34949144, -3668686430, -4402423716?
-733737286*z
What is the j'th term of 20130, 20132, 20122, 20094, 20042?
-j**3 + 9*j + 20122
What is the s'th term of 239, 2095, 7261, 17435, 34315, 59599, 94985, 142171?
283*s**3 - 43*s**2 + 4*s - 5
What is the g'th term of 185, 1149, 3701, 8627, 16713, 28745?
131*g**3 + 8*g**2 + 23*g + 23
What is the u'th term of -252, -612, -1008, -1446, -1932, -2472, -3072, -3738?
-u**3 - 12*u**2 - 317*u + 78
What is the d'th term of 119332, 120590, 121848, 123106?
1258*d + 118074
What is the b'th term of -9117307, -36469221, -82055743, -145876873?
-9117304*b**2 - 2*b - 1
What is the u'th term of -1747165, -3494207, -5241249, -6988291, -8735333?
-1747042*u - 123
What is the j'th term of 172, 1680, 4554, 8812, 14472, 21552, 30070?
3*j**3 + 665*j**2 - 508*j + 12
What is the i'th term of -58613, -58572, -58537, -58508, -58485?
-3*i**2 + 50*i - 58660
What is the o'th term of 2486, 6295, 10106, 13913, 17710, 21491, 25250?
-o**3 + 7*o**2 + 3795*o - 1315
What is the j'th term of 423505, 423495, 423491, 423505, 423549, 423635, 423775, 423981?
2*j**3 - 9*j**2 + 3*j + 423509
What is the g'th term of -39815, -79694, -119623, -159596, -199607?
g**3 - 31*g**2 - 39793*g + 8
What is the t'th term of -188976, -755102, -1698646, -3019608?
-188709*t**2 + t - 268
What is the o'th term of 56195, 226755, 511677, 910955, 1424583, 2052555, 2794865?
-o**3 + 57187*o**2 - 994*o + 3
What is the y'th term of 83, 1539, 5765, 14141, 28047?
230*y**3 + 5*y**2 - 169*y + 17
What is the l'th term of 7058, 29065, 65740, 117083?
7334*l**2 + 5*l - 281
What is the b'th term of 9876451, 9876450, 9876449, 9876448, 9876447, 9876446?
-b + 9876452
What is the k'th term of 1805241, 1805120, 1804999?
-121*k + 1805362
What is the w'th term of -6525, -13043, -19539, -26013, -32465, -38895, -45303?
11*w**2 - 6551*w + 15
What is the b'th term of 40122, 80345, 120564, 160779?
-2*b**2 + 40229*b - 105
What is the x'th term of -426568, -426556, -426536, -426508, -426472, -426428, -426376?
4*x**2 - 426572
What is the v'th term of -42077, -168281, -378611, -673061, -1051625?
v**3 - 42069*v**2 - 4*v - 5
What is the r'th term of 5181, 4504, 3827?
-677*r + 5858
What is the m'th term of 75, 264, 475, 696, 915?
-2*m**3 + 23*m**2 + 134*m - 80
What is the g'th term of 4067333, 4067338, 4067343, 4067348?
5*g + 4067328
What is the d'th term of -9720739, -9720745, -9720751, -9720757?
-6*d - 9720733
What is the a'th term of -7049, -14140, -21273, -28448?
-21*a**2 - 7028*a
What is the d'th term of 6888, 13823, 20772, 27741, 34736, 41763, 48828?
d**3 + d**2 + 6925*d - 39
What is the q'th term of 8818, 70544, 238100, 564400, 1102358, 1904888, 3024904, 4515320?
8819*q**3 + q**2 - 10*q + 8
What is the b'th term of 155318, 155309, 155300, 155291?
-9*b + 155327
What is the t'th term of 171064, 1368872, 4620194, 10951786, 21390404?
171126*t**3 + t**2 - 77*t + 14
What is the d'th term of 426345, 426371, 426393, 426411, 426425, 426435?
-2*d**2 + 32*d + 426315
What is the f'th term of 44178774, 88357548, 132536322?
44178774*f
What is the f'th term of -3485376, -3485389, -3485404, -3485421, -3485440, -3485461, -3485484?
-f**2 - 10*f - 3485365
What is the y'th term of -3279, -26237, -88521, -209787, -409691, -707889, -1124037?
-3276*y**3 - 7*y**2 - 5*y + 9
What is the h'th term of -503566, -2014317, -4532242, -8057347, -12589638?
-h**3 - 503581*h**2 - h + 17
What is the f'th term of -16134189, -16134190, -16134191?
-f - 16134188
What is the o'th term of -9402, -10221, -11050, -11895, -12762, -13657, -14586, -15555?
-o**3 + o**2 - 815*o - 8587
What is the t'th term of -517, -3892, -9517, -17392, -27517, -39892, -54517?
-1125*t**2 + 608
What is the n'th term of 168472383, 168472376, 168472369, 168472362, 168472355, 168472348?
-7*n + 168472390
What is the b'th term of 8263226, 8263218, 8263202, 8263172, 8263122, 8263046, 8262938?
-b**3 + 2*b**2 - 7*b + 8263232
What is the p'th term of -197442, -197798, -198154?
-356*p - 197086
What is the b'th term of 47148, 188357, 423704, 753189, 1176812?
47069*b**2 + 2*b + 77
What is the r'th term of 29058, 57792, 86202, 114288, 142050, 169488?
-162*r**2 + 29220*r
What is the n'th term of 215771, 215008, 214245?
-763*n + 216534
What is the w'th term of -10502, -21182, -31862, -42542, -53222, -63902?
-10680*w + 178
What is the v'th term of -313284631, -313284633, -313284635?
-2*v - 313284629
What is the h'th term of 51392, 102560, 153728, 204896, 256064?
51168*h + 224
What is the u'th term of 17670, 14964, 12258, 9552?
-2706*u + 20376
What is the x'th term of 6176, 5490, 4834, 4208, 3612, 3046?
15*x**2 - 731*x + 6892
What is the z'th term of -36575, -36530, -36427, -36248, -35975, -35590, -35075, -34412?
3*z**3 + 11*z**2 - 9*z - 36580
What is the z'th term of 78330, 155142, 231954, 308766?
76812*z + 1518
What is the c'th term of 154711, 309437, 464165, 618895?
c**2 + 154723*c - 13
What is the k'th term of 253248, 506757, 760818, 1015707, 1271700, 1529073, 1788102?
46*k**3 + 253187*k + 15
What is the u'th term of -513, -998, -1467, -1914, -2333, -2718?
u**3 + 2*u**2 - 498*u - 18
What is the s'th term of -10068, -37444, -82130, -144126, -223432, -320048, -433974?
-8655*s**2 - 1411*s - 2
What is the y'th term of 75035183, 75035181, 75035179, 75035177, 75035175?
-2*y + 75035185
What is the l'th term of -622043, -1244078, -1866113, -2488148?
-622035*l - 8
What is the d'th term of 7580, 28845, 64288, 113909?
7089*d**2 - 2*d + 493
What is the v'th term of 1028838, 4115368, 9259586, 16461492, 25721086, 37038368, 50413338?
1028844*v**2 - 2*v - 4
What is the w'th term of 157389, 314496, 471605, 628716, 785829, 942944, 1100061?
w**2 + 157104*w + 284
What is the z'th term of 96204, 384941, 866206, 1539999, 2406320, 3465169?
96264*z**2 - 55*z - 5
What is the n'th term of -712, -5995, -14802, -27133, -42988, -62367?
-1762*n**2 + 3*n + 1047
What is the s'th term of 22087484, 22087481, 22087490, 22087517, 22087568, 22087649?
s**3 - 10*s + 22087493
What is the n'th term of -206007, -412000, -617973, -823914, -1029811, -1235652, -1441425?
2*n**3 - 2*n**2 - 206001*n - 6
What is the r'th term of 259763, 261314, 262865?
1551*r + 258212
What is the n'th term of 163305, 326628, 489975, 653346?
12*n**2 + 163287*n + 6
What is the v'th term of -105724871, -105724870, -105724869?
v - 105724872
What is the o'th term of -97, -622, -2119, -5074, -9973?
-81*o**3 + 42*o - 58
What is the d'th term of 156274028, 156274032, 156274036, 156274040, 156274044, 156274048?
4*d + 156274024
What is the k'th term of 20613, 41751, 63417, 85611, 108333, 131583?
264*k**2 + 20346*k + 3
What is the c'th term of 256895, 257627, 258359, 259091, 259823?
732*c + 256163
What is the t'th term of 51988741, 207954964, 467898669, 831819856?
51988741*t**2
What is the v'th term of -19534, -39208, -58882, -78556?
-19674*v + 140
What is the k'th term of -1096, -1055, -1220, -1693, -2576?
-17*k**3 - k**2 + 163*k - 1241
What is the t'th term of -70387, -140822, -211307, -281842, -352427, -423062, -493747?
-25*t**2 - 70360*t - 2
What is the p'th term of 46314, 83806, 121298?
37492*p + 8822
What is the y'th term of 1451, 2314, 3177, 4040, 4903, 5766?
863*y + 588
What is the l'th term of -2913, -6151, -9383, -12603, -15805, -18983, -22131?
l**3 - 3*l**2 - 3236*l + 325
What is the g'th term of -45440, -91069, -136760, -182543, -228448, -274505, -320744?
-5*g**3 - g**2 - 45591*g + 157
What is the b'th term of 32871, 131440, 295709, 525678, 821347, 1182716?
32850*b**2 + 19*b + 2
What is the m'th term of -970390, -1941387, -2912384, -3883381?
-970997*m + 607
What is the z'th term of 3030209, 3030220, 3030231, 3030242, 3030253?
11*z + 3030198
What is the h'th term of 130946, 130897, 130814, 130697, 130546?
-17*h**2 + 2*h + 130961
What is the i'th term of -4982, -18380, -40714, -71984, -112190, -161332, -219410?
-4468*i**2 + 6*i - 520
What is the y'th term of -20703, -84528, -191469, -341526, -534699?
-21558*y**2 + 849*y + 6
What is the y'th term of -9874, -78117, -263348, -624061, -1218750?
-9749*y**3 - 125
What is the t'th term of 1614, 1715, 1920, 2229?
52*t**2 - 55*t + 1617
What is the x'th term of -4201, -8438, -12703, -16996, -21317, -25666?
-14*x**2 - 4195*x + 8
What is the r'th term of 60798, 60774, 60748, 60720, 60690, 60658


