS, controlling the audio visual system, or other resource intensive applications. A second processor may manage components of the device in supporting the first processor. For instance, the second processor may handle I/O signals from peripherals devices or control peripheral devices on behalf of the first processor.
Typically, the second processor is a low-power processor and receives instructions in the form of messages from the first processor. One issue that arises is that the first processor may communicate multiple messages to the second processor with only milliseconds interposed between the messages. These messages will include durations indicating an amount of time that the second processor should perform the requested function, e.g., turn mute on for 10 seconds. These durations will often exceed the amount of time between two or more consecutive messages. Because the second processors are typically low-power and not as computationally capable as the first processor, an earlier message will be overridden by a later message if received before the duration of the earlier message expires. Thus, there is a need for message design that allows for more efficient and accurate communication between a high end processor and a low end processor.
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device of an integrated circuit (IC) and, more particularly, to an IC device with ESD protection functionality provided by an ESD protection device.
2. Description of the Related Art
With reference to FIG. 17, a conventional integrated circuit (IC) has a power mesh 81 and a core 82. The power mesh includes multiple first electrodes 811 and a grounding electrode 812. The first electrodes 811 are arranged to take the form of a ring, and each first electrode 811 is mounted inside an installation area 813. The core 82 is located inside the grounding electrode 812, and is electrically connected to the first electrodes 811 and the grounding electrode 812. The first electrodes 811 and the grounding electrode 812 are connected to a power source to receive an operating voltage for the core 82 to operate.
Rapid development of semiconductor fabrication processes speeds up miniaturization of IC. For small-scale ICs, ESD protection has become an increasingly important function. To protect IC against the attack of ESD, conventional ICs require an additional ESD protection circuit to promptly guide static electricity to the grounding electrode 812 without reaching and damaging the core 82 when static electricity occurs on the first electrode 811. However, the conventional ESD protection circuit usually occupies a space of the IC and adds difficulty to miniaturization of the IC. | {
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Many thin image display devices as typified by displays, i.e., flat panel displays, have been released on the market, because they are thinner than cathode-ray tube displays and they do not occupy much space in depth. Their market price has decreased year by year with advances in production techniques, resulting in a further increase in demand and a yearly increase in production. Especially, color LCD TVs have almost become the mainstream of TVs. Also in recent years, light-emitting display devices including organic light-emitting display devices such as organic EL displays, which provide high visibility by light emitted by themselves, have received attention as the next generation of image display devices. In relation to the performance of these image display devices, there is a strong demand for a further increase in image quality, such as an increase in contrast and color reproducibility, and a decrease in power consumption.
A color filter is used in these liquid crystal display devices and light-emitting display devices. For example, in the case of color LCDs, the amount of light is controlled by using a back light as the light source and electrically driving the liquid crystal. The light passes through the color filter and represents colors. Accordingly, the color filter is indispensable for color representation in LCD TVs and plays a large role in determining display performance. In organic light-emitting display devices, a color image is formed in the same manner as liquid crystal display devices, when the color filter is used in combination with an organic, white light-emitting element.
A recent trend is that there is a demand for power-saving image display devices. To increase backlight use efficiency, there is a very high demand for high-luminance color filters. This is a major issue especially for mobile displays such as mobile phones, smart phones and tablet PCs.
Even though technological advances have increased battery capacity, there is still a limit on battery capacity of mobile devices. Meanwhile, there is a trend that power consumption has grown with the increase in screen size. Image display devices including a color filter determine the design and performance of mobile terminal devices, because they are directly linked to the usable time and charging frequency of mobile terminal devices.
In general, a color filter has a transparent substrate, color layers made of color patterns of the three primary colors (red, green and blue), and a light shielding part formed on the transparent substrate so as to define each color pattern.
To form such color layers, a pigment dispersion method in which pigments with excellent heat resistance and light resistance are used as color materials, has been widely used. However, it is difficult for color filters produced by use of pigments to satisfy the latest demand for higher luminance.
As a means to achieve higher luminance, dye-containing color resin compositions for a color filter have been studied. In general, dyes have a higher transmittance and can produce a higher-luminance color filter than pigments. However, dyes have a problem in that they are inferior in heat resistance and light resistance to pigments and the chromaticity is likely to change when they are heated at high temperature in a color filter production process, for example. Also, color resin compositions containing dyes have a problem in that cured coating films of the resin compositions have poor solvent resistance, and the dyes transfer to adjacent pixels in other colors or to cured films that do not contain colorants (e.g., protective films). In addition, color resin compositions produced by use of dissolved dyes have many problems when they are used for color filter applications. For example, aggregates are likely to precipitate on the surface of a cured coating film during a drying process, and a remarkable decrease in contrast is caused by the fluorescence of the dyes.
As a method for improving various kinds of resistance properties of dyes, a method for producing a salt-forming dye is known.
In Patent Document 1, a blue color composition for a color filter, the composition containing a colorant consisting of a copper phthalocyanine blue pigment and a metal lake pigment of a xanthene-based dye, is disclosed as a blue color composition for a color filter, the composition being capable of forming a color filter having high luminosity and a wide color reproduction range. In Patent Document 2, a blue color composition for a color filter, the composition containing a blue pigment and a salt-forming compound obtained by reaction of a xanthene-based acid dye and a compound containing a cationic group, is disclosed as the composition capable of forming a color filter having high luminosity and a wide color reproduction range. However, only an organic compound containing a quaternary ammonium salt group is disclosed as the compound containing the cationic group. The salt-forming compound comprising the organic compound containing the quaternary ammonium salt group also has a problem in that a cured coating film of the composition has poor solvent resistance, and a decrease in contrast is caused by fluorescence.
Patent Document 3 discloses that luminance is increased by replacing a part of a red pigment with an alkali metal salt of a xanthene-based acid dye.
In Patent Document 4, a color filter and so on are disclosed by the applicant of the present application, which use specific color materials containing divalent or higher anions and divalent or higher cations, in which dye skeletons are crosslinked by cross-linking groups. It is disclosed that the color materials are excellent in heat resistance since, due to containing the divalent or higher anions and the divalent or higher cations, molecular associations are formed therein, and color filters using the color materials have high contrast and are excellent in solvent resistance and electric reliability.
Patent Document 5 describes that in fields that require weather resistance, such as automotive coating, color deterioration is inhibited by covering the surface of a pigment with a coating of cerium(IV) oxide, ammonium cerium(IV) nitrate, cerium(IV) sulfate or the like. In Patent Document 5, however, there is no description of cerium lake color materials of acid dyes and using a cerium compound as a laking agent.
Patent Document 6 describes a monoazo pigment comprising a lanthanoid salt of an azo dye, and lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium and neodymium are described as lanthanoid elements. In Patent Document 6, only the azo dye is provided as a dye example, and there is no description of rhodamine-based, fluorescein-based, anthraquinone-based, indigo-based and triarylmethane-based acid dyes. | {
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I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the delivery of inventory, and more particularly, to computer implemented methods of building and improving the quality of inventory load configurations.
II. Description
In the manufacturing sector, business concerns produce large numbers of products such as computers, electronics, home appliances and automobiles that must be delivered to another location for either further distribution or retail sale to consumers. These products often are delivered from the manufacturer to their ultimate destination by train, airplane, ship, truck, or some combination thereof, and are generally staged at a terminal as inventory before they are loaded and shipped to their appropriate destinations. In the case of shipping over land by truck, there are computer-implemented methods for building the individual load configurations for each truck from the inventory at a terminal. The existing methods however, typically are accept-or-reject type methods that do not allow one to experiment with different load configurations in order to create higher quality loads. To the extent existing methods do provide the ability to experiment with different load configurations, the facility is quite limited. The existing methods also do not account for geographic areas having high concentrations of inventory to be delivered, the age of the inventory to be delivered, or the number of products in the inventory to be delivered to the same destination when building the loads. Nor do the existing methods provide for any post-initial building improvement of the loads based on load quality criteria such as the total number of odometer miles traveled per load and the number of destinations or stops per load. Finally, the existing methods fail to provide a friendly interface that aids a user in selecting the inventory to be delivered and assessing the quality of load configurations generated by the methods. Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods of building load configurations.
The present invention is directed to methods of building and improving the quality of inventory load configurations, and means of displaying information regarding inventory and the inventory load configurations.
In a computer implemented embodiment of the method for building a plurality of loads from an inventory at a terminal, the method may comprise first designating a portion of the inventory as priority units. Once the priority units have been selected, a current destination seed list is created, wherein the current destination seed list comprises a list of the destinations to which priority units in the current inventory are to be delivered. A current inventory seed list is then created, wherein the current inventory seed list comprises an ordered list of the priority units in the current inventory. A current seed destination is then selected from the current destination seed list, and a current load is built by selecting a current seed unit from the current inventory seed list, and adding priority units to be delivered to the current seed destination from the current inventory to the current load, starting with the current seed unit, until either there are no more priority units to be delivered to the seed destination in the current inventory or the current load is full. The current load is then saved as one of the plurality of loads.
The invention is also embodied in a method for improving the quality of a pair of loads selected from a plurality of loads, wherein the plurality of loads comprises a plurality of units to be delivered from a terminal to a plurality of destinations within a geographic region on a plurality of delivery vehicles, a portion of the plurality of units comprising priority units, and wherein a current inventory comprises the plurality of units less any units that have been added to a temporary load or a rebuilt load pair in a plurality of rebuilt loads. The method comprises the steps of creating a list of candidate load pairs from the plurality of loads, each of the candidate load pairs comprising at least two priority units to be delivered to destinations geographically close to each other. From this list of candidate load pairs, a candidate load pair is selected, the selected candidate load pair comprising a current candidate load pair, and wherein the at least two priority units in the current candidate load pair comprise current candidate priority units. Next, a combined load index is calculated for the current candidate load pair, and then determining which two priority units of the current candidate priority units are to be delivered to destinations geographically furthest from each other, the two priority units comprising a first seed unit and a second seed unit, the destinations to which the first and second seed units are to be delivered comprising a first seed destination and a second seed destination respectively. A rebuilt load pair is then created by assigning the first seed unit to a first temporary load and the second seed unit to a second temporary load; adding the current candidate priority units to be delivered to the first seed destination from the current inventory to the first temporary load until either the first temporary load is full or all of the current candidate priority units to be delivered to the first seed destination have been removed from the current inventory; and adding the current candidate priority units to be delivered to the second seed destination from the current inventory to the second temporary load until either the second temporary load is full or all of the current candidate priority units to be delivered to the second seed destination have been removed from the current inventory. A rebuilt plurality of loads is then created by substituting, in the plurality of loads, the rebuilt load pair for the current candidate load pair.
The present invention may also be embodied in a computer implemented method for improving the mileage quality of a pair of loads selected from a plurality of loads, wherein the plurality of loads comprises a plurality of units to be delivered from a terminal to a plurality of destinations within a geographic region on a plurality of delivery vehicles. The embodiment comprises creating a list of candidate load pairs from the plurality of loads; selecting a candidate load pair from the list of candidate load pairs, the selected candidate load pair comprising a first candidate load and a second candidate, wherein the first and second candidate loads overlap, and wherein there is a first destination on the first candidate load and a second destination on the second candidate load to which the same number of units are to be delivered, the units to be delivered to the first destination comprising first units and the units to be delivered to the second destination comprising second units; swapping the first and second units between the first and second candidate loads, the first candidate load with the second units comprising a first swapped load and the second candidate load with the first units comprising a second swapped load; and saving the first and second swapped loads in the plurality of loads.
The present invention may also be embodied in a computer implemented method for improving the combined number of drops on a load pair selected from a plurality of loads, the plurality of loads comprising a plurality of units to be delivered from a terminal to a plurality of destinations within a geographic region on a plurality of delivery vehicles. The embodiment comprises creating a list of candidate load pairs from the plurality of loads; selecting a candidate load pair from the list of candidate load pairs, the selected candidate load pair comprising a first candidate load and a second candidate load; creating a list of intersection pairs from the selected candidate load pair; selecting an intersection pair from the list of intersection pairs, the selected intersection pair comprising a first intersecting destination and a second intersecting destination, the first and second intersecting destinations lying within an intersection city, wherein the number of units to be delivered to the first intersecting destination is greater than the number of units to be delivered to the second intersecting destination minus a predetermined threshold, and wherein there are a plurality of destinations on the first candidate load, the plurality of destinations on the first candidate load comprising candidate destinations; swapping the units to be delivered to the candidate destinations and the units to be delivered to the second intersecting destination between the first and second candidate loads, the first candidate load with the second intersecting destination units comprising a first swapped load and the second candidate load with the candidate destinations units comprising a second swapped load; and saving the first and second swapped loads in the plurality of loads.
The present invention may also be embodied in a computer implemented method for improving the mileage quality of a load, wherein the load is selected from a plurality of loads, the plurality of loads comprising a first plurality of units to be delivered from a terminal to a first plurality of destinations within a geographic region on a plurality of delivery vehicles. The embodiment comprises: creating a list of seed units from a second plurality of units, the second plurality of units to be delivered to a second plurality of destinations within the geographic region; selecting a current seed unit from the list of seed units; creating a list of promising loads from the plurality of loads; selecting a current promising load from the list of promising loads, wherein the current promising load comprises a best savings load for the current seed unit; creating a sort list from the units comprising the current promising load; selecting a current best savings unit from the sort list; swapping the current best savings unit for the current seed unit on the current promising load, the current promising load with the current best savings unit comprising a current swapped load; and saving the current swapped load in the plurality of loads.
The present invention may also be embodied in a system for building and assessing the quality of loads. Such a system includes a computer; software running on the computer for building the loads from an inventory at a terminal; and an inventory distribution graphical user interface (gui), generated by the software on a display, for viewing inventory distribution information. | {
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The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image by electrophotography, and a transfer device mounted to the image forming apparatus.
An image forming apparatus, such as a printer, which is capable of forming an image by electrophotography includes a transfer device. For example, the transfer device includes a conveyance belt, a transfer roller, and a cleaning member. The conveyance belt causes a sheet such as a printing sheet to be electrostatically attracted thereto, and conveys the sheet via a contact position at which the sheet is in contact with an image carrier such as a photosensitive drum. The transfer roller transfers, onto the sheet, a toner image that is formed on the image carrier at the contact position. The cleaning member cleans a surface of the conveyance belt. For example, the cleaning member is provided to oppose a stretch roller that is disposed at a separation position where a sheet is separated from the conveyance belt, among a plurality of the stretch rollers which hold and stretch the conveyance belt between the stretch rollers. The stretch roller opposing the cleaning member is electrically grounded. In addition, a voltage having a polarity opposite to the charge polarity of toner is applied to the cleaning member. Thus, the toner attached to the surface of the conveyance belt is electrostatically attracted to the cleaning member. | {
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Even though battery operated appliances and flashlights and electric switches go back to the nineteenth century, there is room for improvement, as this disclosure will show. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety brake system, and more particularly, to a safety brake system for garage doors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional counter-weight spring systems used in garage doors have limited life. Therefore, when the spring breaks, the garage door falls down suddenly with potential damage to persons and/or objects in its path.
Many designs for safety mechanisms for garage door systems have been designed in the past. None of them, however, include a safety brake that stops the movement of a garage door when the mechanism for opening and closing breaks and drops suddenly. The present invention secures the door when the spring member breaks and permits a user to selectively bypass the safety brake in a controlled manner.
The typical weight of a garage door is between 200 and 400 pounds. There are some mechanisms relatively safe for opening and closing garage doors. However, they have parts (such as springs) with limited life. One of these mechanisms is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,908 issued to Anthony G. Aquilina on Jan. 9, 1990 for a pneumatic door opener. Aquilina""s patented door operator system includes a counterbalancing assembly such as an axial torsion spring (114) mounted through a bar (115), which is secured above the door. A cable (116) is secured to the door and wound at on a drum (118). The cable (116) is axially driven by the torsion spring (114). Once the torsion spring (114) breaks, the door falls down suddenly. Cylinder 10 includes a pressurized fluid but it also requires a source 126 to operate. If spring (114) breaks, the pressurized fluid assembly will not act as a brake. In the present invention the pivot bolt is directly connected to the Aquilina""s bar (115). In the event that the spring loaded counterbalance mechanism fails the safety brake system of the present invention prevents the garage door from falling down.
