A device for changing a pallet car in a plant for the treatment of bulk materials where pallet cars that are continuously conveyed using a lifting wheel and a lowering wheel on an outer rail and an inner rail in an endless chain includes, in regions of a bottom and top strand of the lifting wheel, first and second outer curve links of the outer rail that are openable such that the pallet car is removable from the chain and another pallet car is insertable into the chain. A removal switch is disposed in the region of the bottom strand of the lifting wheel, via which the pallet car is movable out from the chain, and a supply switch is disposed in the region of the top strand of the lifting wheel, via which the pallet car is insertable into the chain.

A specimen transport apparatus according to an aspect is provided with a holder which holds a cup-like specimen container accommodating a specimen in an upright position, a chain member disposed along a predetermined transport path, and a supporting portion provided in a predetermined position on the chain member and configured to support the holder.

A method and apparatus for preparing a cellulosic feedstock are disclosed. Embodiments of the method comprise passing the cellulosic feedstock out of at least one outlet of a vessel (such as a holding tank) and obtaining at least two streams of cellulosic feedstock wherein each stream may be fed different hydrolysis reactors. Embodiments of the apparatus comprise passing the cellulosic feedstock downwardly through the vessel and withdrawing the feedstock from the vessel in two different lateral directions.

A belt tracking system for adjusting displacement of a movable belt in an axial direction of a plurality of rollers about which the movable belt is entrained includes a slope member and a roller shaft support. The slope member is disposed at least at one end of at least one of the plurality of rollers in the axial direction, to tilt the roller due to movement of the belt. The roller shaft support rotates about a predetermined shaft and includes a shaft recovery member to recover a tilt of the slope member. The shaft recovery member is disposed within a shortest circumference of a closed curve among closed curves within which the slope member and the roller shaft support are disposed in a state in which the roller shaft support is rotated.

Machine (1) for packaging articles (2) inside containers (3), a conveyor (6) is provided with a longitudinally movable transporting section (7) for feeding the articles (2) in a given direction (D) and along a given conveying path (P); a robot (23), which is arranged along the conveying path (P) and controlled by an operating and control device depending on detection at least of the position of each article (2) on the transporting section (7), picks up single articles (2) from the transporting section (7) and transfers each picked-up article (2) inside a container (3); the transporting section (7) is delimited transversely by two side walls (18) stabilizing the position and direction of each article (2) with respect to the transporting section (7); on the latter the articles (2) are stably seated between the side walls (18), one behind another in a row, in the conveying direction (D).

An arrangement including two conveyor screws which are arranged rotatably moveably relative to each other for processing a pasty material like a foodstuff product or the like, having a first conveyor screw and a second conveyor screw which have interengaging helical flights and which in particular are drivable in opposite relationship. The conveyor screws are of different size diameters and/or the conveyor screws have a different number of flights. In addition, the surfaces of the interengaging flights are so shaped and matched to each other that they are in contact with each other along a substantially continuous contact line extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of both conveyor screws to hinder, preferably prevent a return flow of the pasty material.

An article sorting and conveying device that conveys articles by the vibrations of a movable body provided through an elastic support unit, includes a first vibration unit that imparts a periodic vibration force to the movable body in a direction inclined from a vertical direction; a second vibration unit that imparts a periodic vibration force in a direction crossing the periodic vibration force by the first vibration unit; and a vibration control unit that causes a periodic vibration force imparted by each vibration unit to have a phase difference and occur simultaneously at the same frequency, and that creates an elliptical vibration trajectory in the movable body. The articles are sorted and conveyed on the movable body by setting the vibration trajectory of the movable body by the vibration control unit such that articles having a different coefficient of friction are conveyed in different directions.

In some embodiments, apparatus useful for assisting in controlling the discharge of material onto a conveyor from a material dispenser includes a carrier, first and second side restrictors extending downwardly from the carrier and at least one wiper extending downwardly from the carrier and transverse to the side restrictors. The side restrictors are configured to assist in preventing at least some material from overflowing off the sides of the conveyor, while the wiper is configured to level the top of at least some of the material dispensed on the conveyor.

In a method for manufacturing an element (8) of a modular scaffolding system, an at least partly galvanized pipe part (10) having a first end (12) and a second end is provided, together with an at least partly galvanized first connection head (40) which is designed to be connected to the first end (12) of the pipe part (10). A weld (24), which connects the first end (12) of the pipe part (10) to the first connection head (40), has an internal weld surface (24b) and an external weld surface (24a). The internal weld surface is proximal to the pipe part (10) and/or the connection head (40), and the external weld surface is proximal to an outside environment (60) of the pipe part (10) and the connecting head (40). A protective layer covers the external weld surface, such that it is screened off from the outside environment (60).