//! \file       ImageRMT.cs
//! \date       2017 Dec 11
//! \brief      Ai5 engine compressed image format.
//
// Copyright (C) 2017 by morkt
//
// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
// of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to
// deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the
// rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or
// sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
// furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
//
// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
// all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
//
// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
// AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
// LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
// FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS
// IN THE SOFTWARE.
//

using System.ComponentModel.Composition;
using System.IO;
using System.Windows.Media;
using GameRes.Compression;

namespace GameRes.Formats.Elf
{
    [Export(typeof(ImageFormat))]
    public class RmtFormat : ImageFormat
    {
        public override string         Tag { get { return "RMT"; } }
        public override string Description { get { return "Ai5 engine compressed image format"; } }
        public override uint     Signature { get { return 0x20544D52; } } // 'RMT '

        public override ImageMetaData ReadMetaData (IBinaryStream file)
        {
            var header = file.ReadHeader (0x14);
            return new ImageMetaData {
                OffsetX = header.ToInt32 (4),
                OffsetY = header.ToInt32 (8),
                Width   = header.ToUInt32 (0xC),
                Height  = header.ToUInt32 (0x10),
                BPP     = 32,
            };
        }

        public override ImageData Read (IBinaryStream file, ImageMetaData info)
        {
            int stride = (int)info.Width * 4;
            var pixels = new byte[stride * (int)info.Height];
            file.Position = 0x14;
            using (var input = new LzssStream (file.AsStream, LzssMode.Decompress, true))
                input.Read (pixels, 0, pixels.Length);
            for (int i = 4; i < stride; i += 4)
            {
                pixels[i  ] += pixels[i-4];
                pixels[i+1] += pixels[i-3];
                pixels[i+2] += pixels[i-2];
                pixels[i+3] += pixels[i-1];
            }
            for (int i = stride; i < pixels.Length; i += 4)
            {
                pixels[i  ] += pixels[i-stride];
                pixels[i+1] += pixels[i-stride+1];
                pixels[i+2] += pixels[i-stride+2];
                pixels[i+3] += pixels[i-stride+3];
            }
            return ImageData.CreateFlipped (info, PixelFormats.Bgra32, null, pixels, stride);
        }

        public override void Write (Stream file, ImageData image)
        {
            throw new System.NotImplementedException ("RmtFormat.Write not implemented");
        }
    }
}


The present invention is related generally to solar power, employing photovoltaic cells, and, more particularly, to novel concentrating photovoltaic modules that achieve extremely high efficiencies.
State-of-the-art single junction solar arrays as well as concentrators using single junction solar cells utilize only a limited portion of the available solar spectrum, thereby wasting the remainder of available energy outside of their limited spectral response. The limitation is caused mainly by two basic xe2x80x9cphoton lossxe2x80x9d mechanisms within the cells, namely, (1) loss by longer wavelengths and (2) loss by excess energy of photons. In the former case, photons with energy smaller than the xe2x80x9cenergy bandgapxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cforbidden gapxe2x80x9d Eg (direct bandgap semiconductor) or Egxe2x88x92Ephonon (indirect bandgap semiconductors where Ephonon is the phonon quantum of energy) cannot contribute to the creation of electron-hole pairs. In the latter case, in the spectrum range of interest, one photon generates only one electron-hole pair. The rest of the energy larger than the bandgap is dissipated as heat. Photons with energy hv greater than Eg thus can only use a portion of Eg of their energy for generation of electron-hole pairs. The excess energy raises the temperature of the solar cell and degrades its performance. Thus, even high quality cells with excellent quantum efficiencies, such as GaAs, exhibit relatively modest conversion efficiencies since they cannot respond to more than a relatively small portion of the incident spectrum.
One way of circumventing this limitation is the use of two or more different bandgap cells that are stacked, or monolithically grown, in a vertical manner. Such a multi-junction (MJ) system with appropriately chosen bandgaps can span a significantly greater portion of the incident solar spectrum than achievable with single-junction cell systems. Such multi-junction solar cells are well-known. For example, three-junction cells have been devised that can control a relatively larger portion of the solar spectrum, and are further described below. Because of their potential for very high efficiencies, MJ cells have enjoyed increased interest over the last two decades.
At a recent NCPV (National Center for Photovoltaics) meeting in Denver, Colo. on Apr. 16-19, 2000, it was reported that triple-junction GaInP2/GaAs/Ge concentrator cells developed by NREL (National Research Energy Laboratory) and Spectrolab have achieved 32.3% at 47 suns and 29% at 300 suns (AM1.5, 25C), with an obvious drop of 3.3% (absolute) or 10.2% (relative), indicating one of the many limitations of MJ concentrator systems at higher concentrations. It should be kept in mind that the above-mentioned encouraging achievement with a pulsed solar simulator does not represent a real life situation. Under actual operating conditions, the MJ concentrator system performance can drop more than 12 to 15% (absolute) against the bare cell performance and defeat the use of high efficiency MJ cells. Some of the major concentration-related performance losses in MJ cells are caused by the following shortcomings: absorption of light in the top cells, chromatic aberrations caused by the concentrator optics, flux non-uniformity on the cells, limited heat removal from the top cells, current limitation in the cells, series resistance, shadowing losses due to finger contacts on the cells, and limited acceptance angle for photon incidence on the cells. Most of these limiting factors apply to all conventional concentrator types based on a variety of cells. MJ cells, however, are more vulnerable to most of these performance-limiting factors.