Applicant believes that another related reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,220 issued to McConnel et al. on Oct. 8, 1974 for a hydro-pneumatic counterbalance. McConnel""s patented device includes an inner cylinder having a counterbalance piston under hydraulic pressure and an outer concentric cylinder containing a highly pressurized gaseous fluid. An internal needle valve controls the communication between the two cylinders. The rate at which the piston moves is determined by the adjustment of the needle valve. However, it differs from the present invention because the McConnel""s patented invention is not a security device. It only controls the speed in the opening and closing traps and high weight garage doors. In fact, if the typical electrical motor mechanism is used it will have an extra load besides the weight of the door. This high cost device needs a high cost installation and maintenance, but it does not prevent the garage door from falling down when any of the six (6) instructions for installing the counterbalance unit on doors (Col. 5, lines 8 through 60) detailed in the patent is not met. The present invention is a security device that protects the doors from falling down when its mechanism fails and it is completely xe2x80x9cinvisiblexe2x80x9d until it is called to operate.
Another related reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,418 issued to Warning in 1993 for an air powered door operation apparatus. Warning""s patent mentions braking and safety features such as an adjustable needle valve (Col. 3, lines 30 through 35). These features are only for limiting the amount of upward travel of the rod and the piston of the unpressurized cylinder. The present invention on the other hand, does not interfere with the opening/closing system of the door. It is incorporated to the rotational movement of the tension bar connected to the door without affecting its operation. Furthermore, in the present invention the flap valve provides a security device that stops the door when a sudden movement is detected.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.
It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a safety brake system that prevents a garage door from falling down when the opening and closing mechanism fails.
It is another object of this invention to provide a safety brake system that is volumetrically efficient and can be readily mounted to most existing garage doors systems.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effectiveness.
Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. | {
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Aircraft and other structures built of composite materials may be inadvertently impacted by a service vehicle or other object without any external indications of the impact. Assessment of blunt impact to a composite material structure may be necessary or desirable to determine the necessity or feasibility of making repairs to the structure. Therefore, various methods used to assess the effect of blunt impact on a composite material structure have been devised.
Some techniques which have been used to assess the effect of blunt impact on composite material structures include the use of drop tubes, spring-actuated “guns” and pendulums. Drop tubes include relatively small masses (typically <100 pounds) which are dropped vertically through a tube onto a horizontal surface from a height which produces the desired energy level at impact. Spring-actuated guns use a spring to accelerate a small mass against a surface and can be used in any orientation. However, both of these techniques are limited to a small impact area (typically <˜12 square inches). Pendulums use larger masses and are used to perform impacts on vertical surfaces.
A drawback of conventional drop tubes and gun-type impact devices is that their relatively small masses and relatively high velocities do not replicate the damage which is sustained from large masses at relatively low velocities. Additionally, use of such devices may render acquisition of data during the impact difficult. Pendulums are generally much lower in mass than the vehicles that cause the impact which they attempt to replicate and typically cannot be used to reliably simulate impacts low on the body of an aircraft fuselage (particularly when an attempt is made to simulate a vehicle scraping under the belly or the cargo door of an aircraft). Pendulums may also require large or tall support structures; therefore, secondary impacts caused by such structures may be difficult if not impossible to prevent.
Using any of these conventional impact simulation methods on a complete aircraft in such a manner that the aircraft mass and moments of inertia are valid would be difficult at best. As an alternative, an actual service vehicle (or other powered vehicle with the appropriate bumper shape attached to it) may be used to impact the structure but such a solution would require that a human operator control the vehicle's velocity, direction and angle of impact, which would be unsafe and have poor repeatability. Elimination of the human operator factor in such a scenario would require a complex and expensive electronic control system or external thrust system.
Accordingly, a blunt impact test apparatus and method which can be used to test the effect of blunt impact having a measured magnitude on composite materials is needed. | {
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In the manufacture of footwear, several steps in the process require that surfaces be bound together by adhesives. Once the surfaces are adhered they may or may not be stitched depending upon the specific footwear construction. Typically, solvent-based adhesives are used for the adhesive applications. The surfaces that are adhered together are often conditioned such as by washing, roughening, etc. in order to ensure a good adhesive bond.
A component in footwear construction is the sole of the footwear. For certain types of footwear the soles are molded and after molding they are adhesively secured to an upper. The unit soles are usually injection molded from thermoplastic materials, e.g. urethanes, polyvinyl chlorides, block copolymers (Kraton.RTM.), polyolefins, etcetera. Prior to the molding step, a mold release is applied to the surfaces of the mold which will contact the sole during the molding step. The agent transfers, at least in part, to the surface of the molded sole.
Typically the next step in the manufacturing process is the attachment of the sole to the upper. The surface of the molded sole where the adhesives will be applied are cleaned to remove the mold release agent and may be abraded for enhanced bonding. This step is critical in that any mold release agent left on the adhesive margin of the sole will contaminate the bond line and result in failure of the adhesive. Adhesive application machines apply a ribbon of adhesive to the periphery of the sole. The cemented surface of the upper is then put into contacting engagement with the adhesive on the sole and pressure applied to insure a good adhesive bond.
The present invention embodies a sole assembly comprising an outer sole, a film of heat activatable adhesive molded into (absorbed) the sole and on the surface (adsorbed) of the sole and a release film over the adhesive. The sole per se is formed by prior art techniques.
The adhesive is an integral part of the sole. This allows the handling of the molded sole assemblies without displacing either the adhesive film or liner prior to the bonding step.
When the molded sole is used in the next step of the bonding process the release liner is simply removed, the adhesive on the sole is activated, and the upper attached. No washing or further sole preparation is necessary.
The adhesive properties are the same or better than prior art adhesives. The chemical nature of the adhesive is not critical. For the adhesive, the various adhesives are selected such that they possess at least the following characteristic--an adhesive which has an affinity for the surface which is greater than the cohesive force of the adhesive layer such that the adhesive bond will not break but rather the substrate will tear.
Further, for the adhesive to be suitable for its use in bonding the outer sole to the upper in addition to causing substrate tearing bonds when forcefully pulled apart, it preferably must meet or exceed the following performance tests:
1. Reactivate at 115.degree.-125.degree. F. PA1 2. Have enough initial tack or grab to adhere the sole to the upper without slipping, prior to fully pressing. PA1 3. Bond to the upper permanently within 8 seconds under pressure. PA1 4. Pass standard heat and water resistance tests (140.degree. F./95% R.H., and 48 hour water soak). PA1 5. Be impervious to oil and plasticizer migration; and PA1 6. Pass 100,000 flex cycles without opening.
Film adhesives generally useful in the practice of the invention would include compounded thermoplastic resins, such as polyurethanes, polyolefins, or ethylene vinyl acetates. Obviously, the adhesive of choice is based upon the composition of the sole to which the upper is to be attached and the composition of the upper.
The release liner used, such as silicone, polyethylene coated paper, polyethylene or polypropylene, can be used for the applications described herein, as long as the release liner provides a weak bond to the face of the adhesive and should be as thin as possible while still serving that function.
The following sole/adhesive/upper combinations are believed suitable for purposes of the invention: polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, or block copolymer for the soles/polyurethane for the adhesives/leather, fabric, or synthetic (PVC, urethane, etc.) for the uppers; polyethylene, polypropylene, or EPDM blends for the soles/polyolefins for the adhesives/polyolefin film/leather or fabric, for the uppers; and EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) for the soles/ethylene vinyl acetates or chlorinated rubber compounds for the adhesives/EVA film/leather, fabric, or non-PVC synthetic for the uppers. | {
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In recent years, there have been developed vehicles such as hybrid vehicles that drive using, in whole or in part, the electric power supply from the battery as a power source. Most of these vehicles have a power supply system that converts a direct current power supplied from a battery to an alternating current power using an inverter or other electric power conversion circuit, and supplies the converted alternating current power to an AC motor or other loads.
The battery used in the power supply system provides a high voltage and has a large capacity. Thus, if an electrical leakage arises in any part of the electric circuit, there is a possibility of such trouble as an electric shock to an engineer who performs maintenance of vehicle. For this reason, it is required for the vehicle-mounted power supply system to detect the electric leakage as soon as possible, and in case of detecting the leakage, a necessary countermeasure should be immediately taken.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional leakage detection device of the vehicle-mounted power supply system. Such leakage detection device is disclosed in the Patent Literature 1 below.
In FIG. 6, the leakage detection device comprises a power supply system 10 and a leakage detection section 20.
The power supply system 10 comprises a DC high voltage circuit A and an AC high voltage circuit B. The DC high voltage circuit A comprises a battery 11 for the direct current, a positive line 13 and a negative line 14 that are connected respectively to positive and negative sides of the battery 11, and contactors 17a, 17b that are provided on the positive line 13 and the negative line 14, the contactors 17a, 17b being connected respectively to the positive line 13 and the negative line 14. The AC high voltage circuit B comprises an inverter circuit 12 that is connected to the positive line 13 and the negative line 14 and converts the direct current power to the alternating current power by switching on/off plural switching elements, an AC motor 15, and plural AC lines 16 that connect the inverter 12 with the AC motor 15.
To activate the AC motor 15, the contactors 17a, 17b are turned on.
The inverter 12 is, for example, an IGBT inverter circuit 12 as shown in FIG. 7. The IGBT inverter circuit is provided with six IGBT elements (switching elements) 76 and six IGBT circuits 70-75 having corresponding six diodes 77.
When the AC motor 15 is a three-phase motor, three sets of circuits, the IGBT circuits 70, 73, the IGBT circuits 71, 74 and the IGBT circuits 72, 75, are connected in parallel. Additionally, an intermediate point M1 between the IGBT circuits 70, 73, an intermediate point M2 between the IGBT circuits 71, 74 and an intermediate point M3 between the IGBT circuits 72, 75 are respectively connected to three coils in the AC motor 15.
The leakage detection section 20 comprises a capacitor C that is connected to a voltage applying point P on the positive line 13 connected to the positive side of the battery, a resistance R that is connected to the capacitor C, an oscillator 21 that generates an AC signal Vs with a prescribed frequency such as a sine wave or a square wave and provides the AC signal Vs to the resistance R, and a voltage measurement section 40 that measures a voltage level (effective value of the AC voltage) at a voltage measurement point Q located between the resistance R and the capacitor C. While the voltage measurement section 40 measures the voltage level, a threshold value is set to determine whether or not the leakage exists.
A process of detecting the leakage in the leakage detection section 20 shown in FIG. 6 is performed as follows.
It is assumed that the insulation of the negative line 14 becomes deteriorated and leakage occurs therein.
The AC signal Vs outputted from the oscillator 21 passes through the resistance R and the capacitor C, and is applied to the applying point P on the positive line 13.
If no leakage exists in the power supply system 10, the effective value of voltage measured by the voltage measuring section 40 is substantially the same as the effective value of voltage of the AC signal Vs outputted from the oscillator 21, and equals or exceeds a set threshold value. Accordingly, it is determined that the leakage does not exist.
On the other hand, if the leakage exists in the power supply system 10, in other words, if the leakage exists in the negative line 14, there occurs a leakage resistance r between the negative line 14 and the body (earth) of the vehicle. Thus, the effective value of voltage of the AC signal Vs is divided to the resistance R and the leakage resistance r. Therefore, the effective value of voltage measured with the voltage measuring section 40 is smaller than the effective value of voltage of the AC signal Vs outputted from the oscillator 21, and is lower than the set threshold value. Accordingly, it is determined that the leakage exists. As described above, by measuring the voltage at the measurement point Q and comparing the measured voltage with the threshold value, it can be detected whether or not the leakage exists.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-219551 | {
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1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a thin film deposition apparatus, and more particularly to a thin film deposition apparatus that can be simply applied to produce large-sized display devices on a mass scale and that improves manufacturing yield.
2. Description of the Related Art
Organic light-emitting display devices have a larger viewing angle, better contrast characteristics, and a faster response rate than other display devices, and thus have drawn attention as a next-generation display device.
An organic light-emitting display device includes intermediate layers, including an emission layer disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode that are arranged opposite to each other. The electrodes and the intermediate layers may be formed via various methods, one of which is a deposition method. When an organic light-emitting display device is manufactured by using the deposition method, a fine metal mask (FMM) having the same pattern as a thin film to be formed is disposed to closely contact a substrate, and a thin film material is deposited over the FMM in order to form the thin film having the desired pattern.
However, the deposition method using such an FMM presents difficulties in manufacturing larger devices using a mother glass having a size of 5 G or greater. For example, when such a large mask is used, the mask may bend due to self-gravity, thereby distorting a pattern. Such disadvantages are not conducive for the recent trend towards high-definition patterns. | {
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This invention relates generally to rotary drum screens commonly known as microscreens used for the filtration of liquids in conjunction with water treatment, sewage treatment, and industrial waste treatment. In particular, this invention relates to an improved microscreen drum support apparatus which includes the use of polymeric support wheels.
Microscreens of the type involved herein are well known in the art, for U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,187 is directed to improvements in such a drum. The construction of such devices may be easily understood by referring to FIG. 1. As shown, microscreens comprise a drum 10 having a closed end 11, an open end 12, a central axis 13, a radial outer surface 14, a plurality of microscreen grids 15 mounted on the radial outer surface 14 of the drum 10, means 16 for introducing the liquid to be filtered into the interior of the drum 10, means for rotating the drum about its central axis 13, a backwash header 20 mounted above the radial outer surface of the drum 10, a backwash receiving trough (not shown) mounted within the drum 10 for collecting solids washed off the microscreen grids 15 by the backwash header 20, and means (not shown) for controlling the speed at which the rotating means rotates the drum 10 and/or for controlling the output of the backwash header 20 in response to the accumulation of solids on the microscreen grids 15.
The microscreen drum 10 is mounted in a rectangular tank 5 and is rotatably supported on a frame 30 by a journal bearing 32 on the central axis 13 at the closed end 11 and a plurality of support wheels 36 mounted at the opened end 12 of drum 11 and constructed and arranged to rotate on the inner peripheral rim 34 of drum 10. The axial bore 38 of wheels 36 rotates on bearings 39 rotating on axle 46 attached to truck 44 which pivotally engages elongate connecting member 42 attached to frame 30 at base 41.
Wastewater enters the feed well 17 through inlet 16 where it accumulates until it exceeds the height of the inner weir 19. The water then rushes into the interior of rotating drum 10 and its plurality of microscreen grids 15 which trap suspended particulate materials contained in the water. The trapped particulates are rotatably transported to an upper region where they are flushed from the grids 15 into a collection trough (not shown) by a backwash header 20. The outer edge of the open end 12 of the drum 10 is sealed so that incoming water can only get to the exit weir 18 through grids 15. The filtered water flows through the grid 15 and, once it exceeds the height of the exit weir 18, spills into the collection chamber 21.
Microscreens are subject to a certain degree of misalignment between the drum 10 and frame 30 as a result of the hydraulic thrust force of incoming water against the closed end 11 of drum 10. This force tends to push the drum 10 longitudinally on its central axis 13 toward the exit end of the apparatus. Misalignment of the microscreen drum and frame also results from often imprecise on-site installation practices. Although a certain amount of misalignment can be accommodated for by the design of the journal bearing 32, the need for a freely rotatable drum makes this misalignment a chronic condition. Consequently, microscreen support wheels must be adaptable to a certain degree of lateral load shifting as they rotatably support the open end 12 of the rotating drum 10.
In addition, microscreen wheels must be able to withstand loading forces from the weight of both the drum and the wastewater contained therein, which are of the magnitude of 7,500 pounds per set of two 12 inch diameter wheels.
Thus, as a result of the inherent misalignment and significant loading due to their relatively small diameters, microscreen support wheels must also be able to perform their principal role of drum support in many instances when the drum is only in partial contact with the tread surface of the wheel. The wheels must be designed so that this excessive edge loading does not cause the resulting imbalanced loads to be transferred eccentrically to hub bearings and wheel supports, which function best when the drum loading force is directed over the center of the wheel.
Conventional steel microscreen support wheels have such a high coefficient of friction that when misalignment occurs, the microscreen drum 10 jumps jerkedly back and forth along the longitudinal central axis, creating excessive vibration, noise and impact loads which decrease the usable life of the drum 10.
Furthermore, steel microscreen support wheels decay fairly rapidly in the highly corrosive environment of a wastewater treatment facility, and their frequent replacement significantly increases the cost of operation for microscreen systems.
Conventional polymeric wheels and casters have been found to be unsuitable to microscreen applications because their combination of structural geometry and material composition render them unable to withstand both the tremendous support loads and the significant rotational edge loading inherent in microscreen operation.
Thus, there is a need for a corrosion-resistant microscreen support wheel with a tread surface having a relatively low coefficient of friction which will cause negligible drum vibration yet allow for drum slippage, as well as being able to withstand a significant edge loading while causing minimal load transfer of imbalanced loads to the wheel hub and wheel supports.