A portable folding support structure for safely tethering an individual comprises a portable cart sized to fit through a residential doorway, having wheels and a motor that actuates at least one of the wheels. A hand-operated throttle and steering device control the cart. The cart comprises an extendable anchoring plate to prevent rolling. A substantially horizontal jib with the cart comprises a harness point for receiving a safety cable to which an individual is attached to allow safe cleaning practices and to minimize fall risk. A foldable outrigger provides stability to the cart and an anchoring pad attaches to a distal region of the outrigger to promote stability. A textile liquid-absorbing surface is positionable about an outer surface of a glass balcony to inhibit cleaning liquids from spilling below the level of the liquid-absorbing surface.

A portable pathway apparatus for providing a path over an earthen surface that includes a pliable frame member comprising one or more layers; a row of mating holes disposed on each side of the pliable frame member; a set of independently adjustable steps coupled to the pliable frame member in a first orientation direction; wherein each independently adjustable step comprises an adjustment mechanism, and wherein each independently adjustable step is coupled to the pliable frame member with a mount that aligns with the row of mating holes on each of the corresponding sides of the pliable frame member, whereby each of the independently adjustable steps is also movable along a length of the pliable frame member.

An apparatus for facilitating the storage of equipment such as ladders in the upper area, but particularly in the upper area on the outside of emergency vehicles such as trucks which includes a capability of moving the ladder to an extended lower deployed position to facilitate immediate access thereto by emergency workers such as firemen. An outer bracket is connected to an inner housing through a parallel linkage with the inner housing attached to the vehicle and the outer bracket attachable to the equipment. The outer bracket includes a downwardly extendable sliding carriage to facilitate positioning of the equipment at a lower level for aiding in retrieval thereof utilizing a flexible control arm.

A fall arrest block has a drum (40) on which a lifeline is wound and from which the line can be drawn off or drawn back on, as the work man moves towards and away from the block. One end of the lifeline is permanently secured to the drum, and the drum has sockets (50) for securing ends of more than one different type of lifeline. The block also has a brake (24) in the form of a sealed unit which can be removed and replaced with a fresh unit, when servicing of the brake is required.

The present invention relates to playground equipment and, more particularly, to a playground apparatus incorporating modular construction, which permits rapid simplified assembly, modification and universal arrangement of playground equipment modules without tools.

A fall restraint system includes a cable for attachment to a fall restraint harness assembly of a worker. The cable can be attached to a boom arm cantilevered on a mast carried from the ground or can be stretched between two points on opposed walls. A shock absorber is provided for absorbing at least part of the shock forces so as to reduce the loading applied to the support system. This comprises an elongate member with a movable member or sleeve mounted on it for longitudinal movement. The movement is resisted by a friction brake or a compressible material contained within a tube so that the sleeve moves along the tube in response to loads exceeding the normal load to reduce the loading on the cable while compressing the material in the tube.

Tree stands are disclosed for providing an elevated standing location. The tree stand can include a support post, a seat rotatably coupled to the first end of the support post, and a platform rotatably coupled to the second end of the support post. The platform can comprise a plurality interconnected polygonal shapes defining a top standing surface. The platform can be a grating that has load bearing properties and that can be cast from a mold. The platform includes a perimeter wall, a surface portion, and one or more reinforcement walls. A height or thickness of the surface portion is less than a height or thickness of the perimeter wall and/or the reinforcement walls.

An improved apparatus for treating a fire in a multi-floored building where the fire is located on an upper floor vertically displaced from a lower floor from which the fire is treated, and where the upper and lower floors each have a selectively openable environmental access along an external wall of the multi-floored building. The improved apparatus includes a tubular structure having an inlet, an intermediate portion, and an outlet and a bracing system. The bracing system has a frame, a first pivot point, and a second pivot point. The frame provides support against a sturdy surface. The tubular structure is supported on the first pivot point and rotates thereon to elevate or hoist the outlet towards the upper floor environmental access. The tubular structure is further supported on a second pivot point and further rotates thereon to elevate the outlet.