The relative deterioration of MJ cells becomes worse as the number of junctions increases. Several authors in the field have predicted that for vertically stacked or monolithically-grown systems, limited improvements are expected beyond triple-junction cells. A recent press release by Boeing (Spectrolab) on Aug. 15, 2001, confirmed that a triple junction cell developed by Spectrolab and NREL has reached a conversion efficiency of 34% (a world record at that time) at 400xc3x97. That appears to be very much the limit of three-junction cells. Four-junction cells are predicted to be able to reach upper 30% and lower 40% efficiencies. Theoretical studies have shown that to achieve this kind of efficiency level, a four-junction cell system requires a 1 eV bandgap III-V cell that meets all requirements including: optical, thermal, and electronic issues involved. In spite of extensive efforts, this material remains elusive.
Another shortcoming of the monolithic MJ cells lies in the limitation of complementary bandgap cell materials with matching lattices. In vertically-grown MJ cells, all the adjacent xe2x80x9csub-cellsxe2x80x9d must have matching or slightly mis-matching lattices for proper performance. Thus, even the best bandgap matched sub-cell cannot result in a multi-junction cell if their lattices mis-match. This requirement narrows down significantly the available set of sub-cells that could be used.
These apparent limitations represent a formidable bottleneck in the development of high and very high efficiency (and therefore cost-competitive) concentrator systems in the near future. According to analytical studies, ideal four bandgap cell systems utilizing a new 1 eV material can improve the solar to electricity conversion efficiency over 48% at 500 suns. Even at a cost of $250/Watt for such a system, the effective cell system cost for a 500xc3x97 flux concentrator can be as low as $0.50/Watt. At this cost level, the concentrators would be ahead of the long range goals of the Department of Energy for PV flat plate technology (installed system cost of $1.00/Watt to $1.50/Watt by the year 2030), if the balance of concentrator system could be built for $0.50/m2 to $1.00/m2. Thus, very high cell and system efficiencies are paramount to achieve the long term cost goals for photovoltaics in general.
In the late 1990s, NASA and JPL scientists proposed an alternative technique, called xe2x80x9cRainbowxe2x80x9d, to circumvent the problems of vertical MJ systems and improve the performance of multi bandgap cell systems. Their method is to split the solar spectrum into several frequency bands and focus each frequency band onto separate cells with corresponding energy bandgaps. The Rainbow multi-bandgap system represents a combination of solar cells, concentrators, and beam splitters. The use of separate discrete cells offers the widest possible scope of semiconductor choices. Based on data for xe2x80x9crealxe2x80x9d cells and optical components, Rainbow was expected in 1997 to convert over 40% of incident solar energy to electricity at the system level.
To the knowledge of the present inventor, this concept has never come to a closure, presumably due to extreme difficulties encountered with the associated optics. In addition, this space system would only have a concentration ratio of a maximum of 20xc3x97, i.e., much lower than the 500xc3x97 or more to reduce the effective cell cost dramatically. A thorough literature search has shown that in the past, the very promising method of spectral splitting and simultaneous use of discrete solar cells with different bandgaps has never reached its potential capacity and the technology was never exploited fully. The invention disclosed herein represents a straight-forward approach to achieve break-through performance levels and with it to rapidly lower the cost of solar energy to competitive levels.
In accordance with the present invention, a photovoltaic cavity converter (PVCC) module is provided which can operate at a concentration range of about 500 to 1,000 suns and a power output range of a few kiloWatts to 50 kiloWatts when combined with a primary dish concentrator and a secondary concentrator. The disclosed PVCC module is an enabling technology to reach very high solar-to-electricity conversion efficiencies. Connecting a plurality of such modules together in a power plant permits obtaining a power generating capacity on the order of several hundred megawatts.
The PVCC module comprises:
(a) a housing having a cavity of any optimized closed shape inside the housing, the cavity having an internal surface area As and including an opening for admitting pre-focused solar radiation into the cavity, the opening having an entrance aperture area Ai, where Ai is smaller than As;
(b) a plurality of single junction solar cells within the cavity, at least some of the solar cells each having different energy bandgaps so their composite spectral responses simultaneously and fully span the solar spectrum; and
(c) at least one wavelength filter associated with each solar cell, wherein the wavelength filter is selected from the group consisting of Rugate filters and a combination of Rugate filters and stack interference filters, thereby providing selective transmission and reflection of incident solar radiation to assist in maximizing the utilization of a region of the solar spectrum by solar cells having an appropriate bandgap.
The use of the cavity containing a plurality of single junction solar cells of different energy bandgaps and simultaneous spectral splitting of the solar spectrum provide the following improvements over the best state-of-the-art (see Table I, below), namely, high efficiency multi-junction (MJ) solar cells operating under high solar flux concentration. The improvements listed in Table I are due to the change from a vertical cell architecture of the MJ cells (where the cells that respond to different parts of the solar spectrum are stacked or monolithically grown on top of each other) to a lateral geometry within the spherical cavity (where the cell strings made of the single junction cells operate next to each other without mutual interference). The purpose of the cavity with a small aperture for the pre-focused solar radiation is to confine (trap) the photons to a high degree so that they can be recycled effectively and used by the proper cells provided with the proper xe2x80x9cpass/rejectxe2x80x9d spectral filters, thus the name Photovoltaic Cavity Converter (PVCC).
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which like reference designations represent like features throughout the FIGURES.