It is therefore a principal objective of the present invention to provide a microscreen support wheel which has a tread surface having a coefficient of friction substantially lower than that of steel-on-steel (0.57-0.80) which will allow the rotating drum to readily slide across that tread surface.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a microscreen support wheel able to withstand excessive loading in the order of 3,500 to 5,000 pounds, even when that load is directed substantially to the edge of that wheel.
It is a still further objective of the present invention to provide a microscreen support wheel which is resistant to the corrosive environment of a wastewater treatment facility.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a microscreen support wheel which generates a minimal amount of operational vibration and noise. | {
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At present, numerous countries are working on the formation of a extensive infrastructure of recharging stations (“electric filling stations”) for electric vehicles. Since, in contrast to conventional filling stations, such recharging stations require a longer stop for vehicles, it would be desirable to assist users to quickly find free recharging stations by efficient management of resources, so that they do not cause unnecessary traffic congestion. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cryopump system provided with a plurality of cryopumps and a method for controlling the cryopump system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plurality of cryopumps may be applied to one large volume in order to draw a vacuum on the large volume. A plurality of cryopumps may be mounted to a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum chambers in order to draw a vacuum on the respective vacuum chambers of the vacuum processing apparatus. If the number of the cryopumps is small, one shared compressor is provided for circulating refrigerant gas for the plurality of cryopumps. For a large-scale vacuum-pumping system having more cryopumps, a plurality of compressors may be provided. In a similar manner, a cryogenic system having a plurality of cryogenic devices such as cryogenic refrigerators can include a plurality of compressors. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an actuator having a displacement detector, more specifically, relates to an actuator in which the displacement detection needs great power consumption, or a number of positions for the displacement detection is limited.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The displacement of position detectors for use in the actuator utilize a change of light, magnetism and electrostatic capacity and a mechanical contact. These various types of detectors can be selected for proper use. In the conventional actuator, the displacement detection is successively carried out for every intermittent drive.
The displacement or position detection consumes almost all amount of assigned power for the act of the detection. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a photo-detector is comprised of an Si photo-diode 903 as a light source which consumes about 10-20 mW. If the power supply is comprised of a small battery such as a silver battery of button type (capacity 20-100 mWh) and lithium battery of button type (capacity 50-300 mWh), the life of the power supply is shortened due to the successive detection of the displacement.
In a rotary actuator, a detection disc 902 is divided into a given number of angular sections for the successive detection of the angular displacement during the intermittent drives. The detection disc 902 has the given number of slits in case of the photo-detection or the given number of patterns in case of the mechanical contact detection. The provision of slits and patterns needs a space and fabrication cost. | {
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Fluid valve mechanisms utilize one or more fluid valve ports for the purpose of controlling flow of a fluid. The fluid valve mechanism includes a first valve body having a first port opening fluidically communicating with a first fluid transfer line (providing for either delivery or removal of the fluid), and further includes a second valve body having a second port opening fluidically communicating with a second fluid transfer line (providing the other of either delivery or removal of the fluid). A motive device (i.e., a motor or actuator) is provided to selectively move the first valve body with respect to the second valve body so as to thereby selectively align the first and second port openings and thereby regulate the fluidic communication therethrough, wherein the selectivity of the alignment ranges typically from a nonaligned state, wherein fluid flow through the first and second port openings is prevented, to a fully aligned state, wherein fluid flow through the first and second port openings is maximally unimpeded.
In order to prevent fluid leakage between the first and second valve bodies, a seal is provided, usually carried by the valve body connected to the fluid delivery line, wherein the seal circumscribes the valve opening thereat. Most commonly, a rubber O-ring is utilized for the seal, wherein the O-ring is seated in a seal channel formed in the valve body carrying the O-ring. Because the O-ring is compressed between a floor of the seal channel and the sidewall of the opposing valve body, a slidable seal is provided by the O-ring which prevents fluid leakage.
Referring now to FIG. 17, shown schematically is a fluid valve mechanism 10 having a conventional, prior art fluid valve port 12. A movable valve body, or “core”, 14, has formed therein a seal channel 16 into which is seated an O-ring 18, wherein the O-ring circumscribes a core port opening 20. A stationary valve body, or “manifold”, 22, has a manifold port opening 24. Now, referring additionally to FIG. 18, where the O-ring 18 spans the manifold port opening 24, the unsupported span 18′ of the O-ring tends to pop out from the seal channel 16, which tendency is exacerbated by stretching and compression forces being applied to the O-ring dynamically as the core rotates with respect to the manifold. This tendency of the O-ring to pop out of its seal channel can result in premature wear, cutting, jamming or otherwise a failure of the seal it provides. In general, for unsupported spans of the O-ring, problems of seating of the O-ring in its seal channel arise for unsupported span lengths exceeding about 3 diameters of the O-ring. A technique known in the prior art to prevent the O-ring from popping out via under cut walls of the seal channel. As seen by way of example in FIG. 19, the core 14′ has a seal channel 26 with undercut walls 28, whereby even though an unsupported span 18′″ of the O-ring 18″ exists, the O-ring is nonetheless trapped in the seal channel.
While undercut walls prevent the O-ring from popping out of its seal channel, the under cuts require expensive machining and are ordinarily fitted with custom O-rings, which are also expensive as compared with off-the-shelf, standard O-rings. Further, the problem of O-ring pop out from its seal channel is exacerbated by high frequency of opening/closing cycles, long term exposure to wide temperature fluctuations, and age related reduction in O-ring elasticity.
Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is to somehow provide a fluid valve port configured so as to allow a standard O-ring to be retained operably in its seal channel, with minimal wear and without cutting or jamming, wherein the seal channel is of a simple rectilinear shape. | {
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Conventionally, a scroll compressor including, in a casing thereof, an electric motor and a scroll compression mechanism has been known (see, e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-286095). In the compression mechanism of the scroll compressor, a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll each including an end plate and a wrap standing on a front surface of the end plate and engaged, at the wraps thereof, with each other with the from surfaces of the end plates facing each other are provided. In such a scroll compressor, the orbiting scroll eccentrically rotates with respect to the fixed scroll to change the shape of each compression chamber formed between the wraps of the scrolls, thereby compressing fluid in the compressor. Fluid is sucked into the compression chambers from an outer circumferential side of the scrolls of the compression mechanism. Then, while the compression chambers are being deformed, the fluid flows toward a center part of the compression mechanism. When the pressure of the fluid reaches a predetermined pressure, the fluid is discharged from the center part of the compression mechanism. | {
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Advances in digital signal processing technology in recent years have made it possible to subject a large quantity of information, such as moving pictures, still images and voice, to high-efficiency digital encoding, and to record the encoded information on a small magnetic recording medium or small optical recording medium or send the encoded information to a communication medium. Such technology has undergone further expansion and an imaging apparatus capable of easily capturing high-quality video and outputting the video promptly to a communication medium has been developed.
The MPEG encoding technique is in wide use for the encoding of moving pictures at the present time. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an imaging apparatus that uses the MPEG encoding technique. A video signal that has been captured by an image sensor 801 is supplied to an MPEG encoder 802. MPEG encoding employs intraframe encoding in which encoding is performed using correlation within the same frame, and interframe encoding in which encoding is performed using correlation between frames.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of encoded data that is output from the MPEG encoder 802. Reference numerals 910, 930 in FIG. 5 denote I pictures that have undergone intraframe encoding, and reference numerals 911 to 921 and 931 to 941 denote pictures that have undergone interframe encoding. These interframe-encoded pictures comprise P pictures, which are images that have undergone interframe predictive encoding in the forward direction, and B pictures, which are images that have undergone interframe predictive encoding bidirectionally. These pictures are output collectively in picture groups (GOP) 901 to 907 each having a prescribed number of pictures and classification. Each single picture group contains at least one I picture, and the interframe-encoded pictures are reproduced based upon the I-picture information.
The video thus encoded is supplied to a recording unit 803 and is stored on any recording medium 804. At the same time, the encoded video is supplied to a communication unit 805 and is transmitted to the exterior of the imaging apparatus from a stream output terminal 806. This imaging apparatus not only stores video on a recording medium but also can be used in various applications, such as in distribution of video and in TV telephones, by connecting the stream output terminal to a computer or television.
Consider a case where the start of recording on the recording medium 804 has been commanded via a control panel (not shown) while transmission of encoded data from the stream output terminal 806 is in progress in an imaging apparatus of this kind. For example, consider a case where start of recording has been commanded at the timing T in FIG. 5, i.e., at a timing that corresponds to picture 915 in the picture group 903.
In this case, data from the interframe-encoded picture 915 is stored on the recording medium 804 partway through the picture group 903. The picture groups shown in FIG. 5 are such that one I picture in each group is included at the leading end of the group. As a consequence, the intraframe-encoded I picture 910 is lost without being recorded in the picture group 903 from which recording started in mid course. This means that the interframe-encoded pictures 915 to 921 contained in the same frame cannot be decoded correctly despite the fact that they were recorded normally.
In this example of the prior art, therefore, a picture group that cannot be decoded correctly occurs with almost absolute certainty at the beginning of each unit of photography, and a problem which arises is that at the time of playback, the image freezes for a period of time corresponding to the leading picture group. In order to solve this problem, Japanese Patent No. 3163700 (JP-B-3163700, corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,624) proposes generating a picture group afresh from the record-start command and arranging it so that an I picture is always included in the leading picture group regardless of the timing at which recording is started.
With the technique described in the above-mentioned patent specification, the image that has been recorded on the recording medium can be reproduced correctly from the leading end. However, consider the encoded data that was being output from the MPEG encoder 802 to the stream output terminal. If recording was commanded partway through a picture group, now the picture group at the stream output will be split up. For example, there are instances where a P picture necessary to reproduce a B picture is lost. Thus, it has not been possible to produce an encoded output that can enable problem-free reproduction in terms of both recording and transmission. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a maintenance information output apparatus which outputs maintenance information of a speed reducer used in an industrial robot, a machine tool, or the like.
2. Background Art
As a conventional maintenance information output apparatus, known is an apparatus in which the life of a speed reducer is calculated and accumulated at each sampling time from the generated torque, number of rotations, and accumulated operation time of a servo motor for driving a robot manipulator of an industrial robot, and, when the accumulated value exceeds a predetermined reference value, the need for inspection or replacement of the speed reducer is displayed (for example, see Patent Reference 1).
Patent Reference 1: JP-A-7-124889 (pages 2 and 3, FIGS. 1 and 2) | {
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Transducers generally convert electrical signals to mechanical signals or vibrations, and/or mechanical signals or vibrations to electrical signals. Acoustic transducers, in particular, convert electrical signals to acoustic signals (sound waves) and convert received acoustic waves to electrical signals via inverse and direct piezoelectric effect. Acoustic transducers generally include acoustic resonators, such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators, and may be used in a wide variety of electronic applications, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), electronic gaming devices, laptop computers and other portable communications devices. For example, BAW resonators include thin film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs), which include resonator stacks formed over a substrate cavity, and solidly mounted resonators (SMRs), which include resonator stacks formed over an acoustic reflector (e.g., Bragg mirror). The BAW resonators may be used for electrical filters and voltage transformers, for example.
Generally, an acoustic resonator has a layer of piezoelectric material between two conductive plates (electrodes), which may be formed on a thin membrane. The piezoelectric material may be a thin film of various materials, such as aluminum nitride (AlN), zinc oxide (ZnO), or lead zirconate titanate (PZT), for example. Thin films made of AlN are advantageous since they generally maintain piezoelectric properties at high temperature (e.g., above 400° C.). However, AlN has a lower piezoelectric coefficient d33 than both ZnO and PZT, for example.
An AlN thin film may be deposited with various specific crystal orientations, including a wurtzite (0001) B4 structure, which consists of a hexagonal crystal structure with alternating layers of aluminum (Al) and nitrogen (N), and a zincblende structure, which consists of a symmetric structure of Al and N atoms, for example. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative model of the common wurtzite structure. Due to the nature of the Al—N bonding in the wurtzite structure, electric field polarization is present in the AlN crystal, resulting in the piezoelectric properties of the AlN thin film. To exploit this polarization and the corresponding piezoelectric effect, one must synthesize the AlN with a specific crystal orientation.
Referring to FIG. 1, the a-axis and the b-axis are in the plane of the hexagon at the top, while the c-axis is parallel to the sides of the crystal structure. For AlN, the piezoelectric coefficient d33 along the c-axis is about 3.9 pm/V, for example. Generally, a higher piezoelectric coupling coefficient d33 is desirable, since the higher the piezoelectric coefficient d33, the less material is required to provide the same piezoelectric effect. In order to improve the value of the piezoelectric coefficient d33, some of the Al atoms may be replaced with a different metallic element, which may be referred to as “doping.” For example, past efforts to improve the piezoelectric coefficient d33 have included disturbing the stoichiometric purity of the AlN crystal lattice by adding either scandium (Sc) (e.g., in amounts greater than 0.5 atomic percent) or erbium (Er) (e.g., in amounts less than 1.5 atomic percent) in place of some Al atoms, but not both. | {
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Users may interact with applications through user interfaces. The user interfaces may include various components for changing the state of the application. A user interface may, for example, provide numerous options for navigating the interface and/or processing data. Often, user interaction with a user interface causes the interface to change state. For example, a user selecting a button or other element may cause the user interface to change from a current display screen to a new display screen having different options available to the user.
Many applications are resource intensive in the sense that changes to an interface's state may cause a non-trivial use of computing resources. As one example, many applications utilize web-based technologies. A user may interact with a browser or other application executing on a client device that communicates with a server device. The server device may respond to user requests with information that allows the user's client-side application to update appropriately. The server itself may contact other servers, such as database servers, to obtain information needed to properly respond to the client requests. As a result, resource intensive applications often tax the various related computer systems. From the client's perspective, delays may be noticed where the client has to wait for a server response and/or where the client needs to process data before a transition to a new user interface state can be completed. Delays and other issues may be exacerbated in various environments, such as in environments where multiple clients simultaneously interact with a server. | {
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This invention relates to a tubular medical device designed for invention into a body, for example a hollow organ or body cavity heart, blood vessel, alimentary canal, urethra, abdominal cavity, etc.), for medical examination or treatment, and especially to a tubular medical device used for guiding an endoscope into a hollow organ or body cavity to examine.
Low invasive operations are gradually taking the place of high invasive operations such as incision. Especially, application of endoscopic surgery using an endoscope has rapidly spread in recent year.
Endoscopic surgery was generally in the field of digestive organs. It was then applied to the field of respiratory organ, ear/nose/throat, neurosurgery, obsterics and gynecology, and orthopedics.
A small-diameter endoscope system used for endoscopic surgery comprises a catheter body which is inserted into the body of a patient and a control portion which an operator manipulates by hands. The catheter body is generally provided at the distal end portion with a mechanism which turns the distal end portion in an intended direction in order to make the distal end portion proceed along a curved or branched hollow organ (insertion path) or to view a different part of the organ.
To make the distal end portion of a tubular medical device bendable, a method which connects two or more articulation rings movably in series and bends the distal end by pulling a wire (wires) is used. However, a tabular medical device which does not have articulation rings is proposed to meet the increasing request for a thinner endoscope.
The tubular medical device has a closely wound coil with a compression resistance in She direction of the axis securely held in a lumen extending throughout the entire length of the tubular body except the distal end portion. This tubular medical device has a wire whose distal end is secured near the distal end of the tubular body away from the axis and which is passed through the compression-resisting member or another lumen. The distal end port of this tubular medical device can be bent from outside the body by pulling the proximal end of the wire (Japanese Patent Application laid open under No. 94-343702). This tubular medical device is made so that only the distal end portion bends to pull on the wire, by putting a closely wound coil in the tubular body which resists compression in the direction of the axis.
In the manufacturing process of this tubular medical device, a lumen in which the closely wound coil is held is formed in the tubular body, then the closely wound coil is inserted into the lumen to the predetermined position, and the coil is secured in the lumen at some portions (distal end portions and proximal end portion of the coil, for example). To make iron of the coil into the lumen in this process, the interior diameter of the lumen must be made a little larger an the exterior diameter of the coil, and hence a certain gap is inevitably formed between the aside wall of the lumen and the outside surface of the coil. Because of its very smear exterior diameter of the coil and a gap between the side wall of the lumen and the outside surface of the coil, the coil easily bends in the lumen to a small compressing force except the secured portions.
If the wire is pulled when the coil is thus bendingand the pulling force is applied in a direction deviated from the direction axis, the coil bends easily. As the result, not only the distal end portion of the tubular body but also the potion with the coil put in bends, and hence the distal end portion does not bend accurately according to pull on the wire.
The object of this invention is to solve the above problem, by providing an improved tubular medical device for insertion into a body only the distal end portion of which bends accurately according to the pulling force.
