Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A method for transmitting an adaptive multi-channel packet in power line communication system comprising the steps of:
(a) transmitting a packet from a first node to a second node with a predetermined transmission speed through a power line by using a multi-channel in communication from the first node and the second node;
(b) checking an error of the packet transmitted from the step (a) in the second node, thereafter loading the check result to the packet and transmitting it to the first node through the power line by using a multi-channel;
(c) checking the result of the packet transmitted from the step (b) in the first node, and storing the check result as a database;
(d) transmitting the packet to the second node with any one among the current, downgraded or upgraded transmission speeds through the power line according to the packet transmission successfailure information stored as the database in the step (c); and
(e) transmitting the packet with a stable transmission speed according to the multi-channel by performing repeatedly the steps (b) to (d).
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet in the step (a) is a normal packet for transmitting system data and the packet in the step (b) is a control packet for transmitting packet error generationnon-generation information and its own address information.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step (b), the error check of the packet transmitted from the first node through the power line with a predetermined transmission speed is performed by using a CRC(Cyclic Redundancy Check) method.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) further comprises the steps of:
(b1) checking the packet error by receiving the packet transmitted from the step (a) through the power line and thereafter when an error is generated in the packet as a result of the check, loading the packet error generation information and its own address information to the packet and transmitting it through the power line; and
(b2) When an error is not generated in the packet as a result of the check in the step (b1), loading the packet error non-generation information and its own address information to the packet and transmitting it through the power line.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step (c), the information is stored as a database in a media access controller (MAC) address.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the database in the step (c) is periodically upgraded and a period is manually controlled according to a using environment.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (d) further comprises the steps of:
(d1) comparing the number of times of retransmission with a predetermined first reference value when the packet transmission fails according to the packet transmission successfailure information stored as a database in the step (c), retransmitting the packet to the second node through the power line with a predetermined transmission speed when the number of times of retransmission is smaller than the predetermined first reference value as the comparison result, and finishing the packet transmission when the number of times of retransmission is greater than the predetermined first reference value;
(d2) comparing the number of times of transmission with a predetermined second reference value when the packet transmission is successfully performed according to the packet transmission successfailure information stored as a database in the step (c) and transmitting the packet to the second node through the power line in the current transmission speed at the next time when the number of times of transmission is smaller than the predetermined second reference value;
(d3) comparing a transmission failure count value with a predetermined third reference value in the case that the number of times of transmission is greater than the predetermined second reference value as the comparison result of the step (d2) and thereafter transmitting the packet to the second node through the power line in a transmission speed downgraded by one step at the next time when the transmission failure count value is greater than the predetermined third reference value;
(d4) comparing a transmission success count value with a predetermined fourth reference value when the transmission failure count value is smaller than the predetermined third reference value as the comparison result of the step (d3) and thereafter transmitting the packet to the second node through the power line in a transmission speed upgraded by one step at the next time when the transmission success count value is greater than the predetermined fourth reference value; and
(d5) transmitting the packet to the second node through the power line in the current transmission speed at the next time in the case that the transmission success count value is smaller than the predetermined fourth reference value as the comparison result of the step (d4).

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1) Apparatus for the fast angular orientation of a surgical instrument with respect to an implantation seat of a prosthesis in a patient’s bone, of the type comprising a moving sensor (16), which can be associated with said surgical instrument, and a fixed sensor (17), which can be integrally fastened to said bone during a surgical operation, said moving sensor (16) and said fixed sensor (17) being provided with position detection means and with signalling means of the detected position to a central memory and processing unit characterised in that said central memory and processing unit comprises calibration means which detect the position of said moving sensor (16) when it is arranged in a fixed position with respect to a line passing through two known points of said bone and, simultaneously, detect the position of said fixed sensor (17) integrally fastened to said bone, and which record such a position as the initial work position.
2) Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said central memory and processing unit is associated with said moving sensor (16).
3) Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, furthermore comprising a clamp-like device (18) provided with coupling means (33, 34) for steadily and reversibly coupling with said moving sensor (16) and with jaw-like means (35, 36) for locking into position said surgical instrument.
4) Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said central memory and processing unit comprises indicators of the moving sensor (16) angular positioning and of a target angular positioning, said indicators being provided on a surface of the moving sensor (16) facing the surgeon who grips the surgical instrument, when said moving sensor (16) and said surgical instrument are steadily associated through said clamp (18).
5) Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said indicators are light type indicators, the indicators of the moving sensor (16) angular positioning consisting of four arrow-shaped LEDs (39) arranged according to the four cardinal directions, the activation of which indicates the direction(s) where the surgeon must incline the instrument to get closer to the target angular positioning, and the indicator of the target angular positioning consisting of a LED (40) which is activated when the surgical instrument is correctly aligned according to the target angular positioning.
6) Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, furthermore comprising a compasses-like device (15) provided with coupling means (30, 31) for steadily and reversibly coupling with said moving sensor (16) and with spreadable arms (32) the free ends of which are rested onto said two known points of said bone for thereby arranging into a fixed position the moving sensor (16) with respect to a line passing through said points.
7) Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said coupling means (30, 31; 33, 34) consist of tanghole couplings with a univocal coupling position.
8) Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said central memory and processing unit comprises initial calibration means which detect the position of said mobile sensor (16) and of said fixed sensor (17) when they are arranged, in a pre-set orientation, on a same reference plane outside the patient and such a position is recorded as the initial reference position thereof.
9) Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fixed sensor (17) is integrally fastened onto said bone during a surgical operation through a surgical pin.
10) Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said fixed sensor (17) comprises a box (26) in which independent means for the detection of its own position and means for signalling such detected position to said central memory and processing unit are contained.
11) Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said fixed sensor (17) comprises a support (26a) provided with multiple reflecting blocks (29a, 29b, 29c, 29d), and said central memory and processing unit furthermore comprises a source of a light radiation (42), a camera (41) apt to capture the images of said reflecting blocks (29a, 29b, 29c, 29d) and a processing programme for analysing said images and providing a remote detection of the exact position of said fixed sensor (17).
12) Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bone is the pelvis bone of a human being.
13) Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said two known points of the pelvis bone are the iliac crests (8, 9).
14) Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said coupling means (30, 31; 33, 34) consist of tanghole couplings with a univocal coupling position.

1. A circulation system for a body of water, said system including a flotation platform extending about a substantially vertical first axis, a dish, an impeller, and a drive motor operably connected to the impeller, said system further including at least one solar panel for supplying power to the drive motor, said solar panel being mounted to said floatation platform for pivotal movement relative thereto about a substantially vertical second axis spaced from the first vertical axis of said flotation platform between at least first and second positions.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said solar panel has first and second side portions and said second axis is adjacent one side portion thereof.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the other side portion of said solar panel is spaced farther from the first axis of said flotation platform in said second position than in said first position.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein said solar panel extends above and substantially over said dish in said first position.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein the other side portion of said solar panel is spaced farther from the first axis of said flotation platform in said second position than in said first position and extends horizontally outwardly in said second position beyond the dish.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said solar panel is selectively lockable in said first position.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein said solar panel is mounted for movement relative to a third axis (152) substantially perpendicular to said second axis (141).
8. The system of claim 7 wherein said solar panel has a substantially planar face (136) and movement of said solar panel about said third axis (152) adjusts the angle (A) of the planar face to a horizontal plane (H).
9. The system of claim 1 further including at least a second panel spaced from said one panel about said first axis of said flotation platform.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein said one solar panel faces toward the first axis of said flotation platform in said first position.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein said second solar panel faces away from the first axis of said flotation platform.
12. The system of claim 11 further including at least a third solar panel facing away from the first axis of said flotation platform, said three solar panels being at least part of a plurality of solar panels substantially evenly spaced from each other about said first axis.