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An additional 3 skin care myths demystified

Reading all these posts make you wonder what you actually knew about skin care all this time! Whether you like it or not, there are many more myths which are proven to be really myths and should not be trusted in the posts to follow.

Myth no.1: If your skin gets cooled or starts tingling when you apply something, it means the product is working and is good.

This is entirely wrong! In fact, the tingling and cooling of your skin proves that it is being irritated and not helped. This tingling sensation is your skin responding to irritation which will slowly but surely lead to inflammation.

In fact, the products which cause such sensations actually damage your skin’s healing process and makes scarring worse, leads to the breakdown of collagen and elastin and can lead to an increase in the growth of bacteria which triggers pimples.

Ingredients like mint, peppermint, menthol and camphor are actually counter-irritants used to induce local inflammation to help reduce inflammation in the deeper and adjacent tissues. In other words, what they do is substitute a form of inflammation to another which is not good for your skin.

No matter what triggers skin irritation or inflammation, or how it occurs, it impairs the skin’s immune and healing response. Moreover, if your skin does not show it or does not look irritated, applying these irritants to your skin still creates the damage which adds up over time.

Myth no.2: The right products can help control oily skin.

While this may be possible, it involves a very complicated and confusing process. Its androgens and estrogen (the male and female hormones) which trigger oil production. It’s not actually possible to topically alter the production of these hormones using cosmetics.

However as the sebaceous gland also produces active androgens which increase sebum extraction, the stress-sensing skin signals like irritation and skin inflammation can trigger the production and release of androgens. This in turn leads to the production of more oil which in turn can clog pores. While this makes topical inflammation and irritation bad for the skin, it does not imply that it affects the body’s hormones production.

Myth no.3: You need to drink more water if you have dry skin.

Dry skin is not a consequence of lack of moisture, and drinking water does not make dry skin look or feel better. In fact, on comparing the water content of dry skin and normal or oily skin, there’s not much of a difference. Moreover, it’s not actually good adding too much of moisture to the skin.

Too much of moisture like soaking in a bathtub is actually bad for the skin as it disrupts the skin’s outer barrier by breaking all substances which keep skin cells in good shape and proper functioning.

No wait! There’s more to come, in fact, the last in this series of skin care myths demystified comes up in the next blog!


A method of adjusting a motorized solar protection installation (1) comprising a screen (3) that can be displaced by activation of an actuator (6) provided with an electronic position counting device (7) and means (9) of detecting an obstacle to the movement, comprising the following steps: storage of a first end-of-travel position, displacement of the screen by activation of the actuator towards the first stored end-of-travel position, continued beyond the first stored end-of-travel position as far as a position that can be assimilated to an end-stop, detected by the means of detecting an obstacle to the movement, measurement of the position difference between the first stored end-of-travel position and the position that can be assimilated to an end-stop, storage of this measurement in memory.