This object is attained by the tubular medical device of this invention which comprises a tubular body, a lumen extending in almost entire length of said tubular body, and a compression-resisting member which is held in said lumen with a distal end positioned at a predetermined distance from a distal end of said tubular body to a proximal side and secured in said lumen so as not to move in a direction of an axis of said tubular body, a wire whose distal end is secured at a position a wall of said tubular body close to said distal end of said tubule body and displaced from the axles of said tubular body and whose a proximal end is lead out of a proximal end of said tubular body, means for pulling said wire which is provided at the proximal side of said tubular body and operated to control a direction of a distal end portion of said tubular body by said wire. The said compression-resisting member comprises a major component which constitutes an essential part of said compression-resisting member and resists a pressure in a direction of a length and secured portions which are connected to said major component or formed as integrated parts of said major component | {
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(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (referred to hereinafter simply as the “LCD”) and, more particularly, to a flicker-free LCD and a device for driving the same.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, a thin film transistor (TFT) LCD is a display device where an electric field is applied to a liquid crystal material injected between two panels with a property of dielectric anisotropy, and controlled in its strength while varying the light transmission through the panels, thereby displaying the desired picture image.
A plurality of gate lines are formed on the TFT-LCD panel while proceeding parallel to each other, and a plurality of data lines cross the gate lines in an insulating manner. Each region surrounded by the gate and the data lines makes formation of a pixel. A TFT is formed at the crossed area of the gate and the data lines within each pixel.
With the TFT-LCD, the TFT at each pixel is formed with a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode, which are connected to a gate line, a data line and a pixel electrode, respectively. A liquid crystal capacitor is formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. A storage capacitor is formed between the pixel electrode and the front gate line. A parasitic capacitance is made between the gate electrode and the drain electrode due to the misalignment thereof.
The operation of the TFT-LCD will be now explained in detail.
First, a gate-on voltage is applied to the gate electrode connected to the target gate line to turn on the TFT. Then, a data voltage expressing the picture image signal is applied to the source electrode, which in turn applies the data voltage to the drain electrode. Consequently, the data voltage is applied to the liquid crystal capacitor and the storage capacitor via the pixel electrode, and an electric field is formed due to the potential difference between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. When one-directional electric fields are continuously applied to the liquid crystal material, the liquid crystal material is liable to be deteriorated. In order to prevent deterioration of the liquid crystal material, with the driving of the LCD panel assembly, positive and negative picture image signals are alternately applied to the common electrode in a repeated manner. Such a driving technique is called the “inversion driving.”
Meanwhile, in case the TFT turns on, the voltage applied to the liquid crystal capacitor and the storage capacitor should be maintained continuously even after the TFT turns off. However, due to the parasitic capacitance between the gate electrode and the drain electrode, the voltage applied to the pixel electrode suffers distortion. The distorted voltage is called the “kick-back voltage.” The kick-back voltage ΔV can be obtained based on the mathematical formula 1.ΔV=(Cgd/(Cgd+Cst+Clc))ΔVg (1)
The ΔVg indicates the variation in the gate voltage (Vgon-Vgoff).
The voltage distortion is always made in the direction of lowering the voltage of the pixel electrode irrespective of the polarity of the data voltage.
With the ideal TFT-LCD, the data voltage is applied to the pixel electrode when the gate voltage turns on, and maintained at that state even when the gate voltage turns off. By contrast, with the practical TFT-LCD, the pixel voltage is influenced by the kick-back voltage ΔV, and lowered by the amount as much as the kick-back voltage at the area where the gate voltage is inverted.
Meanwhile, the effective value of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal is determined by the area between the pixel voltage and the common voltage. In case the LCD is driven by way of the inversion driving, it is necessary to control the common voltage level such that the areas of the pixel voltages with respect to the common voltage are symmetrical to each other. For this purpose, conventionally, a predetermined common voltage is applied to the common electrode such that the areas of the pixel voltages with respect to the common voltage are symmetrical to each other.
In case the areas of the pixel voltages with respect to the common voltage are not symmetrical to each other, the amount of the pixel voltages charged at the respective pixels is differentiated per the respective frames. As a result, a flicker phenomenon where the screen is flickered with the inversion of the pixel voltage occurs.
With the occurrence of the flicker phenomenon, serious problems such as increased fatigue stress applied to the user and generation of afterimages are made. Particularly with the multi-cell-gap structure where the RGB cell gaps differ from each other as well as with the case of the liquid crystal material bearing a high dielectric constant, the flicker phenomenon occurs more seriously.
With the multi-cell-gap structure, the liquid crystal capacity is differentiated depending upon the RGB cell gaps. Therefore, the kick-back voltages made at the respective pixels differ from each other by way of the mathematical formula 1. When it is established that the occurrence of the flicker phenomenon is reduced to a minimum with respect to a predetermined gray, other grays become to be free of the flicker.
With most of the LCDs, the liquid crystal capacity varies depending upon the grays, and hence, the kick-back voltage also varies depending upon the grays. Consequently, the occurrence of flickers cannot be corrected in a uniform manner. | {
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In fiber optic telecommunications systems, it is common for optical fibers of transmission cables to be split into multiple strands. Further, when such systems are installed, it is known to provide excess capacity in the installations to support future growth and utilization of the fibers. Often in these installations, modules including splitters or multiplexers may be used to provide the connection between transmission fibers and customer fibers. To reduce the cost and complexity of the initial installation and still provide options for future expansion, a module mounting panel capable of mounting multiple modules may be used in such an installation.
These panels may be configured with limited access to one or more sides, or may be mounted in cramped locations. In addition, some of these panels may be pre-configured with the maximum capacity of transmission cables to accommodate and link to modules which may be installed in the future. Since it is desirable to have access to components within the panel, some provision or feature of the panel may desirably permit a user to access the connectors of these pre-connectorized and pre-installed transmission cables.
While the demand for added capacity in telecommunications is growing rapidly, this demand is being met in part by increasing the density of fiber optic transmission equipment. Even though fiber optic equipment permits higher levels of transmission in the same or smaller footprint than traditional copper transmission equipment, the demand requires even higher levels of fiber density. This has led to the development of high-density fiber handling equipment.
Further improvements in adding fiber optic capacity and increasing density while achieving accessibility are desired.
The invention is based on the technical problem of providing a fiber optic telecommunications module, a fiber optic assembly having a plurality of fiber optic telecommunications modules and also a method for mounting a telecommunications module to a piece of telecommunications equipment which achieves the addition of fiber optic capacity where the density is increased so as to attain accessibility.
The technical problem is solved by the subject matter having the features of claims 1, 12 and 17. Further advantageous refinements of the invention can be found in the subclaims. | {
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Image compression techniques reduce the memory required for storage of large or complex images, permitting storage of images in devices with limited memory. For example, image compression techniques used in digital copiers and scanners aid in storage of complex images for subsequent printing. Similarly, image compression benefits communications where bandwidth limitations would otherwise render transmission of image data impractical. Image compression also offers substantial benefits for archiving large image libraries.
The JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) standard is a set of image compression techniques that have gained widespread acceptance. The most popular of the three general compression methods defined by the JPEG standard is the baseline sequential discrete cosine transform (DCT) technique. This technique reduces the file size of grayscale and color images with a near minimum possible loss of image quality. The basic image unit for JPEG compression is the image block which includes an eight pixel by eight pixel subset of the image. Each image block is analyzed and quantized, yielding DCT coefficients representative of the image block content. The coefficients are then Huffman coded to reduce the amount of data used to characterize them.
Huffman symbols used in JPEG image compression generally combine zero run length and magnitude length information to represent the coefficients in the smallest possible number of bits. The zero run length specifies the number of consecutive zero-valued coefficients preceding a non-zero coefficient. The magnitude length specifies the bit length of that part of the JPEG symbol which represents the value of the non-zero coefficient. Huffman codes are based on a set of variable word length symbols. The number of bits used to represent a particular Huffman code should be inversely related to the probability of encountering the run-length/magnitude length represented by that code (i.e., entropy encoding).
A common way to decode bit patterns is to compare each bit pattern to a set of stored bit patterns in a content-addressable memory (CAM). Each stored bit pattern contains the bits to be matched and information about which bits are to be ignored (i.e., masked) in the comparison. If one of the stored bit patterns matches the symbol bit pattern, information necessary for the decoding of the symbol bit pattern is read out of a separate memory. The information includes the length of the Huffman part, the length of the magnitude part, and the overall JPEG symbol length. The length of the Huffman part is required for determining the start of the magnitude bits, the length of the magnitude part specifies the number of magnitude bits, and the overall symbol length is used to determine the start of the next symbol. Because the bit lengths are interrelated, separate storage of all of these lengths requires more logic circuitry and storage capacity than is desirable. In addition, retrieval and processing of the multiple bit lengths from memory requires crucial decoding time. | {
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The invention relates to a jetting head capable of ejecting various kinds of liquid in the form of droplets for use in an ink jet printer, a display manufacturing apparatus, an electrode forming apparatus, a biochip manufacturing apparatus, etc., and more particularly, to a jetting apparatus having a plurality of flexible flat cables to be used for supplying drive signals from a head driver to a jetting head.
As a jetting apparatus having a jetting head capable of ejecting liquid in the form of a liquid droplet, for example, there has been proposed an ink jet printer in which ink droplets are ejected to record an image or the like on recording paper, an electrode forming apparatus in which an electrode material in a liquid form is ejected onto a substrate to thereby form electrodes, a biochip manufacturing apparatus in which biological samples are ejected to manufacture biochips, or a micropipette for ejecting a predetermined amount of a sample into a vessel.
For instance, in an ink jet printer employing piezoelectric elements as drive elements for ejecting ink, a plurality of piezoelectric elements, which are provided so as to correspond to a plurality of nozzles of a print head, are selectively activated, whereby ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles in accordance with the dynamic pressure generated by the respective piezoelectric elements. Dots are formed on recording paper by causing the ink droplets to adhere to the recording paper, thus effecting printing operation.
Here, the piezoelectric elements are provided so as to correspond to nozzles to be used for ejecting ink droplets. The piezoelectric elements are actuated by a drive signal supplied from a head driver mounted in the print head, thereby ejecting ink droplets.
Drive signals output from the head driver are sent to a print head by way of a flexible flat cable.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, a drive signal COM output from a head driver 1 is divided for respective rows of color nozzles. In relation to a row of nozzles A (hereinafter simply called a “nozzle row A” or “row A”), the head driver 1 outputs, to the print head and over a flexible flat cable, a drive signal COMA and a ground signal AGNDA serving as a return signal for the drive signal COMA. In relation to a row of nozzles B (hereinafter simply called a “nozzle row B” or “row B”), the head driver 1 outputs, to the print head and over the flexible flat cable, a drive signal COMB and a ground signal AGNDB serving as a return signal for the drive signal COMB. In relation to a row of nozzles C (hereinafter simply called a “nozzle row C” or “row C”), the head driver 1 outputs, to the print head and over the flexible flat cable, a drive signal COMC and a ground signal AGNDC serving as a return signal for the drive signal COMC (a signal in which the same current flows in a direction opposite to the drive signal). In relation to a row of nozzles D (hereinafter simply called a “nozzle row D” or “row D”), the head driver 1 outputs, to the print head and over the flexible flat cable, a drive signal COMD and a ground signal AGNDD serving as a return signal for the drive signal COMD.
Here, the drive signals COMA, COMB, COMC, COMD, and the ground signals AGNDA, AGNDB, AGNDC, AGNDD assume the form of a relatively large electric current. For instance, as shown in FIG. 8, each of signal lines corresponding to the respective signals is split into a plurality of signal lines; e.g., two signal lines. The drive signal and the ground signal are connected in parallel to each other by way of the thus-split signal lines. In view of the number of signal lines provided in a flexible flat cable, two flexible flat cables FFC1, FFC2 are used, as shown in FIG. 7.
In connection with the nozzle rows A, B, C, and D assigned to respective colors of the print head, as shown in FIG. 8, the drive and ground signals are allocated, on a per-row basis, to the signal lines of the respective flexible flat cables FFC1, FFC2. Specifically, the drive signal COMA for the nozzle row A and the ground signal AGNDA serving as a return signal for the drive signal COMA are allocated to signal lines such that the drive signal and the ground signal are arranged alternately. The drive signal COMB and the ground signal AGNDB serving as a return signal for the drive signal COMB are allocated to signal lines in the same manner. The drive signal COMC and the ground signal AGNDC serving as a return signal for the drive signal COMC are allocated to signal lines in the same manner. Further, the drive signal COMD and the ground signal AGNDD serving as a return signal for the drive signal COMD are allocated to signal lines in the same manner.
As shown in FIG. 7, the flexible flat cables FFC1, FFC2 are set within the printer main unit while remaining superimposed.
In an ink jet printer having the flexible flat cables FFC1, FFC2 of such a configuration, the head driver sends a drive signal and a corresponding ground signal to the print head on a per-color-row basis over the signal lines of the respective flexible flat cables FFC1, FFC2. As a result, piezoelectric elements provided in the print head are driven by the drive signal, and nozzles associated with the piezoelectric elements eject ink droplets, thus effecting printing operation.
In this case, the drive signal lines and the ground signal lines are allocated on a per-row basis. In particular, the nozzle rows A and B and the nozzle rows C and D are thoroughly separated from each other. Eventually, crosstalk developing between the drive and ground signals of the nozzle rows A, B and those of the nozzle rows C, D is reduced, thereby inhibiting occurrence of interference, which would otherwise arise between respective nozzle rows.
Consequently, when the nozzle row A is brought into, e.g., a total ON or OFF condition, there does not occur changes in waveforms of signals flowing through signal lines for the nozzle row B located adjacent to signal lines for the nozzle row A within the flexible flat cables FFC1, FFC2.
However, in the flexible flat cables FFC1, FFC2 having such a configuration, the signal lines of the flexible flat cable FFC1 are located adjacent to and oppose those of the flexible flat cable FFC2.
Therefore, in relation to combinations of signal lines in which the signal lines of the flexible flat cable FFC1 and those of the flexible flat cable FFC2 oppose each other; for instance, a combination of signal lines for the row A and those for the row C and a combination of signal lines for the row B and those for the row D illustrated in the drawings, mutually-opposing signal lines are located close to each other. Hence, crosstalk arises between the mutually-opposing signal lines for the rows, thereby inducing occurrence of interference between the rows (hereinafter, this phenomenon will be called “inter-row interference”).
Accordingly, if an attempt is made to effect printing operation in cyan ink C by use of the row C during the course of printing operation being performed in yellow ink Y by use of the row A, the drive and ground signals allocated to the row C affect the drive and ground signals allocated to the row A, for reasons of inter-row interference, thereby disturbing waveforms of the drive and ground signals. As a result, minute changes develop in, e.g., the quantity of yellow ink Y to be ejected by the nozzle A. In particular, such minute changes appear in the form of a line on a printed image on recording paper at the time of printing of minute dots, thereby deteriorating print quality. | {
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Many developments in the field of non-metallic materials, especially since World War II, have caused the use of such materials to become very generalized and wisespread for many applications. Such applications range from uses in space, in the medical field and packaging. In all instances, lightweight is required for various reasons, flexibility and/or the ability to conform to various complex shapes without exerting localized loads are needed. Further, strength is also very much desired. The list of additional requirements is long indeed.
Varied needs for specific applications have been met with many different manufactured products such as HONEYCOMB, FOAMED MATERIALS (rigid or flexible), DIMPLED or CORRUGATED SHEETS of a variety of materials, etc. . . . Again, the list is long. The product may be made impermeable or permeable as required for the application, impervious to certain chemicals, etc. . . . Some materials are molded, others are formed so as to espouse the final shape needed for their use. But, generally, the material shaped to perform a specific function cannot adopt and/or fit varying shapes, as the application may demand in the course of its use.