An apparatus to secure a ladder to a ferromagnetic work surface, such as a metal storage tank, comprises a pair of brackets removably attached near the top of the ladder. The brackets are hinged to magnet mounts, which each hold a permanent magnet that releasably holds the ladder in place against the work surface. The apparatus prevents the ladder from slipping while a worker is climbing the ladder or while working from the ladder.

An upper body harness portion for converting a seat-style harness to a full body harness. The upper body harness portion includes a front lower component, a rear lower component, and an upper torso component having elongated first, second and third webbings. The ends of the first and second webbings are detachably securable to opposite sides of the front and rear or side portions of the seat-style harness waist belt, respectively. The third webbing forms a closed loop which, when worn, extends over a wearer's shoulders on opposite sides of the wearer's head. First and second connectors are slidably connected to the third webbing, with the first connector also being slidably connected to the first webbing adjacent the front of a wearer and the second connector being slidably connected to the second webbing adjacent the back of a wearer.

A tree stand for removable attachment to a tree comprising: a support bar having an upper end and a lower end with a length therebetween; an upper jaw coupled to the upper end of the support bar and a lower jaw coupled to the lower end of the support bar, and a platform mounted to the outer side of the lower jaw by insertion of a set of protrusions on the platform into the pivoting snap locks of the arms of the lower jaw. A seat may also be attached to the support par through the upper jaw.

Self-locking bi-foldable load bearing segments are disclosed that can be used in applications such as ladders or ramp. First and second sections of the segment are foldably coupled to transition between an open configuration and a folded configuration. The first and second sections can include rungs pivotally attached to rails that can be further transitioned from the folded configuration to a collapsed configuration, but not transitioned from the open configuration to the collapsed configuration. Openings in the side walls of the rails allow the rungs to pivot in one direction, but not an opposite direction. In the open configuration, the openings of the first and second sections may be oriented opposite, and the direction of allowed rotation of the rungs of the first section and second section are opposite, restricting compression of the rails together. In the folded configuration, the openings of the first and second sections can be oriented the same to allow rotation of the rungs and compression of the rails together.

An apparatus that provides selectively deployable worker access with fall protection to at least a portion of the top of a container disposed above the ground. A gangway and its associated fall protection cage are selectively deployable from an elevated platform over the top of the container. The gangway and its associated cage are slidably connected to the platform via a track carried along the side of the platform.

A system for substantially enclosing the periphery of a building top with a netting system which is easily and efficiently movable or reconfigurable during the building construction process comprises a lightweight netting system for extending above a completed work area or floor, a strong lightweight structural support system for the netting, wherein the structural support system is vertically adjustable via slidable engagement with brackets attached to the floors which are already completed, provides enhanced safety for workers and for pedestrians below by preventing passage of workers or debris through the netting and enhances efficiency of construction by providing an easily reconfigurable, inexpensive and lightweight system for providing such enhanced safety.

A boom mountable robotic arm for temporarily supporting an elongate conductor includes a rigid member such as a beam or beam assembly adapted for mounting onto the upper end of a boom for example using a boom adaptor, at least one electrically insulated support post mounted to the rigid member, where each post temporarily supports an elongate electrical conductor, and at least two rotation devices for selectively controllable rotation of the rigid member and the electrically insulated support posts about at least two corresponding axes of rotation.

A linear alternator assembly is provided that includes a block defining a cylinder. The cylinder block has inlet ports at which fluid enters the cylinder, exhaust ports at which fluid is exhausted from the cylinder, and a fuel port. Energizable coils surround the cylinder. A first and a second magnetic or magnetizable piston are contained within the cylinder and are positionable within the cylinder in response to energization of selective ones of the coils and combustion of fuel within the cylinder to selectively establish a four-stroke working cycle having an intake stroke, a compression stroke, an expansion stroke, and an exhaust stroke, producing at least one of compressed gas and electrical energy. The four-stroke working cycle may be varied to adapt to changes in power demanded, thereby balancing required output power with efficiency considerations.

In an internal combustion engine valve drive arrangement having cam elements which are supported on a camshaft so as to be axially displaceable and having switch gates which are coupled to the cam elements and have gate tracks with track segments and switching segments for displaceing the cam elements, the track segments and the switching segments are formed, at least in part, in partial areas of the switch gates.