Claim:

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of adjusting a motorized solar protection installation (1) comprising a screen (3) that can be displaced by activation of an actuator (6) provided with anelectronic position counting device (7) and means (9) of detecting an obstacle to the movement, comprising the following steps: a. storage of a first end-of-travel position, b. displacement of the screen by activation of the actuator towards the firststored end-of-travel position, continued beyond the first stored end-of-travel position as far as a position that can be assimilated to an end-stop, detected by the means of detecting an obstacle to the movement, c. measurement of the position differencebetween the first stored end-of-travel position and the position that can be assimilated to an end-stop, d. storage of this measurement in memory.

2. The adjustment method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displacement of the screen is performed following a command given manually or automatically after entering into an automatic adjustment cycle.

3. The adjustment method as claimed in claim 1, which also comprises the following step: e. storage of a second end-of-travel position.

4. The adjustment method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, if it includes a step for exiting from an adjustment mode after storage of the first end-of-travel position, the steps b, c and d are not then carried out.

5. The adjustment method as claimed in claim 1, which lastly comprises the following step: f. displacement to the first end-of-travel position.

6. A method of operating a motorized solar protection installation comprising a screen (3) that can be displaced by activation of an actuator (6) provided with an electronic position counting device (7) and means (9) of detecting an obstacle tothe movement, which comprises, in an installation recalibration phase, the following steps: displacement of the screen in a first direction, by activation of the actuator, as far as a position that can be assimilated to an end-stop, use of a currentposition datum of the screen and of the difference value, stored in memory in an installation adjustment phase according to the adjustment method as claimed in claim 1, to redefine a first end-of-travel position.

7. The operating method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the data usage step comprises the following substeps: displacement of the screen in a second direction, by activation of the actuator, by a value determined by the difference value storedin memory in an installation adjustment phase according to the adjustment method as claimed in claim 1, use of a current position datum of the screen to redefine a first end-of-travel position.

8. The operating method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the data usage step comprises the following substep: addition of the current position datum of the screen and of the difference value stored in memory in an installation adjustment phaseaccording to the adjustment method as claimed in claim 1.

9. An electromechanical actuator (6) comprising hardware means (6a, 6b, 7, 8, 9) and software means for implementing the adjustment method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4 and/or for implementing the operating method as claimed in claim 6.

The invention relates to the field of automated solar protections, in particular roller blinds driven by an actuator. A fabric included in the blind is designed to be wound onto a tube, called winding tube, the latter being rotated by theactuator.

Tubular actuators are commonly used for these automatic operations. They are placed inside the winding tube and make it possible to unwind or wind the fabric of the blind without effort on the part of the user.

Alternatively, the invention also relates to blinds being folded in the top position against a rail, the movement being driven by an actuator acting on cords or laces being wound around drums located in the rail.

When associated with remote controls, automatic control functions or sensors, the blind can be operated remotely, without necessarily the intervention of the user (for example, automatic unwinding when the sun is out, at a fixed time, to protectboth a terrace or windows from excessive overheating in summer, automatic winding in the case of wind to protect the blind itself).

Electromechanical actuators are generally connected to the mains for their power supply. To prevent cases of emergency use in the event of a power outage, some versions are provided with a backup manual control. The actuator then combines bothautomatic and manual functions.

For the operation of the actuator, it is preferable for the latter to know the deployment position of the blind, in order to manage in particular the particular operations in different areas of travel: arrival at the top point, arrival at thebottom point, locking area for the awning blind's deployment arms.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

In the state of the art, various counting-based position determination solutions are available, the latter mainly being divided between electronic or mechanical counting devices.

In the existing products, such a position is commonly determined thanks to a mechanical counting device. A movement of the screen is mechanically transcribed by the counting device in one direction or the other. For adjusting the end-of-travelpositions it is generally needed to access the actuator. In use, regardless of the source behind the movement (motorized or manual), counting is active and the positions are always well identified.

Electronic counting devices are also widely available on the market. These operate in particular by incrementing/decrementing a counter which represents the current position. The current position is identified in a non-volatile electronicmemory, which makes it possible to retain the information even in the event of a current outage. Such an electronic counting device can be adjusted remotely, which obviously offers numerous advantages, the actuators not being easily accessible oncefitted on site.

However, in particular when such actuators with electronic counting device are provided with a backup manual control, a manual movement performed at the time of a current outage can misadjust the position count: in practice, the blind isdisplaced without the electronic counting system changing the current position value. It is also improbable that the blind will be returned to the initial position after this manual operation. The position stored in memory therefore no longercorresponds to the current position, in other words the installation is out of adjustment.

One simple practice is to detect the current interruptions or activation of the manual operation and to recalibrate the system to an end-stop (if one exists) when necessary; that is, occasionally and/or automatically.

Alternatively, regardless of the use of a backup manual control, drifts in the count can occur, in which case, it is also necessary to proceed with regular recalibrations.

This recalibration is based on the recognition of a fixed position, such as a hard end-stop. The position of this hard end-stop can be determined by analyzing the torque or a variation of the torque exerted by the motor, or of an underspeed. These parameters are then independent of the position count. The position of the end-stop is associated with a reference position value. The count can then be updated from this reference position unambiguously representing the current position of theblind.

The recognition of such an end-stop is known to those skilled in the art. Thus, the patent EP 1 269 596 describes a device for stopping the motor when the load on the motor exceeds a determined value. It comprises means of transforming thevariation of the voltage at the terminals of a phase-shift capacitor, corresponding to a determined torque variation, into a chosen variation of the voltage regardless of the maximum torque developed, means of comparing the transformed voltage with areference voltage and means of stopping the motor when the transformed voltage is less than the reference voltage.