Consequently, a need exists for improvements in the degree of conformability that the final product or article must display during the life of its application. During such usage lifetime, the product must conserve its original structural and flexural properties, through its shape may have to change hundreds, thousands or even millions of times. Thus, the nature of the basic materials entering into such article fabrication, the structural configuration,the shapes of the structure basic elements and the manner by which these are assembled during the manufacturing process represent important aspects of such fabrication. | {
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U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,435 A discloses a bracket which has a slide for closing its slot, which can be displaced in lateral guiding slots, which are provided in the occlusal wall as well as in the gingival wall of the bracket. In order to hold the slide in its closed position as well as in its open position, a bore open to the slide is provided in one of the walls of the bracket, in which either a helical spring, which presses against the underside of the slide, or a cylindrical bolt made of elastomeric synthetic material is situated, which protrudes over the opening of the bore and presses against the underside of the slide. Two recesses are provided on the underside of the slide. The spring respectively the bolt with its end protruding from the bore meshes into one of the recesses when the slide is in open position. The spring respectively the bolt with its end protruding from the bore meshes into the other recess when the slide is in closed position. A protrusion separating both recesses must pass the helical spring respectively the bolt, when the slide should be displaced between its open position and its closed position. Overcoming the spring load is a tricky operation, because the slide is displaced at right angle to the direction in which the spring must be pushed back into the bore. Moreover, the slide can get caught in the spring and the spring may be damaged. The elastomeric synthetic bolt cannot be pushed back into the bore, since the synthetic material as a solid matter is not compressible. The slide must be twisted instead, to move it past the synthetic bolt. Consequently, the slide must be accordingly thin, to maintain within practical limits the force which must be applied upon displacement. With the small sizes which brackets have typically, the known bracket is difficult to realize.
A self-ligating bracket is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,850, in which the slide is combined with a U-shaped spring, which surrounds the slide. One or both branches of the spring is provided with a protrusion via an embossing process, so that it snaps in a recess of a bracket wing in closed position with its protrusion. Pressing down this branch enables to move the spring out of its snap-in position and to push the slide out of its closed position. The slide is not held in open position, so that it cannot be lost, which is uncomfortable in the mouth, because the slide could be swallowed.
A self-ligating bracket is disclosed in EP 1 679 048 A2, whose slide is maintained through a spring, which is inserted in a hole of the bracket body and engages in a continuous hole of the slide by means of a protruding, twice angled branch. The spring can be pushed out of the hole and the slide removed from the bracket. The spring is not able to hold the slide in open position. A further shortcoming is that food remains may build up in the hole of the slide and under the slide, which cannot be eliminated even by brushing one's teeth or repeated mouth washing.
A self-ligating bracket is moreover disclosed in EP 1 679 048 A2, whose slide has a long hole, through which a safety pin engages, which is anchored in a bore in the bracket, once the slide has been inserted in the bracket. The clearance exhibited by the safety pin in the long hole limits the path over which the slide can be displaced in the bracket between closed position and open position. Once the safety pin has been inserted the slide cannot be removed any longer. The safety pin is not able to hold the slide in closed position and in open position. Only friction can block the slide to a certain extent, which does not enable reliably to hold the slide in closed position or in open position.
Document DE 10 2006 053 215 A1 discloses a self-ligating bracket with a slide, which co-operates with a leaf spring arranged in the gingival wall of the bracket, which can be swung out sideways upon displacement of the slide. This bracket has the advantage that the leaf spring does not press against the underside of the slide and that the leaf spring can maintain the slide in its closed position as well as in its open position on the bracket body. If the bracket and its slide are however produced out of ceramic material by powder metallurgy, for example through a CIM process (Ceramic Injection Molding), it is then difficult to respect the strict dimensional tolerances required for such a bracket. | {
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Backup power supplies are often used to supply power when a utility power grid is disabled. Internal combustion engine driven generators are often deployed as backup power supplies. These generators, however, are relatively large and noisy, and output toxic emissions.
Fuel cells are known to generate electrical power through chemical processes having relatively minimal emissions with little environmental impact. Accordingly, fuel cells have been explored as an attractive alternative to conventional backup generators. Unlike generators, however, fuel cells typically cannot be activated within a short period of time. Accordingly, in backup power applications, fuel cells often output electrical power continuously, regardless of whether the power grid is operational. In the event power is cut off, the fuel cell supplies backup power which can be distributed by the grid to critical components, or selected areas of the grid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,700,804 describes a backup fuel cell coupled to a utility grid. The fuel cell supplies a DC voltage to an inverter, which, in turn, supplies an AC signal to a utility distribution system. However, the AC signal output from the inverter should be synchronized to the AC signal generated by the utility in order to assure compatibility with components connected to the distribution system. Moreover, the root mean square (rms) and phase of the AC inverter output relative to the utility AC signal should be controllable in order to maintain efficient power transmission, even when variations occur in the utility AC signal. Thus, a synchronizable and adjustable DC to AC conversion circuit is required to improve transmission characteristics.
The present disclosure is directed to overcome one or more of the shortcomings in the prior art. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to surgical stapling devices for applying surgical fasteners to body tissue. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to surgical stapling devices suitable for performing circular anastomosis and/or treating the internal walls of hollow body organs, e.g., hemorrhoidal tissue.
2. Background of Related Art
Anastomosis is the surgical joining of separate hollow organ sections. Typically, an anastomosis procedure follows surgery in which a diseased or defective section of hollow tissue is removed and the remaining end sections are to be joined. Depending on the desired anastomosis procedure, the end sections may be joined by either circular, end-to-end or side-to-side organ reconstruction methods.
In a circular anastomosis procedure, the two ends of the organ sections are joined by means of a stapling instrument which drives a circular array of staples through the end section of each organ section and simultaneously cores any tissue interior of the driven circular array of staples to free the tubular passage.
Examples of instruments for performing circular anastomosis of hollow organs are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,303,106, 6,053,390, 5,588,579, 5,119,983, 5,005,749, 4,646,745, 4,576,167, and 4,473,077. Typically, these instruments include an elongated shaft having a handle portion at a proximal end to actuate the instrument and a staple holding component disposed at a distal end. An anvil assembly including an anvil center rod with attached anvil head is mounted to the distal end of the instrument adjacent the staple holding component. Opposed end portions of tissue of the hollow organ(s) to be stapled are clamped between the anvil head and the staple holding component as these components are approximated. The clamped tissue is stapled by driving one or more staples from the staple holding component through the staple slots so that the ends of the staples pass through the tissue and are deformed by anvil pockets of the anvil head. An annular knife is concurrently advanced to core tissue with the hollow organ to free a tubular passage within the organ.
Besides anastomosis of hollow organs, surgical stapling devices for performing circular anastomosis have been used to treat internal hemorrhoids in the rectum. Hemorrhoids are masses of tissue in the anus containing enlarged blood vessels. Internal hemorrhoids are inside the anal canal; external hemorrhoids lie outside the anal canal. In hemorrhoidectomy, the hemorrhoids are removed. Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is a surgical procedure in which the stapling device is used to remove tissue just above the hemorrhoids in order to pull the hemorrhoids back up inside the rectum and reduce the symptoms. The staples interrupt the blood flow of the superior hemorrhoidal arterial branches, cutting off the blood supply to the tissue, thus causing the hemorrhoids to shrink.
During the use of a circular stapling device for hemorrhoid treatment, the anvil head and the staple holding component of the device are inserted through and into the rectum with the anvil head and the stapling holding component in an open or unapproximated position. Thereafter, a purse string suture is used to pull the internal hemorrhoidal tissue and/or mucosal tissue toward the anvil rod. Next, the anvil head and the staple holding component are approximated to clamp the hemorrhoidal tissue and/or mucosal tissue between the anvil head and the staple holding component. The stapling device is fired to remove the hemorrhoidal tissue and/or mucosal tissue and staple the cut tissue.
Various techniques of using the purse string suture to pull the internal hemorrhoidal tissue towards the center rod are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,271 to Longo, et al., discusses grasping and pulling the purse string proximally through the use of a separate device that is inserted into the stapling device.
International Application Publication No. WO 2008/107918 to Rebuffat, et al., discloses placing the purse string suture into one or more annular grooves formed in the anvil center rod.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a surgical stapling device including structure that is configured and dimensioned to enhance alignment between the staple holding component and anvil head.
It certain procedures, it may be desirable to provide a longer center rod (anvil shaft) of the anvil assembly. Therefore, such enhanced alignment and cooperation between the stapling component and anvil would be advantageous. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collapsible structures, and in particular, to collapsible play structures which may be provided in a variety of shapes and sizes. The collapsible structures may be twisted and folded to reduce the overall size of the structures to facilitate convenient storage and use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Two important considerations for all toys or play things targeted for children and adults are convenience and variety. Relating to convenience, a toy must be easily transportable so that the user can move it around the home, or even to other places outside of the home. A toy must also be easily stored since an adult or child is likely to have many other toys or objects that compete for precious storage space in the home. As for variety, a toy must offer enough variety in play so that the child or adult will be able to enjoy it for a long period of time without getting bored.
Larger toys often pose a greater problem with regards to convenience. The larger toys tend to be bulky, which makes it difficult to move them around the home, and sometimes makes it prohibitive to move them outside the house to other locations. Bulky toys also take up much storage space. For these reasons, many executive toys targeted for adults are made in small sizes.
Collapsible play structures have recently become popular with both adults and children. Examples of such structures are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,812 (Norman), U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,794 (Zheng) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,385 (Zheng). These structures may be twisted and folded to reduce the overall size of the structures to facilitate convenient storage and use. As such, these structures are being enjoyed by many people in many different applications.
For example, these structures have been provided in many different shapes and sizes for children's play inside and outside the house. Smaller versions of these structures have been used as infant nurseries. Even smaller versions of these structures have been used as dollhouses and action figure play houses by toddlers and children.
As another example, these structures have been made into tents or outdoor structures that can be used by adults and children for camping or other outdoor purposes. These structures have also been popular as beach cabanas.
Even animals can enjoy these structures. Some of these structures have been made into shelters that can be used by pets, both inside and outside the house.
The wide-ranging uses for these collapsible structures can be attributed to the performance, convenience and variety that these structures provide. When fully expanded, these structures are stable and can be used as a true shelter without the fear of collapse. These structures are easily twisted and folded into a compact configuration to allow the user to conveniently store the structure. The light-weight nature of the materials used to make these structures makes it convenient for them to be moved from one location to another. These structures also provide much variety in use and enjoyment. For example, a child can use a structure both indoors and outdoors for different play purposes, and can use the same structure for camping.
However, these collapsible structures have been primarily used to shelter individuals, animals, and objects, and to allow individuals or animals to crawl therethrough. Thus, there is still a need for collapsible structures that provide an increased variety of play and entertainment value, and yet are simple in construction and can be conveniently deployed, collapsed, and stored. | {
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Digital video is increasingly becoming ubiquitous with wide ranging applications in entertainment, education, business and broadcasting. As such, digital media such as the digital versatile disc (DVD) for example, have been rapidly replacing older analog technologies such as the video home system (VHS), as the preferred means for the distribution of audiovisual content.
The DVD became a popular medium of digital content distribution since it allowed convenient distribution of large amounts of recorded digital data including video, audio, software and electronic documents at a relatively low cost. This is due in part, to the fact that digital processing of video signals has benefited significantly from advances in integrated circuits. The decreasing cost and increasing power of integrated circuits have readily translated into quality improvements in digital video players at reduced costs.
Nonetheless, movies distributed using DVDs are of standard definition (SD) resolution and lately, higher resolution formats such as Blu-ray and high definition DVD (HD DVD), which encode video in high definition (HD) resolution have become increasingly popular.
These newer digital distribution formats include a wide array of added features designed to enhance the user experience especially when viewing video. These include newer and advanced video compression algorithms, surround sound audio, as well as many informative and interactive features delivered through multiple presentation layers in addition to a main video layer.
An HD DVD disc for instance, may include a background plane, a main video plane, secondary video plane, and subtitle graphics plane, among others. A Blu-ray disc may contain a presentation graphics plane and an interactive graphics plane, which are combined with a main video plane, to form final images for display. These additional layers are used to provide features such as improved subtitles, interactive menus, command buttons and the like.
The presence of additional layers or planes of video adds significantly to the complexity of tasks performed by a video player that processes them to form a final video image for display. The added tasks increase the computational load on the decoding and processing subsystems of a digital video player. Unfortunately this often requires an increase in the numbers of transistors included within the integrated circuitry of the video player and consequently leads to increased level of power consumption and heat dissipation.
In addition to decoding planes from several layers, the player must composite or combine corresponding decoded planes in each layer, to form a final image for display. This combining process often involves determining the transparency level or opaqueness of each pixel of each layer's plane and computing a final pixel using the corresponding pixels of each layer in relative proportion to their transparency. Methods for compositing digital images have been suggested, for example in T. Porter and T. Duff, “Compositing Digital Images”, Proceedings of SIGGRAPH '84, 18 (1984).
Straight-forward applications of known compositing methods can be very inefficient. As can be appreciated, compositing is a compute-intensive process, and can be potentially wasteful if performed on a large number of pixels that do not contribute to the final image. Accordingly there is a need to reduce the computational load and associated power consumption required to decode and efficiently display multilayered digital video. | {
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Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a technique for performing high-resolution cross-sectional imaging that can provide images of tissue structure on the micron scale in situ and in real time (see, e.g., Huang et al. 1991). OCT is a method of interferometry that determines the scattering profile of a sample along the OCT beam. Each scattering profile in the depth direction (z) is called an axial scan, or A-scan. Cross-sectional images (B-scans), and by extension 3D volumes, are built up from many A-scans, with the OCT beam moved to a set of transverse (x and y) locations on the sample. One of the principle advantages of OCT is its ability to image the various layers of the retina of the eye. Technical improvements in this modality permit data sets to be obtained in very short times. Doppler OCT can be used to determine flow velocity by measuring phase shifts between temporally separated measurements.
The ability to measure total retinal blood flow can provide an important diagnosis between healthy and pathological retinal tissue. Doppler OCT is applicable to the measurement of blood flow in the retina and in retinal vascular perfusion. The optimum area to measure total ocular blood flow is centered on the optical nerve head, as this is where most vessels enter and exit the retina. It is the current state of technology that even fast OCT systems have a difficulty acquiring temporally densely-sampled blood flow data of these vessels.
Important to proper determination of blood flow or velocities is knowledge of the angle or angular orientation between the vessel (or blood flow) and that of the beam probing the vessel (the Doppler angle). If these directions are perpendicular, then Doppler techniques, as historically practiced, yield no measurable shift. In cases where the Doppler angle is close to 90 degrees, accurate knowledge of the Doppler angle is critical to proper velocity determinations, because the absolute velocity is proportional to 1/cosine of the Doppler angle. There are, however, different OCT velocity measurement methods, using either phase or intensity variation measurements, which are influenced differently by the geometric arrangement between blood flow vector and the probe beam direction.
Doppler OCT has been successfully utilized in ophthalmologic diagnostic investigations as well as in functional imaging. (For a general introductory reference to Doppler OCT, see, e.g., Chen & Zhang 2008.) The recent advances in Fourier-domain OCT sensitivity and speed have been remarkable and have impacted the capabilities of Doppler OCT measurement capacity. The results can, however, be limited by various physical and technical reasons, such as phase de-correlation due to high velocity, Brownian motion of the fluid itself, phase wrapping, large or poorly determined Doppler angles, inappropriate scan timescales, and low spatial sampling as will be described in more detail below.
There are a variety of measurements that can obtain a frequency shift. Most of these involve measurement of phases or phase differences between normally adjacent A-scans and/or intensity or amplitude information or combinations of these various observables. There are sensitivity variations amongst these techniques, dependent upon the aforementioned geometric configuration, minimum and maximum velocities to be measured, temporal and spatial sampling, as well as variations in resolution and contrast. Other techniques used to determine a frequency shift include speckle variance, logarithmic intensity variance, differential logarithmic intensity variance, 2D correlation mapping, split spectra amplitude de-correlation, and filtering of the original fringe data. A popular technique, known as Doppler variance, uses autocorrelation which involves complex OCT data at each location (see, e.g., Zhao et al. 2000).
Circumpapillary Doppler OCT scans have been employed to provide quantitative information about the total retinal blood flow in vivo (see, e.g., Tan et al. 2012). They have typically used two concentric circular scans and determined a vessel's angle by measuring the position of its cross-section at two separate positions or locations. The drawback to this approach is that the centers of the vessel cross-sections for the two interleaved circular scans with different diameters have to be precisely detected within each individual scan. This is time consuming, especially as there has not been an automated method introduced so far. Furthermore, it is often difficult to define the center of the vessel cross-sections, leading to inaccuracies in the determination of the vessel's orientation relative to the scan or probing beam. This is of interest as small changes in this orientation with angles approaching orthogonality (in certain measurement styles) may lead to very large differences in blood flow.
The temporal resolution of the scans is limited by two factors. On the one hand, the sampling of the circumpapillary scan has to be sufficiently dense in order to avoid phase de-correlation. On the other hand, one may not arbitrarily increase the A-scan rate as this reduces the sensitivity for lower flow speeds.
Some of the constraining factors of Doppler OCT are outlined below: Phase noise: The phase noise limits the minimum quantifiable velocity. It is limited by two factors, the signal to noise ratio (SNR) and the oversampling factor. The SNR limited phase noise of an OCT system is described by (Park et al. 2005):
Φ err SNR = 1 SNR .