A valve timing control apparatus includes: a drive-side rotor rotating in synchronization with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine; a driven-side rotor arranged to have the same shaft center as the drive-side rotor, rotating in synchronization with a camshaft for opening and closing valves; a fluid pressure chamber formed between the drive-side driven-side rotors; a partitioning portion provided in at least one of the drive-side and driven-side rotors; a timing advance chamber and a timing delay chamber formed by partitioning the fluid pressure chamber by the partitioning portion; a lock mechanism including a lock member and a concave portion a lock release flow path through which operating fluid supplied and discharged to and from the concave portion is circulated; a valve arranged in the middle of the lock release flow path; and a control unit controlling the operation of the valve.

A variable valve lift apparatus may include a rocker arm coupled with a rocker arm shaft, a valve bridge disposed to be pressed by one end portion of the rocker arm, the valve bridge including a piston insertion hole and at least one pin insertion hole connecting to the piston insertion hole, a valve disposed to be pressed by the valve bridge, and a variable lift unit disposed in the valve bridge and variably controlling an amount that the rocker arm presses the valve bridge. The variable lift unit includes a variable piston of which the lower portion is inserted into the piston insertion hole, and a check pin disposed in the pin insertion hole to be selectively inserted into the pin groove formed on a side surface of the variable piston according to the hydraulic pressure supplied to the piston oil passage formed in the variable piston.

A continuously variable valve lift mechanism for an internal combustion engine includes a cam, a cam follower, a valve follower, a rocker shaft, and a rocker arm. The cam follower includes a first roller driven by the cam and a second roller. The valve follower includes a driven face in contact with the second roller of the cam follower and a driving face. The rocker shaft contacts the valve follower. Rotational movement of the rocker shaft about a rocker shaft rotational axis results in movement of the driven face with respect to the second roller. The rocker arm has a pivot axis and is in contact with the driving face of the valve follower.

A Wankel engine having an insert in the peripheral wall of the stator body, the insert being made of a material having a greater heat resistance than that of the peripheral wall, having a subchamber defined therein and having an inner surface bordering the cavity, the subchamber communicating with the cavity through at least one opening defined in the inner surface and having a shape forming a reduced cross-section adjacent the opening, a pilot fuel injector having a tip received in the subchamber, an ignition element having a tip received in the subchamber, and a main fuel injector extending through the housing and having a tip communicating with the cavity at a location spaced apart from the insert.

A carbon oxygen hydrogen motor comprises an enclosure, a combustion chamber, and a plurality of injectors. A rotational crank is positioned within the enclosure and connected with a piston. The piston is positioned within the combustion chamber and connected to the rotational crank by a rod. A stream of hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and carbon dioxide gas enter into the combustion chamber through the plurality of injectors. A spark plug, which is connected to the combustion chamber, ignites hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and carbon dioxide gas inside the combustion chamber causing a reaction. The reaction moves the piston upward. After the reaction has taken place, the piston moves downward. The downward motion of the piston ejects all of the byproducts from the reaction through a ejecting valve located in the combustion chamber. Since the piston is connected with the rotational crank, the rotational crank rotates in cycles creating mechanical energy.

An electronic throttle control apparatus has a construction which does not use a mechanical mechanism to restrict an operating angle of an electronic throttle valve, and continues motor control so as to prevent rapid opening and closing of the electronic throttle valve, even if an angle detection unit becomes abnormal. Upon detection of an abnormality, a control unit (1) controls, without using pieces of angle information (θ1, θ2) after the detection of the abnormality, a motor (2) for driving the electronic throttle valve (3) based on angle information (θb) before the angle detection unit (6) becomes abnormal, information of electric power supplied to the motor (2) before the angle detection unit (6) becomes abnormal, a period of time (Tbc) until the abnormality of the angle detection unit (6) is detected, and a preset rate of change of a throttle angle.

An air intake manifold for an engine includes an air inlet to receive a flow of compressed charge air, and multiple runners to deliver cooled compressed charge air to corresponding combustion cylinders of the engine. A charge air cooler is arranged within the intake manifold between the air inlet and the runners, and includes a first core section and a second core section. The first and second core sections are arranged fluidly in parallel with respect to the flow of compressed charge air, so that the charge air is divided into a first portion that is substantially directed through the first core section to a first subset of the runners, and a second portion that is substantially directed through the second core section to a second subset of the runners.

A charge air cooler includes a housing and a heat exchanger core positioned within the housing. The heat exchanger core includes a first core section, a second core section, and a centrally located section positioned between the first core section and the second core section. The charge air cooler also includes a plurality of coolant circuits. Each coolant circuit extends through at least one of the first and second core sections. The charge air cooler further includes a coolant inlet extending from the centrally located section to deliver coolant to the plurality of coolant circuits, and a coolant outlet extending from the centrally located section to receive coolant from the plurality of coolant circuits. The charge air cooler also includes a fastener extending through the centrally located section of the core to secure the core to the housing.