Also known are numerous documents describing elements that can be displaced between two end-of-travel positions, one or both of the end-of-travel positions being chosen to be offset relative to hard end-stops accurately delimiting the maximumtravel of the moving element. This offset is provided to avoid having the moving element always abut against the end-stop or stops on each operating cycle. For example, the application EP 0 905 592 describes a method of adjusting the end-of-travelpositions of a door, in which, following the automatic recognition of an end-stop, the installer deliberately offsets the door by a certain distance, and stores the new position as the end-of-travel position.

Moreover, the document DE 42 00 092 describes a method of operating a sliding doorway. When being adjusted, the doorway is displaced by manual control between two columns forming end-stops in order to measure the trajectory in both directions. In operation, the trajectory actually traveled is shorter than the trajectory measured between the two columns, to also avoid having the moving element always abut against the end-stop or stops on each operating cycle.

Moreover, also known, from the document WO 03/050629, is a method of adjusting a roller blind in which, after the determination of two positions, a screen is driven beyond one of the stored positions, in particular beyond the bottom position. The aim of the latter step is to be able to analyze the kinematic link between the actuator and the moving screen. In practice, if an end-stop is encountered, the link is determined to be of "lock" type on which a mechanical stress must be exerted. Ifno end-stop is detected, the movement is stopped when a predetermined position is reached, the link of "foil" or "strap" type not allowing the bottom position to be significantly exceeded.

Although the method is attractive, it does not offer a solution in terms of recalibration in the case explained hereinbelow.

For different types of blinds, there is no hard end-stop. Such is in particular the case with awning blinds (without casing) with deployment arms, for which the maximum folded position of the deployment arms is only a position in which themovement is progressively hindered. It is in fact a position, that can then be assimilated to an end-stop, in which it is no longer possible to continue the force exerted to bring about a movement without risking damaging the installation.

In practice, it is desirable to avoid arriving in this position without taking particular precautions, such as, in particular, reducing the torque provided by the actuator or the speed of approach.

This position corresponds to a complete winding of the fabric of the blind. However, on installing and adjusting such a blind, the end-of-travel position is adjusted manually and does not correspond to that position assimilated to an end-stop.

Thus, there is no reference position dependent only on the installation and allowing for a recalibration on a loss-of-adjustment of the counting device.

The document EP 0 770 757 discloses a method of operating a motorized blind, comprising a procedure for adjusting/updating an end-of-travel position, in which an end-of-travel end-stop is tested.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the invention is to provide an adjustment method that overcomes the drawbacks stated above and that improves the adjustment methods known from the prior art. In particular, the invention makes it possible to provide a method ofadjusting a motorized solar protection installation comprising an actuator provided with an electronic counting device and allows for a recalibration of this installation when necessary, without the intervention of the user, and without error. Theinventive method thus also makes it possible to use detection thresholds that are low enough not to damage the installation when an end-stop or position that can be assimilated to an end-stop is detected. The invention also allows for adaptation todifferent existing procedures for adjusting an installation, without requiring an installer to change his usual practices.

According to the invention, the adjustment method is defined by claim 1.

Various embodiments are defined by the dependent claims 2 to 5.

According to the invention, the operating method is defined by claim 6.

Different embodiments are defined by the dependent claims 7 and 8.

According to the invention, an electromechanical actuator comprises hardware means and software means for implementing the adjustment method defined previously and/or for implementing the operating method defined previously.

According to the invention, a solar protection installation comprises an actuator defined previously.

The invention also relates to a computer program comprising a computer program code means suitable for controlling all the steps of one or other of the methods defined hereinabove when the program runs on a computer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHE DRAWING

The appended drawing represents, by way of example, an embodiment of a home automation installation according to the invention and a way of executing an adjustment method according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a solar protection installation according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an actuator of such an installation.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are flow diagrams illustrating a way of executing the adjustment method according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a way of executing the operating method according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The solar protection installation 1 represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a winding tube 2 about which a blind fabric 3 is wound. The installation also comprises articulated arms (not represented) fitted on the one hand, by a first end, on asupporting structure. The other end of the arms is linked to a bar 5 fixed at the end of the fabric. A tubular actuator 6 inserted into the winding tube causes the latter to rotate. The actuator comprises a control unit 8 enabling it to manage controlcommands for deploying or folding the fabric. On a deployment command, the actuator authorizes an unfolding of the arms through the action of springs and a rotation of the winding tube in a first direction, which brings about a deployment of the fabric. Conversely, on a fold command, the actuator causes the winding tube to rotate in the reverse direction, causing the fabric to be pulled tight and the arms to be folded by applying stress to the springs.

The actuator 6 comprises a driving part or motor-gearbox 6a and a brake 6b. The brake is suitable for blocking the output shaft in rotation, in order to control the rotation speed and also keep the winding tube blocked.

The actuator also comprises a device 7 for counting a rotation position of the actuator, corresponding to a deployment position of the fabric. The counting device is of electronic type. It makes it possible to associate counter values withscreen positions.

The actuator also comprises end-stop detection means 9. These means can, for example, work by detection of a predetermined torque, a torque variation, or by detection of a predetermined speed variation. The measured torque can, for example, bethat exerted by the actuator 6 on the tube 2 that drives the fabric.

The electronic control unit 8 is used to manage control commands to rotate the winding tube in one direction or in the other, and to manage stops, thanks in particular to the information supplied by the counting device 7 and the end-stopdetection means 9. The control unit also comprises software means, such as computer programs for implementing an operating method according to the invention, this method governing the operation of an arm-based blind actuator.

In particular, the actuator comprises an electronic position counting device, means of detecting an obstacle to the movement, means of storing a first end-of-travel position, means of displacing the screen by activation of the actuator beyondthe first stored end-of-travel position as far as a position that can be assimilated to an end-stop, detected by the means of detecting an obstacle to the movement, means of measuring the position difference between the first stored end-of-travelposition and the position that can be assimilated to an end-stop, and means of storing this measurement in memory.

The actuator can also comprise a means of using a current position datum of the screen and the difference value, stored in memory in an installation adjustment phase, to redefine a first end-of-travel position.