In most cases the phase noise is limited by the oversampling of the scanning system. Ideally the two measurements used to calculate the phase difference should be taken at the exact same location. In practice, one often uses scanning patterns, which don't allow 100% overlap between the two measurements. This causes phase de-correlation between the two measurements and, therefore, an increase in phase noise. The phase noise limited by the sampling density is described by (Park et al., 2005):
Φ err sampling = 4 π 3 ( 1 - exp ( - 2 ( Δ x d ) 2 ) ) ,where Δx denotes the lateral distance between two measurements, and d the 1/e2 beam width at the focus. Besides the scanning pattern, sample motion may significantly contribute to the phase noise in a similar fashion.
Time difference between two measurements: The time between the two measurements used to calculate the phase difference influences the quantifiable velocity range. Larger time differences enable the detection of slower velocities, smaller time differences on the other hand shift the detectable velocity range towards higher speeds.
Fringe wash-out: Fringe wash-out is mainly a problem of spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT). The phase shift introduced by moving scatterers during the integration time of the camera, causes a blurring of the interference fringe signal. This wash-out causes a reduction in the interference fringe amplitude and therefore a reduction of SNR of the signal from moving scatterers. The fringe wash-out scales with the magnitude of the phase shift. For high velocities, the fringe wash-out may be so strong, that the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) drops below one. Since as mentioned above, the phase noise is also limited by the SNR, this is a significant problem for Doppler OCT measurements.
Doppler angle: Doppler OCT is only sensitive to axial motion. In order to determine the absolute velocity of a moving scatterer, it is essential to know the angle between its velocity vector and the probing beam. A precise angle determination is paramount due to the secant term in the expression for velocity from phase shift (see, e.g., Chen & Zhang 2008 review article, op. cit.). Since most of the vessels in the inner retina lie almost perpendicular to the probing beam, already small errors in the Doppler angle may significantly influence the resulting absolute velocity measurement. | {
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prescription eyeglass lenses are curved in such a way that light is correctly focused onto the retina of a patient's eye, improving vision. Such lenses are formed from glass or plastic lens “blanks” having certain desired properties to provide the correct prescription for the patient. The blanks are usually circular and of substantially larger dimension, for example 70 mm in diameter and 10 mm thick, compared to the relatively smaller finished lenses assembled into eyeglass frames. Therefore, a lens blank must be edged to fit an eyeglass frame selected by the patient.
Ophthalmic laboratory technicians cut, grind, edge, and polish blanks according to prescriptions provided by dispensing opticians, optometrists, or ophthalmologists. In addition, the large diameter blank is sized and shaped to fit into the frame selected by the patient. The lens blank may be shaped using an edger, such as the lens edger disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,409 to Kennedy et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The blank is edged so that the periphery of the finished lens fits the frame.
As known in the art, edging of a lens blank typically requires the application of a block to a surface thereof. The block is releasably secured to a clamp assembly, so that rotation of the clamp assembly causes corresponding rotation of the lens blank. The periphery of the blank is cut to the desired size using a router tool. The periphery may also be polished using a polishing tool. A bevel is often formed about the periphery of the lens, particularly adjacent the wearer. A combination tool incorporating a router and polishing hub may be used, as disclosed in the '409 patent.
The finished lens may then be assembled with the selected eyeglass frames. The frames include two spaced openings in which the finished lenses are mounted. The frame openings frequently have a bevel or a tongue, which interlocks with a complementarily shaped bevel or groove, respectively, formed about the peripheral edge of the lens. The interlock between the complementary bevel and groove helps to secure the lens within the opening of the frames. The router and polishing tools on the edger form the bevel or groove about the lens.
The configuration of the bevel or groove that is edged into the peripheral edge of the lens may vary depending on the configuration of the bevel or tongue in the frame openings. Therefore, various router and polishing tools are provided for forming different bevel or groove configurations. The router and polishing tools are interchangeably secured on the edger via a shaft and chuck assembly. Thus, the technician must change the tool each time a different bevel or groove is needed. | {
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1. Industrial Useful Field
This invention relates, for example, to a planetary carrier for a planetary gear transmission employed in an automatic transmission for automobile.
2. Prior Art and its Problem
As shown in FIG. 6, a planetary carrier 100 for conventional Ravineaux type planetary gear transmission, for example, is a solid cast or forged article and connection parts 102 are provided in this planetary carrier 100 at circumferential plural places.
Incidentally, the applicant of this invention has invented a combination of a torque converter having an four-element impeller and a partly improved Ravineaux type planetary gear train, and has applied it for a patent (Japanese Patent Application Ser. No. 60-25906, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 826,039, German Patent Application Ser. No. P 36 04 393 Al).
In this prior art, first and second planetary gears are carried by a planetary carrier and are meshed with separate sun gear (inner peripheral side) and ring gear (outer peripheral side) respectively.
Therefore, when the planetary carrier 100 as shown in FIG. 6 is employed in such a prior art, a diameter of the planetary carrier 100 must be enlarged in order to avoid an interference between the connection parts 102 and the both planetary gears. Consequently, diameters of the sun gear and the ring gear must naturally be enlarged to cause an increase in the overall size of the planetary gear train. | {
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The present disclosure relates to a light-emitting element and a display device.
In recent years, there has been increased interest in organic electroluminescence display devices (hereinafter, also referred to simply as “organic EL display device”) employing organic electroluminescence elements (also referred to simply as “organic EL element”). The organic EL display devices are of a self-luminous type, and have a property that consumption power is low. Organic EL display devices are conceived as having sufficient responsivity as to high-definition high-speed video signals, and development and commercialization thereof have been advanced toward practical use.
The organic EL display devices include multiple light-emitting elements including an emitting unit ELP and a driving circuit configured to drive the emitting unit ELP. Specifically, the multiple light-emitting elements are arrayed in a two-dimensional matrix shape of N columns in a first direction and M rows in a second direction different from the first direction. A circuit diagram of the organic EL display device is illustrated in FIG. 1, and an equivalent circuit diagram of a light-emitting element including a driving circuit configured of two transistors and one capacitor unit for example, is illustrated in FIG. 2. Here, the driving circuit is configured of a driving transistor TR1, an image signal writing transistor TR2, and a capacitor unit C0, and is connected to a current supply line CSL, a scanning signal SCL, and a signal line DTL. The transistors TR1 and TR2 making up a driving circuit positioned in an odd row in the organic EL display device, and the transistors TR1 and TR2 making up a driving circuit positioned in an even row, are disposed in symmetry as to an axial line extending in the first direction. That is to say, the driving circuits are disposed upside down alternately in odd and even rows. Employing such a layout is employed enables reduction in area of the driving circuits to be realized overall. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for painting vehicle bodies successively carried along a painting line with a suitable color paint selected from a variety of color paints.
2. Prior Art
In well-known prior art painting method, a vehicle body is coated in three different steps, i.e. primer coating for corrosion proofing with the use of electrodeposition coating method; surfacer painting for painting an intermediate coat such as gray color on the primer coating layer; and top coating for painting a desired paint on the intermediate coating layer. In top coating, a variety of different color paints (10 to 30 colors,) are applied to the vehicle bodies, which are successively carried along a conveyor and divided into groups according to a color paint to be applied. To this end, the painting apparatus comprises pluralities of parallel paint-transferring lines L1, L2, L3 . . . LN, such as shown in FIG. 6. The number of the paint-transferring lines corresponds to the variety of the color paints applied to vehicle bodies. At one end of the respective paint-transferring lines L1, L2, L3 . . . LN, a paint tank 35 is positioned so as to reserve a paint having a certain viscosity, which is prepared from different color paints to be mixed. Provided at the other end of these lines L1, L2, L3 . . . LN is a paint-changing unit 32 such as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 1822017. The paint-changing unit 32 is used for in turn selecting a required color paint and transferring the selected color paint to a spray gun G.
In such painting apparatus, there is provided a washing unit C in parallel relation to the paint-transferring lines L1, L2, L3 . . . LN. When changing a color paint to be applied, the washing unit C ejects washing liquid into a connecting hose 33 between the paint-changing unit 32 and the spray gun G, thereby cleaning remaining paint within the hose. New color paint is then supplied to the spray gun G through the connecting hose 33 thus cleaned. | {
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The invention relates generally to an electrotherapy arrangement.
A wide variety of attempts have already been made, by means of electrical current, to treat physical ailments such as pains in the neck, headache, trigeminal neurolgia, facial neuralgia, Parkinson's disease, intervertebral disc injuries, torn discs, sports injuries and the like. For example German laid-open application (DE-OS) No. 34 37 837 describes an apparatus for the electrotherapeutic self-treatment of pain and sleeplessness, which comprises a plurality of electrodes of different metals and an auxiliary battery. Such apparatuses may possible produce temporary and short-term improvements in the ailments, but a reproducible and verifiable effect has not been demonstrated in practice.
In most cases it is in fact very difficult for the electrodes to reach those areas on the surface of the skin which are suitable for passing the current to those parts in the organism at which it is to produce its healing or pain-relieving effect. In addition, the currents which can be produced by different metals and batteries flow continuously so that it is not possible to produce any stimulus effects which usually always occur due to currents which vary in respect of time.
In addition there is a fear that certain areas of tissue may suffer from toxic loading as the battery is capable of dissolving the various metals in co-operation with physiological fluids such as for example perspiration, and the resulting metal ions can be transported into the organism.
U.S. patent specification No. 4 062 364 discloses a multi-pole electrode arrangement which is capable of supplying alternating current pulses. That arrangement has one positive and for example two negative electrodes which are always simultaneously supplied with ac voltage pulses. That electrode arrangement however is also not adequately suited to hitting points (for example electro-acupuncture points) which cannot be precisely located on the surface of the skin, so that frequently the pulses are to a certain extent useless by virtue of missing the target areas. As is known, current chooses the path of least resistance so that in addition it may frequently happen that only one of the negative electrodes actually results in a flow of current while the other negative electrode carries substantially no current, because of a higher degree of resistance at the surface of the skin at the location of that electrode. At any event that arrangement does not ensure that the supply of current is exact and precise.
Another form of electrotherapy arrangement includes an electrode plate comprising a treatment electrode which is subdivided into a plurality of portions, and a base electrode; voltage pulses are sent to the individual portions of the treatment electrode from a current source by way of a switching device at the same or different times in a specific or indeterminate sequence, those pulses then being able to go to the base electrode through a body disposed therebetween. That arrangement is intended inter alia to reach areas which lie deep in the organism, even if such areas cannot be precisely located, on the basis of a `shotgun principle`. In that arrangement the base electrode is generally to be arranged at the side of the body which is opposite to the treatment electrode.
However the arrangements just discussed above do not afford the possibility of direct local treatment of individual points or locations on the surface of the skin.
Another form of electrode arrangement is referred to as an ear electrode, in which a saturated wad of cotton wool is placed in the ear canal; disposed around the ear muscles are actuatable contacts which also send pulses through the outer to the middle and inner ear on the basis of the `shotgun principle`. With the simultaneous positioning and use of two devices (one each at the right ear and at the left ear), it was also possible to produce the same above-mentioned `shotgun effect` in relation to areas lying in the interior of the head.
Mention may also be made of U.S. patent specification No. 4 558 704 disclosing an electrode arrangement which represents a substitute for numbed nerves in that current pulses are applied at given points on a body, such pulses stimulating the muscles therebeneath to perform activity. Systematic treatment of small limited areas on the basis of the above-mentioned `shotgun principle` however cannot also be achieved with that arrangement. | {
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In earlier days, the primary means for storing data in computer, microprocessor and similar systems, resided in a transistor-based high speed circuit that stored each bit of information--a so-called static random access memory device, termed SRAM, summarily described, for example, on page 295-300 of a catalog of Samsung Electronics entitled MOS Memory, 1993/94. A Samsung Type KM644002 cmos SRAM, for example, was presented in a 32-pin plastic unit (400 mil) providing 1,048,576 words by 4 bits and using four common input and output lines and an output enable pin operating faster than the address access time at read cycle--the fast access times ranging from 15 to 25 ns. In order uniquely to select one of the over 1 million locations, 20 address bits are rejoined (20 of the pins being address pins) along with 4 data pins and control signals.
In an effort to meet increased RAM requirements, the concept was evolved of storing each bit in a small capacitor on the silicon unit or die, the integration of a large number of capacitors taking far less space than transistors--so-called dynamic random access memory or DRAM units. The resulting advantages of the DRAM unit in increased storage capacity, higher data bandwidth and savings in terms of device size, board space, power consumption and cost, particularly when large numbers of such devices are implemented in a design, outweighed the necessity for periodic charging of capacitors, and more complex access mechanisms and control circuits; and DRAM became one of the most, if not the most, popular type of memory.
The external circuit interface of the DRAM, moreover, differs significantly from the SRAM. Contrasting the illustrative Samsung Type KM644002 SRAM above-described, with a corresponding Samsung Type KM44C1000B CMOS DRAM, as described on pages 330-337 of said Samsung catalog, the addressing is similar to uniquely identifying an element within a matrix, with each location in the address space being accessed by providing a row address and a column address. For the 1 million.times.4 bit example, only a total of 20 address bits are required, 10 bits used to select the row in which the bit is located and 10 bits selecting the column of the desired bit in the selected row. As compared with the SRAM device only 10 address pins are provided and 4 data bits along with few control lines, resulting in a package of just 20 pins, providing considerable savings in terms of board space, power consumption and cost. The DRAM access mechanism is as follows. A 10 bit row address followed by a 10 bit column address are provided on the same pins sequentially by the external circuit, with the internal circuit using this sequentially provided information to select the desired unique location as described in the said catalog. The external circuit interface of this DRAM is asynchronous in nature and thus it is also called an asynchronous or async DRAM.
This sequential occurrence of row and column addresses instead of presenting the entire address at the same time, however, delays the storage and retrieval of information compared to the SRAM, and as more particularly shown on said pages 336 and 337, for example, as compared with the SRAM read and write access cycles described on pages 299 and 300.
Over a period of time, however, system requirements expanded, dictating capacity, higher data bandwidth, faster access time, burst mode accesses, and synchronous operation as distinguished from async DRAM.
The art progressed with incremental improvements, successively providing higher density async DRAMs with faster access time and limited burst mode capability, such as page mode access. DRAMs with synchronous interface then also came into existence. Higher data bandwidth devices with larger pin count were also developed, but had limited market success due to their large package size. The higher data bandwidth requirement, moreover, had to be fulfilled by using either more components or wider data bandwidth components with larger pin counts, unfortunately but necessarily leading to more board space and power consumption and the disadvantages thereof.
Such development in this art leading incrementally to these enhanced devices providing higher density and faster speed, however, still stayed with the basic architecture, external circuit interface and access mechanism. Each new generation of DRAM had higher storage capacity and generally faster access time as they moved from 32K to 64K, 256K, 1M, 4M, 16M and 64M with 256M under development.
This async DRAM evolution was largely fueled by the availability of new generations of high speed microprocessors with large data bandwidth and addressing capabilities. These new processors offered data transfer modes where multiple memory accesses are made in a burst to speed up the storage and retrieval process. Since the async DRAMs, however, have limited burst mode capability, they created bottlenecks in the system perfomance as burst transfers became a significant portion of all the accesses to memories. The requirement to process the burst mode efficiently and development of new generation of CAD tools and design methodologies thus demanded synchronous designs and gave impetus to developing the before-mentioned synchronous or sync DRAM (SDRAM). A major departure was made when moving from async to sync DRAM.
A clock is provided in the SDRAM and all accesses are synchronous to the clock. It is optimized for burst transfer accesses and has substantially higher burst access speeds. After initial set up time, data is stored or retrieved every clock cycle for the whole burst. A typical 4M.times.4 SDRAM and its internal structure is the micron type MT48 described on pages 2-1 and 2-2 of the Micron Semiconductor data book of 1994. The access mechanism for read and write cycles of SDRAM devices is described, for example, on pages 4-525 and 4-526 of the Texas Instruments catalog entitled MOS Memory, 1993, with such SDRAM having different access mechanisms than async DRAM and requiring different external circuits to generate the control signals.
It should be noted, however, that mind-set of those skilled in this art required that both synchronous and async DRAMs should retain the notion of sequentially providing row and column accessed addresses, and with the data interface implemented separately from the address interface.
While major demands created by the growth, in the system arena were thus solved between async and SDRAMs, one problem has remained largely unsolved; namely, the growth in data bandwidth has deleteriously consumed large numbers of DRAMs occupying precious board space and demanding more power.