As one example, a fuel rail assembly for supplying pressurized fuel to a plurality of cylinders of an engine is provided. The fuel rail assembly includes a fuel rail housing defining an internal fuel rail volume having at least a first region and a second region; a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail housing that segregates the first region from the second region. The membrane element can be configured to pass a first component of a fuel mixture such as an alcohol through the membrane element from the first region to the second region at a higher rate than a second component of the fuel mixture such as a hydrocarbon. The separated alcohol and hydrocarbon components can be provided to the engine in varying relative amounts based on operating conditions.

A system for a cylinder head is provided. The system comprises a cam cover mounted on the cylinder head and including an oil separator and a coil on plug (COP) coupled to the oil separator via a snap-fit connection. The snap-fit connection holds the coil-on-plug in position and may provide a lower cost alternative to existing systems of retaining coil-on-plugs on a cam cover.

In an engine having a plurality of cylinders in which a plurality of fuel injection valves are provided respectively, fuel is injected at a predetermined injection ratio, and an abnormality of air-fuel ratio variation is detected. If a fuel injection amount of at least one of the plurality of the fuel injection valves is smaller than a predetermined reference value, the fuel injection amount is increased so as to become equal to or larger than the reference value.

A variable valve operating apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a drive camshaft, and a driven cam lobe that is rotatably supported by the drive camshaft. The variable valve operating apparatus further includes a control sleeve that has a raceway surface, a center of which is eccentric with respect to a center of rotation of its own. The variable valve operating apparatus further includes a link mechanism that is connected to each of the drive camshaft and the driven cam lobe and has a control roller which is in contact with the raceway surface. The variable valve operating apparatus further includes an actuator that drives the control sleeve. The variable valve operating apparatus further includes a control amount of the actuator is controlled to change a moving amount of the raceway surface in the above described plane direction in accordance with an operation condition of an internal combustion engine.

An intake apparatus of an engine includes: a first intake passage supplying fresh air to a cylinder; a second intake passage arranged near the first intake passage, and supplying fresh air to the cylinder; a first intake valve opening and closing the first intake passage at an aperture of the first intake passage; a second intake valve opening and closing the second intake passage at an aperture of the second intake passage. An opening timing of the first intake valve of the intake apparatus advances relative to a top dead center, and a valve lift amount of the first intake valve differs from that of the second intake valve, and there is a period while the valve lift amount of the first intake valve is larger than that of the second intake valve, in an intake stroke.

A valve timing adjusting device for and engine includes a sprocket configured to rotate by receiving drive power from a driving shaft, a vane rotor fixed to a driven shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the sprocket, a housing that includes an oil chamber housing the vane rotor and is fixed to one end in a thickness direction of the sprocket, a bolt fixing the sprocket to the housing, and a knock pin inserted into a sprocket hole formed in the sprocket at one end thereof and into a housing hole formed in the housing at the other end thereof to restrict relative relation between the sprocket and the housing. The knock pin abuts against an inner wall of the sprocket hole at one end thereof, and abuts against an inner wall of the housing hole at the other end thereof.

A programmable memory including a self-latching read data path. A sense amplifier senses the voltage level at a bit line, the bit line communicating the data state of a selected memory cell in its associated column. A data latch coupled to the output of the sense amplifier passes the sensed data state. Set-reset logic is provided that receives the output of the data latch in the read data path and, in response to a transition of the data state in a read cycle, latches the data latch and isolates it from the sense amplifier. The set-reset logic resets the data latch at the start of the next read cycle. In some embodiments, a timer is provided so that the latch is reset after a time-out period in a long read cycle in which no data transition occurs.

Provided is a magnetic element capable of generating one skyrmion and erasing the one skyrmion. The magnetic element includes a magnet shaped like a substantially rectangular flat plate, an upstream electrode connected to the magnet in a width Wm direction of the magnet and made of a non-magnetic metal, a downstream electrode connected to the magnet in the width Wm direction to oppose the upstream electrode and made of a non-magnetic metal, and a skyrmion sensor configured to detect the skyrmion. Here, a width Wm of the substantially rectangular magnet is such that 3·λ>Wm≧λ, where λ denotes a diameter of the skyrmion, a length Hm of the substantially rectangular magnet is such that 2·λ>Hm≧λ, and the magnet has a notch structure at the edge between the upstream electrode and the downstream electrode.