FIG. 3 illustrates various steps of a way of executing the adjustment method according to the invention. A step E100 comprises entry into adjustment mode. This can be done by a user action such as a sequence of particular presses on a sendercommunicating with the receiver, or a particular and recognizable frequency for cutting off the power supply to the actuator. The actuator then awaits various adjustment actions. Each new adjustment step is validated according to an established schemeknown to those skilled in the art. During a step E102, the installer activates the actuator to displace the fabric of the blind to a position that he wants to define as end-of-travel position. Validating this step E102 entails storing the currentposition as a reference position of the counting device. This position is, for example, the position that he defines as the bottom end-of-travel position FDCB, the fabric then being substantially fully extended and taut.

From this bottom end-of-travel position, the installer orders a folding of the fabric to a selected top end-of-travel position of the blind, in which the fabric is substantially fully wound. Validating this step E104 entails storing the currentposition reached, chosen by the installer as top end-of-travel position FDCH. This position FDCH can also be a reference position for the counting device.

Preferably, this position FDCH is not stored if it is situated at the point of an end-stop (or a position that can be assimilated to an end-stop) detected by the means of detecting an obstacle to the movement. The installer must then repeat theoperation for storing the end-of-travel position.

Conversely, the bottom end-of-travel position FDCB can be stored before the top end-of-travel position FDCH.

The next step E106 is an exit from this manual adjustment mode; that is, an exit from the mode in which the installer intervenes, the subsequent steps being able to be executed automatically.

Following the step E106, a first displacement in a first direction toward the top end-of-travel position during a step E108 is followed by a step in which it is checked that a difference measurement is stored in memory (step E110).

This step is optional and could be replaced by a systematization: the first displacement toward the top end-of-travel would systematically be followed by the steps E112 to E118.

This step could also be replaced by a counter for performing this learning operation during the first cycle after the adjustment mode, and then repeating it regularly, for example every 200 cycles.

If a difference measurement must be performed, the actuator continues the movement during a step E112 beyond the top end-of-travel position stored during the step E102, until arrival in a position in which the movement is hindered (step E114). This particular physical feature is detected by the detection means 9 with, for example, a high sensitivity setting. The actuator then stops in the current position (step E116).

From the step E112 and until the obstacle is detected and the motor is stopped, the displacement distance is measured (step E113). The sensitivity threshold can, if necessary, be adjustable, but its value is then stored and linked to thedistance measurement. This displacement distance or measured difference can be a negative value, if the first end-of-travel position is a reference position equal to zero.

After the step E116, in a step E118, the actuator again drives the blind to the top position stored during the step E102, thus ending the method of adjusting the blind without top end-stop. The difference could also be measured during thelatter displacement.

If no difference measurement is necessary, the actuator stops the blind in the end-of-travel position stored during the step E102 (step E120).

If the exit from the adjustment mode occurs after a single storing of end-of-travel, in particular the bottom end-of-travel, an alternative method applies, corresponding to the state of the art and described in FIG. 4. The step corresponding tothe step E106 is then denoted A106. It is important to note that the actuator itself decides which method to apply from these steps E106/A106.

During this alternative method, during a displacement of the fabric under control of the actuator (step A108), the stopping of the displacement is controlled using the end-stop detection means 9 (steps A114 and A116).

FIG. 5 shows a way of implementing the method of operating the installation for a recalibration. If such a recalibration is necessary according to the conditions stated above (step E200), a step E202 for displacement in the recalibrationdirection is implemented, for example toward a top position or folded position. When, in the step E204, an obstacle to the movement is detected, substantially in the same conditions as the detection during the adjustment step E114, the movement isstopped (step E206). During a step E208, the actuator then drives the screen in the reverse direction over a distance equal to the difference measured at the time of the adjustment during the step E113. The new position reached is then equivalent tothe end-of-travel position stored at the time of the adjustment (step E210). A value corresponding to the new position reached is then stored in a memory of the actuator. It determines the new top end-of-travel position.

Alternatively, the value determining the new top end-of-travel position can be determined just after the step E206 in which the current position of the screen is determined. It is then sufficient to add (in the algebraic sense) the differencevalue measured at the time of the adjustment during the step E113 to the value given by the counting device and determining the current position of the screen.

The method according to the invention can be applied in the same way to a bottom end-of-travel position, or folded position, if means are available for recognizing a physical end-of-travel position characteristic that enables this position to beassimilated to an end-stop.

The benefit of finding a position that can be assimilated to an end-stop, once the end-of-travel position is stored, is to be able to adapt the characteristics of the end-stop detection to the position. Beyond the stored end-of-travel position,measures are put in place to avoid any impact or high stress in the position that can be assimilated to an end-stop. Thus, the sensitivity of the end-stop detection is higher, the torque is reduced and/or the speed of displacement is reduced.

In the case of a recalibration procedure, similar measures can be put in place over a part of the travel before arrival in the position that can be assimilated to an end-stop.

This method also offers the benefit of being able to be performed in a number of steps. The storing of the end-of-travel positions can take place in the factory, whereas the step for learning the difference between the position that can beassimilated to an end-stop and the stored end-of-travel position can take place once the product is installed on site, even over a number of cycles after installation. These two phases can therefore be separated in space and in time.

The adjustment ergonomics can be provided in an actuator that is compatible with blinds with top end-stop (cassette blinds) and blinds with bottom end-stop. In practice, the adjustment ergonomics define whether it is necessary to use the methodaccording to the invention: for a cassette blind, only an end-of-travel position is stored, corresponding to the bottom end-of-travel position. The installer then signals the end of the adjustment procedure. For an awning blind, two end-of-travelpositions are stored, and the installer then signals the end of the adjustment procedure. The adjustment procedure according to the invention will then be implemented only in the second case, automatically, without requiring any new intervention on thepart of the installer.

If the adjustment method used were that described in the patent EP 0 905 592, the installer should perform the offset manually, before exiting from the adjustment mode. In other words, in practice, no distinction is drawn between a storing of asingle end-of-travel, the other being defined by the end-stop detection in the case of the cassette blind, and the storing of the bottom end-of-travel and the detection of the position that can be assimilated to an end-stop in the case of the awningblind.