In the current state of the art, thus, a typical configuration employs multiple DRAMs to provide wider bandwidth and large memory arrays. This is better illustrated with an example.
Assuming a processor with a 64-bit wide data bus and system requirements of 4M.times.64 memory, the use of both SDRAM and async DRAMs, requires 16 DRAMs, assuming 4M.times.4 DRAM as a basic unit. If, on the other hand, 4M.times.16 DRAMs are used (much larger package size than 4M.times.4) then only 4 DRAMs are needed, but they still occupy substantially more space than four 4M.times.4 packages.
It is therefore obvious that in spite of major changes made while developing SDRAM, the number of components for similar configuration has stayed the same. This continues to put huge demand on the board space as the memory requirement grows. In fact, the SDRAMs have larger package sizes for comparable densities, with 16 DRAMs occupying more space than 16 async DRAMs.
Granularity is another problem or issue with the existing DRAMs. There is no easy way to get odd sizes (sizes which are not multiples of 4) such as 2M.times.64 or 6M.times.64, without using large numbers of components. As an example, if it is desired to get a 6M.times.64 memory configuration, then thirty two 4M.times.4 devices are required.
Pin-to-pin compatibility with successive generation, moreover, exists only for a very narrow range. The package size grows quickly along with the density of the DRAM; and this forces redesigns to keep up with ever-increasing system memory requirements, since higher density chips require bigger footprints.
In general, with higher numbers of components of smaller package size or smaller numbers of components with larger package size, the current state of the art of DRAM technology consistently demands increased board space higher power consumption, more manufacturing and assembly cost, lower MTBF, coarse granularity, and pin compatibility only for a very small range of DRAMs. These problems still persists in spite of two decades of work.
The startling discovery underlying the present invention, synergistically breaks through all these disadvantages and limitations enabling, for the same configuration, a reduced number of components; and, for comparable density, providing smaller package sizes with lower power consumption, lesser manufacturing and assembly costs, better MTBF, finer granularity, and greatly expanded pin compatibility for a wide range of DRAMs. The invention, indeed, provides increased capability in data bandwidth and addressing range over current DRAM devices (using the same pin count and size device) or equivalent bandwidth and addressing range with smaller DRAM devices packages, both async and SDRAM. This is accomplished with a total departure from the direction uniformly taken in this art over the past decades, employing, rather, a novel interface and associated access mechanisms and procedure. | {
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The present invention relates to a vehicle door latch device, and more particularly, to a vehicle door latch device with a double action mechanism.
German Patent DE 4,313,248 C2 discloses a double action mechanism (hereafter, referred to as a DA mechanism) provided in a door latch device for the purpose of improving the performance of crime prevention of the door latch device. The DA mechanism can be called an improved mechanism of a previously well known one-motion door opening mechanism. The conventional one-motion mechanism is approximately simultaneously capable of restoring the latch device from a locked state to an unlocked state and opening the door, when an inside open handle of the door is operated in a case where the door latch device is in the locked state.
On the contrary, the DA mechanism merely restores the latch device from the locked state to the unlocked state without opening the door, when the door-opening operation of the inside open handle is performed in the locked state. The DA mechanism opens the door in accordance with the door-opening actuation of the inside open handle only when the latch device is in the unlocked state. Accordingly, in order to open the locked door having a latch device with a DA mechanism by the inside open handle, both a first door-opening actuation of the inside open handle for restoring the latch device to the unlocked state from the locked state and a second door-opening actuation of the inside handle for releasing the latch device are necessary. Thus, the DA mechanism requires the double action of the inside open handle when opening the door, so that it can improve the performance of crime prevention of the door latch device.
In addition, in a door equipped with the latch device with the DA mechanism, an inside lock button which is provided on an inside surface of the door may be arranged such that it can be used only when switching the latch device from the unlocked state to the locked state. In other words, in some cases, the inside lock button has no function of switching the latch device from the locked state to the unlocked state. In such a case, the unlocking of the latch device is performed by the first door-opening actuation of the inside open handle. By removing the function of the unlocking operation from the inside lock button, the performance of crime prevention of the door can furthermore be improved. In order to remove the function of the unlocking operation from the inside lock button, in the prior art, the inside lock button in the locked position is hidden inside the fancy board or trim board of the door, so that the inside lock button cannot be picked by fingers.
The inside lock button in the locked position has a high performance of crime prevention against an illegal access from the outside since it is hidden in the fancy board, but the performance of crime prevention of the connecting portion between the inside lock button and the latch device provided in the inside space of the door remains as it has been in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a latch device with a DA mechanism in which the performance of crime prevention of the connecting portion between the inside lock button and the lock lever of the latch device is improved.
In order to attain this object, in the present invention, an antitheft mechanism is provided between the inside lock button and the lock lever, which does not transmit the unlocking movement of the inside lock button to the lock lever. | {
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It is paradoxical that, historically, that is to say before the 1950's, the largest elements in an electronic circuit tended to be the active elements. At that time, active elements took the form of expensive vacuum tubes. Vacuum tubes consumed copious amounts of power. Vacuum tubes operated at dangerously high voltages. Vacuum tubes generated very large amounts of heat. The cost of vacuum tubes dominated the parts cost of a product. Resistors and capacitors in those systems were relatively small. The effect of resistors and capacitors upon the size and cost of a product was almost negligible.
Today the situation is nearly exactly reversed. Semiconductor chips (integrated circuits) exist that include upward of 100 million transistors are commonplace. Transistors are the active elements in today's electronic devices that replace the vacuum tubes of pre-1950's electronics. Transistors are extremely small. Transistors consume microscopic amounts of power. Transistors operate at very low voltages. Transistors cost almost nothing. The effect of a single transistor on the design of a very large scale integration (VLSI) chip is virtually invisible. The paradox, then, is that resistors and capacitors now are relatively large when compared with the size of a single transistor.
Resistors and capacitors are very difficult to fabricate as part of integrated circuits. Even though resistors and capacitors may appear to be small to the naked eye, they occupy relatively large amounts of valuable area on an integrated circuit. This area might better be populated with transistors. For this reason, resistors and capacitors often appear in electronic circuits as discrete elements. Discrete elements are elements that stand alone on printed circuit boards outside VLSI chips.
Even so, situations do arise where it is necessary and desirable to fabricate, for example, a capacitor as part of a semiconductor integrated circuit. In these instances, every effort is made to keep the capacitor small and to squeeze it into as small an area as possible. The traditional textbook diagram of a basic capacitor shows two metal parallel plates (a first plate and a second plate). The plates are placed closely together with insulation (called dielectric material) between them. A terminal is attached to each plate. The capacitor functions by storing equal and opposite amounts of electrical charge on its opposite plates. A capacitor is characterized in part by its “capacitance.” Capacitance is a parameter that increases as the area of the plates increases and that further increases as the distance between the plates decreases. The value of the capacitance also is affected by the characteristics of the dielectric material that separates the two plates. Practical stand-alone capacitors can be fabricated, for example, from two sheets (a first sheet and a second sheet) of foil. The two sheets of foil are wrapped tightly together. An insulating layer is placed between the sheets. A terminal is attached to each sheet. The larger the area of the sheets and the thinner the insulating layer, the larger the capacitance. The picture to be grasped here is the concept that two metallic surfaces separated by insulating (dielectric) material form a capacitor.
Sometimes capacitance in a circuit is designed in on purpose and is therefore desirable. In other situations, capacitance arises incidentally. For example, any time two metallic surfaces lie close to each other, some amount of capacitance results. In integrated circuits, nearly invisible wires may run near each other for some distance. Even these tiny pairs of wires sometimes give rise to “parasitic” capacitance. Parasitic capacitance normally is considered to be undesirable. In still other situations, this effect of parasitic capacitance can be used to advantage. For example, a circuit may require a capacitor. If so, then one method for creating a capacitor comprises intentionally introducing some parasitic capacitance. Indeed, techniques for fabricating such capacitors have evolved to become quite sophisticated.
One form of capacitor fabricated in an integrated circuit by one technique is called a lateral metal-insulator-metal (LMIM) capacitor. An LMIM capacitor can be fabricated by constructing metallic fingers (like the tines of a fork) that interleave with each other to create a capacitive effect. The tines of one fork play the role of the first plate in the textbook version of a capacitor; the tines of the other fork play the role of the second plate. Some integrated circuits repeat this basic structure on several layers of the integrated circuit in order to increase the effective area of the plates of the capacitor being fabricated. Even so, only two groups of fingers are used, one group being connected together by wires or other means to form a first plate of the capacitor; the second group being connected together to form a second plate. When fabricated, the fingers of each plate resemble the bristles of a coarse hairbrush. The capacitor is formed by facing two “hairbrushes” together so that the two sets of “bristles” overlap while taking care to assure that the bristles of one hairbrush are insulated from the bristles of the other.
Although the mathematics can become complicated, design engineers are able to calculate the capacitance of these LMIM structures. By controlling the size, number of fingers, type of dielectric material and so on, a capacitor with a desired amount of capacitance can be designed quite precisely. However, while certain parasitic effects are exploited to design an LMIM capacitor, other parasitic effects act to frustrate the efforts of the circuit designer. These parasitic effects make it difficult to predict the value of capacitance that results in a given circuit design.
These other parasitic effects arise because of the proximity of an LMIM capacitor to other elements in the circuit that are not part of the LMIM capacitor itself. Thus, the capacitance of an LMIM capacitor can be influenced by factors outside the control of the LMIM capacitor designer.
The design of an integrated circuit is governed, in part, by a set of design rules to which circuit designers must adhere. One such set of rules governs the amount of metal that can appear in each layer of an integrated circuit. Integrated circuits typically are fabricated in layers with four, five, or six layers being employed in some embodiments. If a basic circuit design does not comprise sufficient metal to satisfy the design rules, then a “dummy fill” algorithm is used to add “islands” of metal in unused areas of each layer of the circuit in order to satisfy the design rules. Conversely, if a layer (such as a ground or power plane) comprises too much metal, then a “slotting” algorithm is employed to remove metal by creating slots in the existing metal, again, in order to satisfy the design rules. The slotting and dummy fill algorithms in the prior art do not take into account the structure of circuit elements near the slotting or dummy fill areas. In particular, the slotting and dummy fill algorithms insert and remove metal essentially randomly in the neighborhood of an LMIM capacitor. As a result, two identically designed LMIM capacitors placed in different regions of an integrated circuit can exhibit different performance because of the different parasitic effects present in each region. Further, the prior art gives the LMIM capacitor designer no means by which to correct this undesirable situation. | {
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The present invention relates generally to crates and more particularly to crates for carrying beverage containers, such as bottles.
Many designs for crates for carrying beverage containers are known. Some crates include a base having a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls extending upwardly from the periphery of the base. The crate may or may not have a plurality of interior columns extending upwardly from the base between the side walls and between the end walls to separate the bottles and partially define bottle receiving pockets.
For crates carrying smaller containers, e.g., approximately 16 to 24 ounce bottles, the bottles are typically arranged in a 4×6 arrangement, with four bottles arranged along each end wall. In this arrangement, the center of the handle is aligned between two of the bottles, thus providing sufficient room for the fingers of the user's hand grasping the handle. However, with slightly larger bottles, such as 1.5 liter bottles, arranged with only three bottles along each end wall, one of the bottles is aligned with the center of the handle, thus reducing the amount of space for the user's fingers. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pickup, which enables optical disks having different standards regarding the thickness of a disk substrate, a recording density and so on to be recorded/reproduced as in the cases of a conventional low density optical disk, such as CD, CD-ROM and the like, and a high density optical disk, such as a digital video disk and the like (DVD, DVD-ROM).
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to reproduce information from two kinds of optical disks different in a substrate thickness and a recording density by the same optical system, there has been known a method using a bifocal condenser lens, which is described in pp. 27 to 29, "OPTICAL REVIEW" Vol. 1, No. 1 (1994).
A conventional optical pickup using a bifocal condenser lens will be described by referring to FIGS. 16A and 16B. FIGS. 16A and 16B each illustrates the configuration of an optical pickup, which is capable of performing reproducing from both of a conventional low density optical disk and a high density optical disk by using a bifocal condenser lens, and a light path. In FIG. 16A, reproducing of a conventional low density optical disk is shown. In FIG. 16B, reproducing of a high density optical disk is shown. The configurations of the optical systems are the same in FIGS. 16A and 16B, but light paths are different. A numeral 101 denotes a semiconductor laser, which has a wavelength shorter (636 nm to 650 nm) than the wavelength (780 nm) of a semiconductor laser used for the conventional low density optical disk. A numeral 51 denotes a conventional low density optical disk, which has a substrate thickness of 1.2 mm. A numeral 52 denotes a high density optical disk, which has a substrate thickness of 0.6 mm. In practice, recording/reproducing is performed by mounting any one of these optical disks on a spindle motor (not shown) for rotating a disk. A numeral 104 denotes a transparent substrate in which a concentric circular hologram element 105 is formed around an optical axis, and this transparent substrate is fixed to the same member as a condenser lens 106 and supported so as to be moved in focusing and tracking directions integrally with the condenser lens 106 by lens driving means (not shown). During recording/reproducing of data, in order to always form a very small spot in the recording surface of the optical disk 51 or 52, control is performed in a focusing direction so as to follow the face wobbling of a disk. Also, control is performed in a tracking direction in order that a spot may always follow a data track.
The operation of the foregoing conventional optical pickup will be described. A luminous flux radiated from the semiconductor laser 101 is raised in the direction of the Optical disk 51 or 52 by a half mirror 102, and converted into a parallel luminous flux by a collimator lens 103. The flux converted into the parallel luminous flux by the collimator lens 103 is made incident on the transparent substrate 104. A part of the luminous flux made incident on the transparent substrate 104 is diffracted by the hologram element 105, and the remaining parts are made incident on the condenser lens 106 without being diffracted. The condenser lens 106 is designed to fit the high density optical disk 52 having a disk substrate thickness of 0.6 mm, and thus the luminous flux passed through the transparent substrate 104 and moved straight ahead without being diffracted by the hologram element 105 can form a very small spot on the recording surface of the high density optical disk 52 having a substrate thickness of 0.6 mm. On the other hand, the hologram element 105 is designed in order that a 1st-order diffracted luminous flux may form a very small spot on the recording surface of the conventional low density optical disk 51 having a substrate thickness of 1.2 mm when this is converged by the condenser lens 106, and thus the 1-order luminous flux diffracted by the hologram element 105 can form a very small spot on the recording surface of the conventional low density optical disk having a substrate thickness of 1.2 mm. As described above, in the conventional optical pickup using the bifocal lens, recording/reproducing of the high density optical disk having a disk substrate thickness of 0.6 mm is performed by a luminous flux (0-order diffracted light), which is not diffracted by the hologram element 105. In this case, however, since the spot of a light diffracted by the hologram element 105 is deviated from a focus by a large amount, this is blurred and spread on the recording surface, and thus little influence is given to reproducing from the high density optical disk having a disk substrate thickness of 0.6 mm. Conversely, during reproducing from the conventional low density optical disk having a disk substrate thickness of 1.2 mm, this is performed by a 1st-order diffracted light of the hologram element 105. In this case, since the spot of a non-diffracted transmitted light is also deviated from a focus by a large amount, little influence is given to reproducing. A reflected light from the recording surface of the optical disk 51 or 52 is sent to the half mirror 102 through a path reverse to an outgoing path, converged on a photodetecting element 110 by a concave lens 109 after passing through the half mirror 102, and then a reproducing signal is detected.
FIGS. 17A and 17B each illustrates the configuration of another conventional example. In this example, a hologram element 105 is directly provided on a curved surface opposite a surface which faces the optical disk of a condenser lens 106. The other parts of the configuration and the operation are the same as in the example shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B.
Problems inherent in the foregoing conventional optical pickup are as follows.
The condenser lens 106 and the transparent substrate 104 in which the hologram element 105 is formed are made integral to each other and driven by the lens driving mechanism (not shown). Because of this integral formation of the condenser lens 106 and the transparent substrate 104, a movable part becomes thick and a weight is also increased. Consequently, it is also necessary to increase the size of the lens driving mechanism, and this in turn makes it difficult to miniaturize the optical pickup and reduce its weight.
Even if such an increase in the size of the movable part does not occur, it is difficult to accurately form a hologram element on a curved surface during manufacturing of a metallic mold for the condenser lens. Also, because of the existence of the hologram element, the number of lenses which can be formed by one metallic mold is smaller than a conventionally possible number, and thus manufacturing costs are increased.