A bit line architecture for dual-port static random-access memory (DP SRAM) is provided. An array of memory cells is arranged in rows and columns, and comprises a first subarray and a second subarray. A first pair of complementary bit lines (CBLs) extends along a column, from a first side of the array, and terminates between the first and second subarrays. A second pair of CBLs extends from the first side of the array, along the column, to a second side of the array. The CBLs of the second pair of CBLs have stepped profiles between the first and second subarrays. A third pair of CBLs and a fourth pair of CBLs extend along the column. The first and third pairs of CBLs electrically couple to memory cells in the first subarray, and the second and fourth pairs of CBLs electrically couple to memory cells in the second subarray.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage apparatus includes a memory cell array and a read circuit. The memory cell array includes a memory cell which is connected to a word line. A threshold voltage of the memory cell corresponds to a data value of multiple bits. The read circuit receives designation of one bit among the multiple bits, applies a first reading voltage and a second reading voltage corresponding to the designated bit to the word line, senses ON or OFF of the memory cell for each reading voltage, and outputs a first sensed value and a second sensed value after performing the sensing for each reading voltage. The first sensed value is a sensing result in a case where the first reading voltage is applied. The second sensed value is a sensing result in a case where the second reading voltage is applied.

A method is provided for a reading memory even if there is a threshold voltage in an overlapped threshold voltage (VTH) region between a first state distribution and a second state distribution. The method includes ramping a bias on a memory cell a first time to determine a first threshold voltage (VTH1) of the memory cell and determining whether the VTH1 is within the overlapped VTH region. Upon determination that the memory cell is within the overlapped VTH region, the method further includes applying a write pulse to the memory cell; ramping a bias on the memory cell a second time to determine a second threshold voltage (VTH2); and determining the state of the memory cell prior to receiving the write pulse based on a comparison between the VTH1 and the VTH2.

A memory system may include a memory device including 0th to N-1th memory blocks, wherein N is a positive integer; and a controller having a first list and a second list, wherein the first list includes 0th to N-1th erase count values respectively for the 0th to N-1th memory blocks, wherein the second list includes 0th to N-1th difference values respectively for the 0th to N-1th memory blocks, wherein each of the 0th to N-1th difference values is a difference between an average value of the 0th to N-1th erase count values and each of the 0th to N-1th erase count values, wherein the controller selects a source block and a target block among the 0th to N-1th memory blocks depending on the 0th to N-th erase count values included in the first list and the 0th to N-1th difference values included in the second list to perform a wear leveling between the source block and the target block.

A array of electrically programmable fuse (eFuse) units includes at least one connecting switch connecting two adjacent eFuse units. Each eFuse unit includes an eFuse, a write switch for passing through a first portion of a write current, a read/write switch for passing through a second portion of the write current or a read current, and a common node. The eFuse, the write switch, the read/write switch, and the at least one connecting switch are connected to each other at the common node. By turning on and off the at least one connecting switch, the current is split among the eFuse units, so that the size of the write switch can be reduced, thus reducing the total area of the array.

An apparatus for assigning a plurality of access nodes of a wireless communication network to control areas includes a processing apparatus. The processing apparatus is configured to assign each access node in the plurality of access nodes to a control area of a plurality of control areas and to determine a first control phase. The first control phase is a period of time during which the assignment of access nodes to control areas remains constant. The processing apparatus is configured to, when changing from the first control phase to a following second control phase, reassign at least a subset of access nodes which were assigned during the first control phase to a first control area to a second control area and reassign at least a subset of access nodes which were assigned during the first control phase to a third control area to the first control area.

A method for transmitting uplink (UL) data requiring low latency in a wireless communication system according to the present invention, the method performed by a user equipment comprises transmitting contention PUSCH resource block (CPRB) indication information used for identifying a particular UE and/or particular data to an eNB; transmitting UL data to the eNB through CPRB resources of a contention based PUSCH (CP) zone; and receiving a hybrid automatic retransmit request (HARQ) response with respect to the UL data from the eNB through a physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH).

Methods and apparatus for multiple user uplink are provided. In one aspect, method for wireless communication includes receiving an assignment of a frequency bandwidth for an uplink transmission of a station. The method further includes determining whether a portion of the assigned frequency bandwidth is unavailable for the uplink transmission. The method further includes selectively transmitting the uplink transmission based on whether the portion of the assigned frequency bandwidth is unavailable.