Moreover, the invention makes it possible, unlike the case of the patent EP 0 905 592, to define automatically, at the time of the adjustment, an approach zone in the vicinity of the end stop before reaching the physical reference position.

The invention therefore offers these benefits of automation of the adjustment method, while ensuring the protection of the installation.


Joseph Oboh Kalu

Joseph Oboh Kalu (born 9 January 1940) is a Nigerian boxer. He competed in the men's bantamweight event at the 1960 Summer Olympics.

References

Category:1940 births
Category:Living people
Category:Nigerian male boxers
Category:Olympic boxers of Nigeria
Category:Boxers at the 1960 Summer Olympics


--echo #
--echo # MDEV-21973 Bind REPLICATION {MASTER|SLAVE} ADMIN to gtid_* GLOBAL-only system variables
--echo #

--let var = gtid_cleanup_batch_size
--let grant = REPLICATION SLAVE ADMIN
--let value = 1

--source suite/sys_vars/inc/sysvar_global_grant.inc


/* +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
   Copyright (c) 2014-2020 The plumed team
   (see the PEOPLE file at the root of the distribution for a list of names)

   See http://www.plumed.org for more information.

   This file is part of plumed, version 2.

   plumed is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
   it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
   (at your option) any later version.

   plumed is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
   GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.

   You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
   along with plumed.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ */
#include "MultiValue.h"

namespace PLMD {

MultiValue::MultiValue( const unsigned& nvals, const unsigned& nder ):
  values(nvals),
  nderivatives(nder),
  derivatives(nvals*nder),
  tmpval(0),
  tmpder(nder),
  atLeastOneSet(false)
{
  std::vector<unsigned> myind( nder );
  for(unsigned i=0; i<nder; ++i) myind[i]=i;
  hasDerivatives.createIndexListFromVector( myind );
}

void MultiValue::resize( const unsigned& nvals, const unsigned& nder ) {
  values.resize(nvals); nderivatives=nder; derivatives.resize( nvals*nder );
  tmpder.resize( nder ); hasDerivatives.clear(); std::vector<unsigned> myind( nder );
  for(unsigned i=0; i<nder; ++i) myind[i]=i;
  hasDerivatives.createIndexListFromVector( myind );
  atLeastOneSet=false;
}

void MultiValue::clearAll() {
  if( atLeastOneSet && !hasDerivatives.updateComplete() ) hasDerivatives.updateActiveMembers();
  for(unsigned i=0; i<values.size(); ++i) clear(i);
  clearTemporyDerivatives(); hasDerivatives.deactivateAll(); atLeastOneSet=false;
}

void MultiValue::clear( const unsigned& ival ) {
  values[ival]=0;
  unsigned base=ival*nderivatives, ndert=hasDerivatives.getNumberActive();
  for(unsigned i=0; i<ndert; ++i) derivatives[ base+hasDerivatives[i] ]=0.;
}

void MultiValue::clearTemporyDerivatives() {
  unsigned ndert=hasDerivatives.getNumberActive(); tmpval=0.;
  for(unsigned i=0; i<ndert; ++i) tmpder[ hasDerivatives[i] ]=0.;
}

void MultiValue::chainRule( const unsigned& ival, const unsigned& iout, const unsigned& stride, const unsigned& off,
                            const double& df, const unsigned& bufstart, std::vector<double>& buffer ) {
  if( !hasDerivatives.updateComplete() ) hasDerivatives.updateActiveMembers();

  plumed_dbg_assert( off<stride );
  unsigned base=nderivatives*ival, ndert=hasDerivatives.getNumberActive();
  unsigned start=bufstart+stride*(nderivatives+1)*iout + stride;
  for(unsigned i=0; i<ndert; ++i) {
    unsigned jder=hasDerivatives[i];
    buffer[start+jder*stride] += df*derivatives[base+jder];
  }
}

void MultiValue::copyValues( MultiValue& outvals ) const {
  plumed_dbg_assert( values.size()<=outvals.getNumberOfValues() );
  for(unsigned i=0; i<values.size(); ++i) outvals.setValue( i, values[i] );

}

void MultiValue::copyDerivatives( MultiValue& outvals ) {
  plumed_dbg_assert( values.size()<=outvals.getNumberOfValues() && nderivatives<=outvals.getNumberOfDerivatives() );
  if( !hasDerivatives.updateComplete() ) hasDerivatives.updateActiveMembers();

  outvals.atLeastOneSet=true; unsigned ndert=hasDerivatives.getNumberActive();
  for(unsigned j=0; j<ndert; ++j) {
    unsigned jder=hasDerivatives[j]; outvals.hasDerivatives.activate(jder);
  }

  unsigned base=0, obase=0;
  for(unsigned i=0; i<values.size(); ++i) {
    for(unsigned j=0; j<ndert; ++j) {
      unsigned jder=hasDerivatives[j];
      outvals.derivatives[obase+jder] += derivatives[base+jder];
    }
    obase+=outvals.nderivatives; base+=nderivatives;
  }
}

void MultiValue::quotientRule( const unsigned& nder, const unsigned& oder ) {
  plumed_dbg_assert( nder<values.size() && oder<values.size() );
  if( !hasDerivatives.updateComplete() ) hasDerivatives.updateActiveMembers();

  unsigned ndert=hasDerivatives.getNumberActive(); double wpref;
  unsigned obase=oder*nderivatives, nbase=nder*nderivatives;

  if( fabs(tmpval)>epsilon ) { wpref=1.0/tmpval; }
  else { wpref=1.0; }

  double pref = values[nder]*wpref*wpref;
  for(unsigned j=0; j<ndert; ++j) {
    unsigned jder=hasDerivatives[j];
    derivatives[obase+jder] = wpref*derivatives[nbase+jder]  - pref*tmpder[jder];
  }
  values[oder] = wpref*values[nder];
}

}