Furthermore, during reproducing from the conventional low density optical disk 51, a 1st-order diffracted light diffracted by the hologram element 105 is used. During reproducing from the high density optical disk 52, a 0-order light not diffracted by the hologram element 105 is used. In practice, however, 1st-order or higher order diffracted lights are also produced. The existence of these lights which are not used reduces light utilization efficiency, and thus it is difficult to reduce the output of the semiconductor laser. | {
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In the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), studies relating to Home Node B (for example, a base station used indoors; hereafter called “femtocell”) are being conducted (see for example, 3GPP TR 25.820).
A femtocell registers a useable terminal in advance, the registered terminal can communicate via the femtocell. By using the femtocell, a situation in which the terminal is out of the service area in indoor can be prevented, and the base station can be monopolized by a small number of the terminals so that communication capacity can also be increased. And the terminal can communicate with the femtocell using low transmission power. Moreover, the number of the terminals accessing base station for general use which is installed outdoors (hereafter called “macrocell”) is reduced, so that throughput can be improved for the terminals using such macrocell.
However, although the femtocell is useful, in order for the terminal to detect the femtocell, frequency switching, cell searching, and other processing must be performed frequently, so that power consumption is increased. Also, to the extent that the terminal performs the processing, the time during which the terminal can be used for data reception is reduced, and throughput suffers.
Further, the terminal receives the BCH (Broadcast channel) from all detected femtocells, and extracts the cell IDs of the femtocells, by performing the terminal cell search for the femtocell. However, nearly all of the numerous femtocells are dedicated for use by other terminals, in actuality. Hence, the terminal receives the BCH from femtocell to which the terminal cannot be accessed, and to this extent the terminal power consumption is increased. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic telephone answering apparatus for recording an incoming message in a tape recorder while a called party is out.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional automatic telephone answering apparatus, a response message prerecorded in an outgoing message tape is played upon reception of an incoming call to tell a calling party to record his message and thereafter record an incoming message.
A conventional automatic telephone answering apparatus of this type is proposed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 77483/1980 wherein the response message (to be referred to as an OGM (outgoing message) hereinafter) and a message (to be referred to as an ICM (incoming message) hereinafter) of a calling party are recorded in a single tape. FIG. 1 shows a format of the tape used in the above prior art.
Referring to FIG. 1, an OGM is recorded in a tape 1 from a point N.sub.0 to a point N.sub.1 for 60 seconds. An alarm portion is formed in a predetermined tape portion between the point N.sub.1 and a point N.sub.2 wherein an alarm signal is recorded. Incoming messages .circle.1 , .circle.2 , . . . , and .circle.n are sequentially recorded through the corresponding alarm portions. In the automatic telephone answering apparatus using this tape 1, a record/play head is aligned with the point N.sub.0 as the beginning of the OGM and waits for an incoming call. Upon reception of an incoming call, the apparatus is set in the play mode and the OGM is played. Then the already recorded ICMs are fast forwarded. Thereafter, the incoming call is newly recorded from a predetermined position. After the ICM is recorded, the tape 1 is rewound to the point N.sub.0 and waits for a next incoming call. It should be noted that the points N.sub.0 to N.sub.n represent addresses on the tape and are obtained by detecting the number of revolutions of the reel. The revolution number data is stored in a memory and used for controlling tape travel.
In a conventional automatic telephone answering apparatus using the tape 1 and subjected to remote control, a subscriber, i.e., a called party makes a phone call to this telephone from a remote location. The subscriber sends a remote control signal with a predetermined frequency to this telephone answering apparatus through telephone lines, thereby setting the apparatus in the play mode. All ICMs recorded while he is out can be reproduced through the telephone lines. Another conventional automatic telephone answering apparatus is known wherein the content of the OGM can be updated. Besides telling the calling party to record his message, the OGMs tell him also where the called party is staying, when he will return home, and the like. Therefore, the subscriber often wishes to update the OGM.
In the conventional automatic telephone answering apparatus capable of updating the content of the OGM with remote control operation, it is difficult to terminate a new OGM within a predetermined period of time (e.g., 60 seconds). When a new OGM is completely recorded and a remote control signal is sent to designate the end point of this OGM, the remote control signal is recorded on the tape. When another calling party makes a phone call to the apparatus, the head detects the remote control signal in the play mode of the OGM. Meanwhile, in the apparatus subjected to remote control, when the called party listens to the already recorded ICMs with a remote control operation from a remote location, the OGM is first played upon reception of the incoming call. When the remote control signal is sent while the apparatus is set in the OGM play mode, the apparatus is immediately set in the ICM play mode, so that the ICMs .circle.1 , .circle.2 , . . . , and .circle.n sequentially played and the subscriber can hear the recorded incoming calls. When the recorded remote control signal is detected in the OGM play mode upon reception of a phone call of a third party excluding the subscriber, the apparatus is erroneously set in the ICM play mode, and the third party can hear the already recorded ICMs .circle.1 to .circle.n . For this reason, the subscriber cannot send a remote control signal when a new OGM is completely recorded in the conventional automatic telephone answering apparatus. Even if an OGM is completely recorded in a time shorter than 60 seconds, the tape must be driven as a blank portion for the remaining time. When a period of 60 seconds has elapsed, the record mode can then be cancelled. Therefore, the calling party hears a meaningless voice of the old OGM or no sounds for the remaining time when listerning to an OGM. During the remaining time, the calling party must wait to no purpose.
In order to solve the above problem, an OGM updating remote control signal can be separately prepared. However, even in that case a remote control signal is recorded on the tape and the playback sound of the signal is heard by the calling party. The playback sound is essentially of no significance to the calling party, however, the calling party may mistakenly believe that the playback sound of the remote control signal is an alarm sound notifying him to record his message. The OGM updating remote control signal also complicates the circuit arrangement. | {
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The invention relates generally to coke oven batteries. Of particular interest to the invention is an arrangement for changing the heat supply to the ovens of a coke oven battery from a condition of extreme heating, that is, a condition in which large quantities of heat are supplied to the ovens, to a condition of lesser or no heating, that is, a condition in which smaller quantities of heat are supplied to the ovens or in which no heat is supplied to the ovens, as well as for changing the heat supply in the opposite sense.
An arrangement for changing the heat supply to the ovens of a coke oven battery is known and includes a control linkage which extends around the battery. This control linkage is operative for changing the flow of air and hot waste gases, as well as for regulating the supply of combustion air, via air inlet valves and waste gas throttle valves which may be in the form of butterfly valves. The arraangement includes a further control linkage which operates a three-way valve provided for the decarbonizing air.
The reason that it is desirable to be able to change the heat supply to the ovens of a coke oven battery is based on the finding that savings of up to 10 percent in heating costs may be realized when, instead of providing a constant heat supply for the ovens as has been the conventional practice, the heat supply is adjusted to the state of coking of the charge by so-called programmed heating. Such adjustment of the heat supply consists in that coking of the coal is carried out using a large heat supply at the beginning of the coking operation with the heat supply being reduced towards the end of the coking operation. The regulation of the heat supply may be effected by means of a control program which operates via fuel gas and air valves, as well as waste gas valves and throttling flaps, provided for each heating wall of the coke oven battery. This control program requires relatively large expenditures for the measuring and regulating mechanisms which are necessary.
With respect to the savings in heating costs, it is especially significant that an effective heating program need not provide particularly fine control over the heat supply during the entire duration of the coking period. The reason resides in that the thermal response of an oven system is generally quite sluggish. In fact, it has been found to be adequate when phases of extreme heating alternate with phases of no heat supply whatsoever. Here, the periods for which the heat supply is interrupted become longer as the coking operation progresses.
Although the known programmed arrangements for changing the heat supply operate reasonably satisfactorily, they possess the disadvantage mentioned earlier, namely, that they require large expenditures for the measuring and regulating mechanisms which are necessary. | {
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The present invention relates to a speech recognition method utilizing the pattern matching method.
In the speech recognition method according to the pattern matching method, the speech information is generally recognized by matching the information of a spectrum obtained from input speech with standard patterns. On the other hand, it has been attempted to positively adopt the information of speech power to improve the recognition accuracy. Recently, a satisfactory result has been reported on a speech recognition of speech patterns made by unspecified talkers (Aikawa, K, et. al.: An Isolated Word Recognition Method Using Power-Weighted Spectral Matching Measure; Transactions of the Committee on Speech Research, Acoust. Soc. Jpn., S81-59 (1981)).
A problem encountered when information of speech power is used to recognize a speech pattern is the difficulty in comparing speech power by use of the absolute values thereof. To solve this problem, it is proposed to normalize the speech power by using the maximum and minimum values of the speech power in the input speech interval, which is also utilized in the method discribed in the above-mentioned report. In this case, relevant processing cannot be initiated until the end of the speech interval because the maximum and minimum values of speech power are needed, that is, the processing cannot be started is principle at the same time when a speech pattern in inputted. This causes the output of the processed recognition results to be delayed, and furthermore, a buffer memory is necessary to store information to be outputted afterward; thus, the size and cost of the speech recognition equipment will be increased.
On the other hand, a pattern matching method according to the dynamic programming (to be abreviated as DP hereinafter) method has been proposed. Especially, a continuous DP matching method has been disclosed as a realtime matching method suitable for continuous speech. (Refer to the Japan Patent Laid-open No. 55-2205 for details.) This method has a feature that the results obtained by matching the input speech with the relevant standard pattern are continuously outputted. However, since the matching results reflect only the evaluation of the average degree of similarity between the input speech and the standard patterns, a problem that the error of recognition therebetween is increased in principle arises for input words including a similar portion. To overcome this difficulty, the inventors of the present invention have proposed a method in which each of the standard patterns is subdivided into a plurality of partial standard patterns and each of these partial standard patterns is compared independently. (See for example, Japan Patent Laid-open No. 58-58598 dated Apr. 7, 1983, only for reference). According to this method, if an input speech is matched with standard patterns and partial patterns thereof under a predetermined condition, the input speech is assumed to fall into the same category as the standard pattern. In this method, however, since each of the standard patterns is matched independently of the partial standard patterns thereof, the standard pattern memory and the load imposed on the matching block are increased. | {
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The air quality in unoccupied spaces such as homes, office buildings, and hotel rooms can become problematic if not regulated properly. In hot and humid climates such as Florida, for example, mold and mildew buildup can begin to occur within only a few days, particularly when the interior environment is within the psychrometric range above 72° F. and 60% relative humidity where mold spore growth is generally increased. In such climates, dehumidification is often required in order to maintain adequate indoor air quality (IAQ) levels within the interior space while the occupants are away for extended periods of time. During these relatively long periods of time, however, the occupants will often desire to conserve energy by setting the temperature at a higher level in order to reduce air-conditioner usage. A tradeoff thus exists between energy savings and sufficient humidity control.
The prevention of mold and mildew buildup in unoccupied spaces is typically accomplished using a thermostat, sometimes in series or parallel with a humidistat. Configuration of the humidistat to work in conjunction with the thermostat is often difficult since the user must make the correct settings on both the thermostat and humidistat before leaving. Since such configuration requires a specific change in setpoint and is rarely done (e.g., once a year), the steps needed to configure both the thermostat and humidistat are often difficult to remember. If the user sets the controllers incorrectly, the result can be either insufficient humidity control due to a lack of proper dehumidification, or an excessive energy bill resulting from the air-conditioner running more than is required. To assist in proper configuration, therefore, the installer of the HVAC system will sometimes paste a long list of instructions on the wall instructing the occupants how to properly set the fan switch, the system switch, the temperature setpoint, the humidity setpoint, as well as other settings while they are away.
In those cases where the HVAC system is not equipped with a separate dehumidifier, the air-conditioner can be used in lieu of the dehumidifier to regulate the humidity levels within the space. When operated as a dehumidifier, air flowing past the air-conditioning coils results in condensation on the coils, which removes water from the air and reduces the humidity levels within the space. Efforts to lower the inside temperature to reduce humidity levels within the space can be counterproductive, however, if the inside dewpoint temperature is greater than the room temperature within the interior space. If, for example, the inside dewpoint temperature within the space is 72° F. whereas the indoor temperature is 70° F., operation of the air conditioning unit may actually cause greater moisture to buildup within the space, increasing mold and mildew growth and decreasing the indoor air quality. This may occur, for example, when the temperature sensed at the thermostat is higher than that at other locations within the interior space such as the outlet ducts to the HVAC system, causing moisture to buildup on the walls adjacent to the ducts. In addition, if the cooling provided by the air conditioner exceeds the rate of dehumidification as is common in many oversized air conditioner systems, the rapid drop in temperature may cause the system to reach the dewpoint temperature before fully satisfying the humidity requirement. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lithography scanners, specifically correcting pupil asymmetry in the illumination beams of lithography scanners.
2. Background Art
Conventional lithography scanners include, among other things, an illumination system that produces a uniform intensity distribution of illumination, which is produced from a received laser beam. It is desirable that the resulting scan-integrated illumination beam profile be as uniform as possible and that any uniformity errors be kept as small as possible. This is because illumination uniformity influences the ability of a lithography scanner to produce uniform line widths across an entire exposure field. Illumination uniformity errors can significantly impact the quality of devices produced by the lithography system.
One example of a popular conventional lithography system is a step and scan system (sometimes referred to as a scanner). A step and scan system creates an illuminated slot narrower than one exposure field. The system then scans the reticle and wafer synchronously by the slot to expose each field on the wafer. This process is repeated. Because of the nature of the system's operation, radiation energy in the scan direction is integrated, and as a result dose on the photo-active coating on the substrate can be non-uniform. Non-uniformity in the dose causes printing errors and degraded device performance.
Some lithography systems use uniformity correction systems to make the scan-integrated intensity profile uniform. Some of these uniformity correction systems achieve this effect by inserting attenuating or opaque (collectively referred to herein as attenuating) elements into the illumination edge beam at or near a focal plane, located between a pupil and a focus plane. Asymmetrically inserting attenuating elements (opposed attenuating elements inserted non-equal distances) near a focal plane asymmetrically apodizes the illumination pupil, and vignettes the illumination pupil. Varying the asymmetric insertion along the non-scanning direction causes a variation in pupil asymmetry.
Modern lithography scanners typically use intensity measurements and sophisticated algorithms to determine the correct position for the uniformity correction attenuating elements. The attenuating elements are positioned with consideration of illumination uniformity, total scan-integrated intensity, and symmetric insertion (in an attempt to minimize the pupil asymmetry induced by the uniformity correction system). Lithography scanners typically include integrated optical metrology components capable of measuring the light distribution about the illumination pupil, from which pupil asymmetry may be computed. Future scanners may be used for double exposure techniques that create the need for extremely tight overlay specifications because overlay error can cause critical dimension non-uniformity, leading to poor performance and low yield in the manufactured semiconductor devices. Pupil asymmetry may cause a focus-coupled image translation which, combined with typical focus errors, may make the new tight overlay specifications impossible to achieve.
Lithography scanners often use illumination systems that have asymmetric illumination pupils and scan-integrated pupil asymmetry that varies in the non-scanning direction. Normal use of the uniformity correction system (attenuating elements inserted to flatten uniformity) causes further non-zero scan-integrated pupil asymmetry that varies in the non-scanning direction. A uniformity correction system that is misaligned with respect to the illumination beam will tend to insert attenuating elements asymmetrically.
Since the existing attenuating element positioning algorithms consider intensity measurements only and not pupilgrams, the algorithms are forced to assume the illumination pupil fill inherent to the illumination beam is symmetric. The uniformity correction system is only a source of pupil asymmetry, and not an actuator for pupil asymmetry compensation.
Any of the above sources of pupil asymmetry may make tight overlay specifications impossible to achieve. What is needed is a system and method for reducing the scan-integrated pupil asymmetry. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a method for defining a uniform injection molding interface and an injection molding system using the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Injection molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts from both thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials, in which material is fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and injected into a mold cavity where it cools and hardens to the configuration of the mold cavity. Recently, injection molding has been widely used to manufacture various parts, from the smallest components to entire body panels of cars. Since the injection molding process is relatively complex, it is necessary to set a large number of control parameters, such as mold clamping force, injection speed, injection pressure, pressure holding temperature, and so on.
An injection machine generally provides an original interface to configure various control parameters and convey the control parameters received from input devices, such as mice, keyboards and touch panels, to a controller system positioned in the injection molding machine. The original interface is pre-defined at the factory where the injection molding machine is manufactured and configured with icons, characters, buttons, and dialog boxes therein associated with corresponding control parameters.
However, the features of the original interfaces of multiple injection molding machines are specific to the machine's manufacturer, such that familiarity with one original interface is non-transferable when operating another type of machine, which increases training costs and aggravates the burden on manpower. In addition, the original interface is generally configured with a large number of critical control parameters associated with the process, whereby operations can be severely impaired while learning the control parameters.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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