13. A circulation system for a body of water, said system including a flotation platform extending about a substantially vertical first axis (13), a dish, an impeller, and a drive motor operably connected to the impeller, said system further including at least one solar panel for supplying power to the drive motor, said solar panel having a main body with a substantially planar face (136) and a support arrangement for mounting the main body of said solar panel to said flotation platform for movement relative to a second axis (152) spaced from and substantially perpendicular to said first axis (13) of said flotation platform to adjust the angle (A) of the planar face to a horizontal plane (H),
the main body of said solar panel having side portions (140\u2032,142\u2032) and said support arrangement including members (158) respectively adjacent the side portions of the main body of said solar panel, said support arrangement for the main body of the solar panel further including first and second slotted tracks (155,157) in at least one of said members (158) extending away from each other at an obtuse angle (B), the main body of said solar panel having at least two pins (159) on at least one side portion thereof, said pins being respectively received in said first and second slotted tracks wherein movement of the main body of said solar panel relative to said support arrangement moves said pins along said slotted tracks to adjust the angle of the planar face of said solar panel relative to said horizontal plane.
14-17. (canceled)
18. A method for remotely monitoring operation of a circulation system for a body of water, said method including the steps of:
(a) providing system components including a flotation platform, a dish, an impeller, and a drive motor connected to said impeller to rotate said impeller about an axis,
(b) monitoring at least one operational characteristic of the components of step (a), and
(c) electronically transmitting at least said one monitored operational characteristic to a location remote from the components of step (a).
19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of controlling at least one operational characteristic of at least one of the components of step (a) from a location remote from the components of step (a).
20. The method of claim 19 further including the limitation of remotely controlling said one operational characteristic by an electronic transmission.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein said one operational characteristic is the rotational direction of the impeller about an axis.
22. The method of claim 20 wherein said system further includes at least one solar panel with a substantially planar face adjustably positionable at an angle to a substantially horizontal plane and said one operational characteristic is the angle of said planar face to the horizontal plane.
23. A method for operating a circulation system for a body of water to aid in reducing surface plant growth, said method including the steps of:
(a) providing a flotation platform, a dish, and an impeller, and
(b) operating the impeller for an extended period of time of at least about a day to draw water and plant growth adjacent the surface of the body of water downwardly through the impeller into the depths of the body of water and outwardly of the flotation platform.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A routing analysis method for performing a routing analysis on an integrated circuit from a netlist, which is information on a plurality of cells constituting said integrated circuit and routes connecting said plurality of cells, comprising the steps of:
(a) obtaining a sum of areas of said plurality of cells, a number of said plurality of cells or a number of said routes connecting said plurality of cells from said netlist, to be defined as a first constant, and calculating a layout area which is an area of a layout region, by dividing said first constant by a predetermined second constant;
(b) calculating a total route length by multiplying a predetermined perimeter length of said layout region having said layout area obtained in said step (a) by a predetermined coefficient; and
(c) calculating a routing difficulty index by dividing said total route length by said layout area.
2. The routing analysis method for an integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein
said predetermined coefficient is obtained by dividing said total route length, which is measured by roughly arranging said plurality of cells in said layout region having a predetermined half perimeter length, by said predetermined half perimeter length.
3. The routing analysis method for an integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein
said predetermined second constant is a numerical value indicating a ratio of an area of cells which are allowed to be arranged in said layout region to a unit area.
4. A routing analysis method for performing a routing analysis on an integrated circuit from a netlist, which is information on a plurality of cells constituting said integrated circuit and routes connecting said plurality of cells, comprising the steps of:
(a) obtaining a sum of areas of said plurality of cells, a number of said plurality of cells or a number of said routes connecting said plurality of cells from said netlist, to be defined as a first constant, and calculating a layout area which is an area of a layout region, by dividing said first constant by a predetermined second constant;
(b) calculating a route length of each net by multiplying a half perimeter length of said layout region by a predetermined coefficient of said each net and then obtaining a total route length by integrating said route length of said each net; and
(c) calculating a routing difficulty index by dividing said total route length by said layout area.
5. The routing analysis method for an integrated circuit according to claim 4, wherein
said predetermined coefficient is obtained by dividing said route length of said net, which is measured by roughly arranging said plurality of cells in said layout region having a predetermined half perimeter length, by said predetermined half perimeter length.
6. The routing analysis method for an integrated circuit according to claim 4, wherein
said predetermined second constant is a numerical value indicating a ratio of an area of cells which are allowed to be arranged in said layout region to a unit area.